Core Protocol Engineer

Summary

Join Ritual, a company building a sovereign execution layer for AI, as a Core Protocol Engineer. You will extend the EVM for next-generation compute capabilities, working on expanding the execution layer to support novel precompiles and implementing parallel execution patterns. This role requires deep expertise with Ethereum execution clients and experience implementing and optimizing precompiles. You will collaborate with the research team on protocol specifications and mechanism design improvements. Ritual offers a highly competitive compensation package, top-tier benefits, and a fully remote or hybrid work option.

Requirements

• Deep understanding of EVM internals and Ethereum execution clients (Geth/Reth)
• Strong experience implementing and optimizing precompiles
• Expertise in Go and/or Rust for systems programming, and Solidity
• Thorough knowledge of Ethereum's roadmap and active participation in protocol discussions
• Experience with parallel execution patterns in blockchain systems
• Strong understanding of consensus mechanisms and blockchain architecture
• Ability to read, understand, and implement EIPs and protocol specifications
• Proven track record of shipping production-grade blockchain systems
• Ability to act quickly under high pressure scenarios and context switch at a high frequency
• A high level of end-to-end ownership and self-direction, with excellent communication skills
• Hungry, high-energy and ability to work within and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment

Responsibilities

• Design and implement extensions to EVM clients (Geth/Reth) for supporting stateful precompiles
• Implement novel mechanism design primitives, collaborating with our research team, into the execution layer
• Develop and optimize transaction processing pipelines for heterogeneous workloads
• Research and implement solutions for state access conflicts
• Contribute to core protocol development and EIP implementations
• Collaborate with the research team on protocol specifications and mechanism design improvements
• Design and implement robust testing frameworks for execution client modifications

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of mempool dynamics, transaction ordering and the mev-boost implementation
• Background in mechanism design or market systems
• Deep knowledge of proof systems and their trade-offs around prover time, verifier time, and proof size
• Experience optimizing proof generation and verification pipelines
• Experience with cross-chain bridges or interoperability protocols
• Contributions to Ethereum client codebases
• Background in distributed systems and concurrent programming

Benefits

• Highly competitive compensation package, including annual discretionary bonus & optimized tax structure compared to the vast majority of web3 startups
• Top 1% of benefits across the web3 startup space
• 100% of premiums covered on highest quality healthcare
• Aggressive company 401k match
• Fully remote and/or hybrid, up to you!
• Participate in virtual and in-person events