Founding Language Engineer - Compiler & Runtime

Employment Type:Full-time (post-funding)About Rivellum:Rivellum is an intent-centric Layer 1 blockchain protocol built from the ground up in Rust. Not a fork. Not an iteration. Every architectural decision was made from first principles — structural MEV elimination through encrypted batch ingress, post-quantum cryptography from genesis using Dilithium3 at NIST Level 3, guaranteed execution outcomes through an intent-based model, and ZK privacy by default. The protocol is complete, running on a live private devnet, and backed by a founding technical team that includes a PhD cryptographer covering consensus and security.The Role:We are looking for a Founding Language Engineer to own the Mist compiler and runtime lane. Mist is Rivellum’s native smart contract language. It compiles to a custom IR called VIR, which feeds into a value-flow graph and ultimately into the execution and settlement layer. This is not a maintenance role on an existing compiler. This is owning the design, correctness, and long-term architecture of a novel language and its execution model.What you will own: • Mist language design and compiler implementation • VIR intermediate representation and lowering pipeline • Move runtime boundary and execution model • Developer-facing inspection, debugging, and tooling • IR architecture decisions including evaluation of LLVM, MLIR, or Cranelift as potential foundations for VIR • Test infrastructure and compiler correctness • Owning the lane in investor conversations when funds want to go deep on the compiler and language layerWhat we are looking for: • Several years of production compiler engineering experience, LLVM, MLIR, GCC, JVM, or equivalent industrial compiler work • Strong systems programming background, Rust preferred but not required • Someone who understands IR design, optimization passes, codegen tradeoffs, and how to debug optimizer behavior at depth • Blockchain experience is not required and is secondary to compiler engineering disciplineWhat this is not:This role is not suitable for someone looking for an immediate salary. Rivellum is pre-funded. The pre-funding period is equity-only. Full-time employment with salary begins at funding close.What we are offering: • Founding team equity, meaningful and consistent with the rest of the founding team • $175,000 USD annual salary starting at funding close • Standard four-year vesting with a one-year cliff, vesting commencement from day of signing • Token allocation at mainnet launch • 18-month funded runway target behind the role • The opportunity to own a critical lane in a protocol built to matterPre-funding ask:Roughly 10 to 15 hours of focused review of the relevant code in your lane, key risks identified, and a rough sense of what hardening looks like and how long it takes. That is the full pre-funding scope. The deep execution work happens post-funding when everyone is full time.Process:Intro call, technical materials, follow-up call, NDA and scoped code access, founding intent letter, full access and lane review.To apply or learn more:Reach out directly to Ben Abbott at ben.abbott@rivellum.network or connect on LinkedIn.