Software Engineer, Distributed Systems

Protocol Labs, Remote

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Define and build elegant, performant, and resilient systems for tomorrow's web.

We are hiring Distributed Systems Engineers to work on the JavaScript and Go implementations of protocols like IPFS, Filecoin and libp2p.

Enthusiasm about the decentralized web and blockchains has brought an influx of people who want to _use_ distributed systems but who don't know _how to build_ the necessary infrastructure. We are building that infrastructure. To continue that work, we're looking for people who thoroughly understand the principles of distributed systems and who will lean into the challenges of applying those principles in open-source code that will be deployed worldwide.

Distributed Systems Engineering at Protocol Labs

Distributed systems engineering lies at the center of many projects at Protocol Labs. With IPFS, libp2p, Filecoin and other related projects we are laying the foundation for a more resilient, more secure, distributed version of the web. This requires rigorous engineering from protocol design through all the phases of implementation. We strike a balance between pragmatism (put it on a ship ⛴), deeply informed protocol design, and strict application of strong engineering principles. All of this happens in an environment defined by curiosity, passion, and a love for open source.

As a Distributed Systems Software Engineer at Protocol Labs you might …

Create elegant, reusable open-source solutions to hard distributed systems problems
Contribute to steering and maintenance of the JavaScript or Go implementations of IPFS, Filecoin, libp2p and similar open source projects
Participate in the design of performant and resilient applications
Integrate research results into real programs
Provide code reviews, guidance, and encouragement for open source contributors around the world

You may be a fit for this role if you have:…

Significant experience building applications using Go, Universal JavaScript, or related languages (required)
Solid understanding of distributed systems principles (required)
A good understanding of the Web's application model (required)
Literacy with cryptographic principles and practices
Experience Implementing distributed software systems and applications that overcome the challenges of p2p networking
A fiery passion for busting through NATs
Experience leading and guiding Open Source projects (preferred)
Experience Implementing DHTs, consensus (Raft/PAXOS) and/or blockchain-based protocols (preferred)
Experience with 1 or more of the following: Smart Contracts, storage platforms, UNIX file systems, VMs (preferred)
Proficiency at tuning network applications for high and low bandwidth settings (preferred)

What’s it like to work at Protocol Labs?

Protocol Labs mission is to improve humanity’s most important technology, the Internet. We build protocols, systems, and tools to improve how it works. Today, we are focused on how we store, locate, and move information. Our projects include IPFS, Filecoin, libp2p, and more.

As a distributed team, we hire anywhere in the world, and at various levels of experience (entry, senior, staff). We look for people with unique perspectives and diverse backgrounds.

We have a great benefits package, including parental leave, contributions to your retirement, competitive pay, and unlimited time off. For U.S.-based employees, we also provide platinum-level health, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family.

About Protocol Labs

Company Protocol Labs is a research, development, and deployment lab for network protocols. Protocol Labs leads groundbreaking internet projects, such as IPFS, the decentralized web protocol; Filecoin, a cryptocurrency incentivized storage network; and libp2p, a modular network stack for peer-to-peer apps and systems. Protocol Labs works openly, and is focused on the creation of value at a massive scale. Open Source Protocol Labs works on a growing number of Open Source projects. The major technology stacks we produce are developed entirely Open Source, from initial research, through implementation development, and into wide deployment. The communities we lead are open, welcoming, and inclusive. We invite you to get involved; join us on GitHub! History Protocol Labs was founded on May 2014, by Juan Benet, inventor of IPFS and Filecoin. That summer, we participated in the YCombinator program (S14). Protocol Labs released IPFS to the world in January 2015. Since then, IPFS has gained enormous traction in a variety of industries and organizations. By 2016, IPFS grew to be one of the most used and relied on technologies in the Blockchain industry, and hailed by thousands of developers as "The Future of the Web." That year, Protocol Labs also created libp2p, IPLD, multiformats, Orbit, and a number of other projects. Our most anticipated project is Filecoin, currently in development.