Blockchain Developer

Only W2 (No C2C/1099)Hybrid working model – 3 day onsite/2 days remote Role: Lead Specialty Software Engineer (Protocol Engineer) Location options: Iselin, NJ / Concord, CAContract: 12 months (potential extension)Client JD-Seeking a Lead Specialty Software Engineer (Protocol Engineer) to contribute to a next-generation Digital Asset Platform designed to solve the most critical challenge in institutional finance: achieving strict regulatory compliance without compromising transaction confidentiality. As a Lead Protocol Engineer, you will be responsible for architecting the core settlement engine. You will work at the intersection of distributed systems and applied cryptography, translating complex mathematical proofs into high-performance, production-grade Go code.Why Join Us?Work on "Hard" Problems: You won't be building another yield farm copycat. You'll solve fundamental privacy/compliance contradictions in the global financial systemHigh-Impact Engineering: Your code will secure high-value institutional transactionsTechnical Autonomy: You'll play a key role in architectural decisions, choosing the right curves, libraries, and design patternsResponsibilitiesCore Protocol Development: Architect and build a custom blockchain application using Go, Cosmos SDK, and CometBFT (Tendermint)Cryptographic Implementation: Implement and optimize privacy-preserving primitives, specifically Pedersen Commitments and Bulletproofs (Range Proofs), ensuring no trusted setup is requiredConsensus Customization: Engineer custom ABCI++ extensions (specifically PrepareProposal and Vote Extensions) to implement an on-chain Multi-Party Computation (MPC) mixing networkState Machine Design: Design a custom KVStore state machine that manages homomorphic encrypted balances (Elliptic Curve points) instead of plaintext integersPerformance Engineering: Optimize cryptographic operations (scalar multiplication, point addition) for low latency and high throughput in a distributed environmentAuditing Infrastructure: Build secure off-chain query layers and "view key" mechanisms that allow for granular, permissioned regulatory auditingRequired Qualifications:5+ years of Specialty Software Engineering experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education3+ years of experience in backend or systems programming, with expert-level proficiency in Go (Golang)6+ months of experience with Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)1+ year of experience with BFT consensus algorithms, P2P networking, and state replication; reliable, distributed systems experienceDesired Qualifications:Blockchain Core: Deep experience with Cosmos SDK and CometBFT. Comfort building custom modules and modifying consensus logic, not just deploying smart contractsPedersen Commitments (Homomorphic encryption properties)Zero-Knowledge Proofs (specifically Bulletproofs or Sigma protocols)Math-to-Code: Demonstrated ability to read academic whitepapers/preprints and translate mathematical specifications into functioning codeExperience with MPC (Multi-Party Computation) or Verifiable Secret Sharing (VSS) schemesFamiliarity with the Ristretto255 curve or libraries like gnark-cryptoBackground in FinTech, payment systems, or high-frequency trading platformsUnderstanding of the Account Model vs. UTXO Model trade-offs in privacy-preserving ledgersEEO: “Mindlance is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment based on – Minority/Gender/Disability/Religion/LGBTQI/Age/Veterans.”