Protocol Engineer

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

Founded in 2021, LayerZero’s vision is to create a community of cross-chain developers, building dApps that are no longer constrained by individual blockchain capabilities. With LayerZero's simple, generic messaging protocol, builders will develop cross-chain dApps designed to unify the power of individual blockchains.

We are funded by the best investors in the world including:

a16z, Sequoia, PayPal, Binance Ventures, Coinbase Ventures, Uniswap Labs, Circle Ventures, Delphi Digital, and many more.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As a Protocol Engineer, you'll work on the core infrastructure that underpins decentralized interoperability. You will design and implement core protocol components that operate across heterogeneous chains with rigorous security and performance constraints.You’ll be part of a deeply technical team working across LayerZero’s protocol and smart contract surface, contributing to novel cross-chain primitives and helping shape the architecture of systems used by some of the most demanding applications in Web3.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• 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 an emphasis on upgradeability, modularity, and composability.
• Keep pace with changes across LayerZero-supported chains to ensure cross-chain compatibility and performance.

ABOUT YOU

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Strong smart contract development experience in Solidity or equivalent languages, with a focus on correctness, modularity, and gas efficiency.
• Have builtprotocol-level infrastructure: bridges, interoperability layers, state sync systems, light clients, or equivalent.
• Write clear, well-tested, and secure code and have strong opinions on security models and upgradeability patterns.
• Familiar with distributed systems fundamentals and have good intuition around adversarial conditions in blockchain environments.
• Experience working with workflow engines.
• Previous experience with blockchain technologies, smart contracts, and decentralized finance is a strong plus.

The base salary for this position ranges from $120,000/year up to $250,000/year. Salary is based on a number of factors and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. LayerZero is a total compensation company. Dependent on the position offered, equity, and other forms of compensation may be provided as part of a total compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits.

Equal Opportunity Employer

LayerZero Labs is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. LayerZero Labs is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, protected veteran status, disability, age, or any other legally protected status.