Cross-Chain Protocol Engineer: Secure, High-Performance

LayerZero Labs; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

LayerZero Labs in Vancouver is seeking a Protocol Engineer to help build the core infrastructure for decentralized interoperability. You will design and implement protocol components across EVM and non-EVM chains, focusing on security, performance, and upgradeability.

You will collaborate with teams to develop system primitives, verify security assumptions, and improve robustness. A CS degree and strong Solidity experience with a track record in cross-chain infrastructure are highly valued.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS or equivalent practical experience.
• Strong smart contract development in Solidity with focus on correctness, modularity, and gas efficiency.
• Built protocol-level infrastructure: bridges, interoperability layers, state sync systems, light clients, or equivalent.
• Write clear, well-tested, and secure code with strong opinions on security models and upgradeability patterns.
• Familiar with distributed systems fundamentals and adversarial blockchain environments.
• Experience working with workflow engines.
• Blockchain technologies, smart contracts, and DeFi experience is a strong plus.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement core protocol contracts and logic on both EVM and non-EVM chains (e.g., message validators, data availability mechanisms, proof verification).
• Collaborate with various teams to develop new system primitives, validate security assumptions, and improve protocol robustness.
• Own components across their lifecycle: architecture, implementation, testing, deployment, and iteration.
• Contribute to high-assurance engineering practices: formal verification, invariant testing, simulation frameworks, fuzzing, and audit readiness.
• Investigate emerging cryptographic techniques and novel designs to enhance trust minimization and scalability.
• Optimize for correctness and safety in gas-constrained environments, with emphasis on upgradeability, modularity, and composability.
• Keep pace with changes across LayerZero-supported chains to ensure cross-chain compatibility and performance.

Skills

Solidity

Gas efficiency

Security modeling

Distributed systems

Workflow engines

Upgradeability patterns

Cross-chain interoperability

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent

Tools

Bridges

Light clients

Audit tooling

Job description

LayerZero Labs in Vancouver is seeking a Protocol Engineer to help build the core infrastructure for decentralized interoperability. You will design and implement protocol components across EVM and non-EVM chains, focusing on security, performance, and upgradeability.

You will collaborate with teams to develop system primitives, verify security assumptions, and improve robustness. A CS degree and strong Solidity experience with a track record in cross-chain infrastructure are highly valued.