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About the Role

The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) is seeking a leader to guide its scientific and technological research efforts, focusing on advancing open technology for equitable access to the global financial system. This role involves defining and growing a research agenda rooted in values of open research, standards, and software, fostering collaboration, and translating insights into real-world impact within a mission-driven environment.

Responsibilities

Define and lead a long-term scientific research agenda that supports SDF’s mission and contributes to broader conversations in computer science and decentralized systems.
Identify mission-aligned applied challenges and foundational open problems to guide internal research and community engagement.
Build strong, lasting partnerships with top researchers, labs, and institutions.
Support initiatives leading to joint publications, open-source contributions, and shared advancement of knowledge.
Oversee a portfolio of research efforts ranging from mission-critical applications to blue-sky investigations.
Champion rigorous thinking that leads to practical outcomes and advances the state of the art.
Recruit and develop a diverse group of research scientists and applied researchers.
Create a supportive environment where a range of perspectives, backgrounds, and research styles can thrive.
Ensure research outcomes inform product strategy, ecosystem standards, and protocol development.
Represent SDF at conferences, academic workshops, and standards bodies.
Contribute to the broader discourse on decentralized systems and financial inclusion through publications, presentations, and thought leadership.

Requirements

PhD in Computer Science, Cryptography, Distributed Systems, or a related field.
10+ years of research experience in academia (e.g., tenured or tenure-track faculty) or industry (e.g., senior research scientist or director-level role).
Strong track record of high-impact contributions, such as peer-reviewed publications, patents, open-source projects, or foundational technical work.
Demonstrated experience leading research programs or teams, including setting strategy and managing multi-year initiatives.
Experience working in both academic and applied research settings, with an ability to translate deep technical insights into practical impact.
Familiarity with open-source software development practices and/or participation in open standards communities (e.g., IETF, W3C).
Proven ability to collaborate across disciplines and institutions, including with academic labs, research consortia, and industry partners.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage technical and non-technical stakeholders, represent the organization publicly, and contribute to technical and policy discussions.
Commitment to mentoring and supporting researchers across career stages, and to fostering a collaborative and inclusive research culture.
Interest in or experience with the societal, economic, and ethical dimensions of decentralized systems, particularly in the context of financial access and inclusion.

Skills

Computer Science
Cryptography
Distributed Systems
Research
Open Technology
Blockchain Technology
Financial Inclusion
Open Source Software
Open Standards
Collaboration
Mentoring
Communication

Location

Work Type

Full-time

Experience Level

10+ years of research experience
Senior research scientist
Director-level role
Tenured or tenure-track faculty

Education Level

PhD in Computer Science, Cryptography, Distributed Systems, or a related field

Salary/Compensations

$210,000 - $365,000

Benefits

Lumen-denominated grants
Competitive health, dental & vision coverage with most plans covered at 100% for the employee + any dependents
Flexible time off + 15 company holidays including a company-wide holiday break
Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave for both non-birthing and birthing parents
Up to 14 weeks of paid pregnancy leave for birthing parents
Gym reimbursement ($80 per month)
Life & ADD (up to $50K)
Short & Long term disability
401K with 4% match
Health & Dependent Care FSA Accounts
Commuter benefits with $250/month employer contribution
Health Savings Account (HSA) with monthly employer contribution
Family building benefits through Kindbody
Wellbeing benefits (One Medical, Rightway, Headspace)
L&D budget of $1,500/year
Daily lunch and snacks in office
Company retreats

About the Company

The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) is a non-profit organization focused on working with and supporting change-makers to create equitable access to the global financial system through blockchain technology.
SDF provides grants, investments, funding, and other awards to builders and organizations.
SDF also develops resources and tooling on the Stellar network to help unlock real world utility.
As a nonprofit foundation, SDF puts the health of the Stellar network and the Stellar ecosystem and its mission above all else.
Stellar is more than a blockchain. Powered by a decentralized, fast, scalable, and uniquely sustainable network made for financial products and services and a thriving and passionate ecosystem that includes a non-profit organization driven by a mission, Stellar is paving the path to unlock the world’s economic potential through blockchain technology.
Built with speed and low costs in mind, the Stellar network provides builders and financial institutions worldwide a platform to issue assets, and to send and convert currencies in real time creating real world utility.
Founded in 2014, the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) supports the continued development and growth of the Stellar network and also serves the ecosystem of NGOs, corporations, universities, small businesses, governments, and solo entrepreneurs building on the Stellar network through tooling, funding and strategic collaborations.
Together, Stellar is where blockchain meets the real world.

Equal Opportunity

SDF is committed to diversity in its workforce and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.
SDF does not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, or any other basis protected by applicable local, state or federal law.