Research Engineer - Blockchain

C3iHub, IIT Kanpur; Kanpur; On-site; INR 2,500,000 - 4,200,000; Full time

Job summary

C3iHub, IIT Kanpur invites applications for a Research Engineer - Blockchain to spearhead advanced research and develop deployable blockchain, Web3 security, and privacy-preserving solutions. The role covers literature reviews, protocol design, prototype development, experimentation, and dissemination through publications and demos.

Ideal candidates will explore interoperability, consensus, Layer-2/3 technologies, smart contract security, and cryptographic protocols, with a strong emphasis on

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of blockchain and distributed ledger technology, including architecture, consensus mechanisms, smart contracts, cryptographic primitives, and public/permissioned systems.
• Strong programming skills in at least one of: Python, C++, Go, Rust, Java, or TypeScript/JavaScript.
• Hands-on experience with at least one blockchain platform/framework, such as Ethereum/EVM, Hyperledger Fabric, Hyperledger Besu, IOTA, Substrate/Polkadot, or Cosmos/IBC.
• Ability to read academic research papers and independently design, implement, and evaluate research ideas.

Responsibilities

• Research & Analysis – Conduct literature surveys, identify research gaps, and formulate novel research problems and hypotheses.
• Protocol & Algorithm Development – Design novel blockchain protocols, algorithms, and security mechanisms, and evaluate them against state-of-the-art approaches.
• Implementation & Experimentation – Build research prototypes and testbeds; run controlled experiments and benchmark throughput, latency, scalability, and security.
• Research Publications – Prepare technical reports and research papers for peer-reviewed venues.
• Technology Translation – Convert research findings into working prototypes, support pilot deployments, collaborate with engineering teams to move prototypes toward production and potential commercialization.

Skills

Blockchain fundamentals

Programming languages

Blockchain platforms

Education

M.Tech / M.E. / MS in CS / Security / Blockchain

B.Tech / B.E. in CS / IT / Electronics

PhD candidates/holders in related areas

Tools

Ethereum/EVM

Hyperledger Fabric/Besu

Substrate/Polkadot

Cosmos/IBC

Job description

About the Role

C3iHub, IIT Kanpur, is looking for a Research Engineer - Blockchain to conduct advanced research and develop innovative solutions in blockchain, distributed ledger technologies, Web3 security, interoperability, scalability, privacy-preserving technologies, decentralized identity, and smart contract security.

The role covers the complete research lifecycle – literature review, problem formulation, protocol and algorithm design, prototype development, experimentation, security evaluation, technical documentation, and dissemination through publications, patents, and technology demonstrators. It is best suited to candidates interested in applied research at the intersection of blockchain, cryptography, distributed systems, and cybersecurity, with an emphasis on converting research ideas into deployable solutions.

Key Research Areas

The candidate may work on one or more of the following areas depending on project requirements:

• Blockchain Interoperability & Cross-Chain Systems – cross-chain communication protocols, bridge and atomic-swap security, and interoperability between permissioned and public blockchains.
• Blockchain Scalability & Distributed Ledger Technologies – consensus mechanisms (PoW, PoS, and emerging designs), DAG-based and sharded ledger architectures, and performance benchmarking.
• Layer-2 and Layer-3 Technologies – sidechains, state channels, optimistic and zk-rollups, and their security and interaction with Layer-1 networks.
• Smart Contract & Web3 Security – vulnerability research in Solidity/token contracts, automated auditing tools, and security frameworks for DeFi and cross-chain applications.
• Privacy-Preserving Blockchain & Cryptographic Systems – Zero-Knowledge Proofs, Secure Multi-Party Computation, and privacy-enhancing protocols for identity, credentials, and financial applications.

Key Responsibilities

• Research & Analysis –Conduct literature surveys, identify research gaps, and formulate novel research problems and hypotheses.
• Protocol & Algorithm Development –Design novel blockchain protocols, algorithms, and security mechanisms, and evaluate them against state-of-the-art approaches.
• Implementation & Experimentation – Build research prototypes and testbeds; run controlled experiments and benchmark throughput, latency, scalability, and security.
• Research Publications – Prepare technical reports and research papers for peer-reviewed venues.
• Technology Translation – Convert research findings into working prototypes, support pilot deployments, collaborate with engineering teams to move prototypes toward production and potential commercialization.

Expected Research Deliverables

The Research Engineer will be expected to contribute to measurable research outcomes, including:

• Literature surveys and state-of-the-art analysis; identification of novel research problems and gaps.
• New protocols, algorithms, security mechanisms, or frameworks, along with research prototypes and proof-of-concept implementations.
• Experimental testbeds, benchmarking frameworks, and comparative evaluation against existing solutions.
• Technical reports and research papers for submission to reputed conferences/journals.
• Patent/IPR contributions where applicable.
• Open-source tools/frameworks and technology demonstrators supporting industry and government use cases.

Required Technical Skills

Essential

• Strong understanding of blockchain and distributed ledger technology, including architecture, consensus mechanisms, smart contracts, cryptographic primitives, and public/permissioned systems.
• Strong programming skills in at least one of: Python, C++, Go, Rust, Java, or TypeScript/JavaScript.
• Hands-on experience with at least one blockchain platform/framework, such as Ethereum/EVM, Hyperledger Fabric, Hyperledger Besu, IOTA, Substrate/Polkadot, or Cosmos/IBC.
• Ability to read academic research papers and independently design, implement, and evaluate research ideas.

Preferred

Experience in one or more of the following:

• Blockchain interoperability, cross-chain bridges, IBC, or atomic swaps.
• Layer-2/Layer-3 technologies, zk-Rollups, Zero-Knowledge Proofs, or MPC.
• Smart contract security, Solidity/EVM security, or formal verification.
• Consensus design, DAG-based ledgers, or sharding.
• Self-Sovereign Identity, DID/Verifiable Credentials, or privacy-preserving technologies.
• DeFi, tokenization, or blockchain performance benchmarking.

Research Skills

The candidate should demonstrate the ability to conduct independent technical research, identify gaps in existing literature, and apply sound research methodology to formulate and validate hypotheses, including reproducing and extending published work.

Strong technical writing skills are essential, along with the ability to prepare research papers, reports, and presentations, and a genuine interest in publishing research and generating intellectual property.

Educational Qualification

• Preferred: M.Tech / M.E. / MS (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Information Security/Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Distributed Systems, Cryptography, Computer Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Bachelor's degree: B.Tech / B.E. (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Information Technology, Electronics, or a related discipline may be considered for candidates with strong relevant research/industry experience.
• Ph.D. candidates/holders in Blockchain, Cryptography, Distributed Systems, Cybersecurity, or related areas will be preferred for research-intensive positions.

Experience

• 2–4 years of relevant experience, with a strong academic/research background, relevant projects, publications, or significant open-source contributions.
• Prior experience in blockchain research, cryptography, distributed systems, Web3 security, or academic R&D is preferred.
• Research publications in reputed conferences/journals and experience developing blockchain prototypes or research tools will be an advantage.