Business Development Associate/Senior Associate - Engineering Services

Paradigm; San Francisco (CA); Remote; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative company is seeking a Business Development Associate/Senior Associate to drive client acquisition and strategic partnerships in the blockchain space. This role offers a unique opportunity to leverage your skills in a rapidly evolving industry while collaborating with diverse teams. You will be responsible for identifying new business opportunities, negotiating high-value deals, and conducting market research to position the company as a leader. With a flexible, remote-first work environment and a commitment to employee well-being, this position is perfect for those looking to make a significant impact in the blockchain technology landscape.

Benefits

25 days paid vacation annually

Remote-first flexible work environment

Annual lifestyle benefits

Home-office stipend

Paid parental leave

Annual company retreats

Qualifications

• Experience in blockchain or crypto-related roles.
• Strong analytical skills to assess market trends.

Responsibilities

• Identify and engage new clients to drive revenue growth.
• Develop and present compelling proposals to clients.
• Conduct ongoing market analysis to identify trends.

Skills

Business Development

Client Acquisition

Negotiation

Market Research

Blockchain Knowledge

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

Business Development Associate/Senior Associate

Full Time

Canada, Switzerland, UK, USA, Remote

About Informal

Informal Systems was founded to build trust in software and monetary systems, specializing in secure, interoperable, and fault-tolerant networks. Structured as a workers' cooperative, we bring rigorous protocol design, formal verification, and a dedication to sustainability, empowering teams to create systems people can fully rely on. Our current team of 70+ members are distributed across Canada, the US and Europe.

Informal Systems Partners, Invests and Incubates. We do this across 5 business lines:

• Protocol R&D and Engineering Services: Partners with early stage teams across the Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cosmos, and other ecosystems on core architecture and design. Also acts as the core developer and maintainer of a variety of public goods - including Malachite, IBC-rs, and the Hermes relayer

• Security Audits: Leverages Informal’s expertise in distributed systems, formal verification, and adversarial code inspection - to ensure protocol safety and R&D

• Validator & Staking: A premier operator of decentralized network systems as we usher in a new age of open financial technologies. Informal Staking has been defining the standards in security, monitoring, and performance for Validators since 2017

• Ventures: A differentiated early stage venture partner bringing deep protocol development and engineering expertise

• Incubator: Recent project announcements include -

• Cycles: Our recently announced new layer-1 focused on debt clearing and consolidation for any debt use-case

• Hydro: A liquidity provisioning protocol focused initially on the Interchain ecosystem with plans to expand beyond

• Quint: A modern specification language for co-designing the protocol and implementation of decentralized systems

This role will primarily work with: 1) Protocol R&D and Engineering Services, 3) Validator and Staking, and 4) Ventures

• What your primary responsibilities will beClient Acquisition and Relationship Management: Identify, attract, and engage new clients across target markets to drive revenue growth while continuing to build and nurture long-term relationships with clients and stakeholders.
• Deal Negotiation and Closure: Develop and present compelling proposals that align with client needs and Informal’s expertise. Support closing high-value deals.
• Strategic Collaboration: Serve as a business development advisor to the Protocol R&D and Engineering Services team, while providing tailored support to Informal Staking and Informal Ventures.
• Market Research and Business Strategy: Conduct ongoing market analysis to identify emerging trends, competitive dynamics, and opportunities for Informal’s services. Develop tailored pitches that position Informal as a leader in the industry.

This is a unique opportunity to leverage your problem-solving skills and shape the future of blockchain technology.

What we look for in a successful Business Development Associate/ Senior Associate:

Required:

• Prior experience working in blockchain or crypto-related roles.
• Demonstrated genuine interest in and deep understanding of the rapidly evolving blockchain landscape.

Preferred:

• 3+ years of proven success in business development, including identifying, cultivating, and closing leads.
• An established network within the blockchain and crypto ecosystem.

Skills and Competencies:

• Ability to forge new partnerships while nurturing and maintaining existing relationships.
• Proven ability to manage multiple parallel projects and initiatives while ensuring consistent progress.
• Strong analytical skills to assess market trends and identify opportunities for growth and expansion.
• Capacity to work effectively across diverse teams and with leadership to align business development strategies.
• Demonstrated experience in generating leads and achieving measurable sales outcomes, including growth and client engagement metrics.
• Strong ability to negotiate and close high-value deals effectively.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex ideas clearly and persuasively.

Some of our benefits include:

• A unique, caring and friendly culture (learn more about how we work here)
• 25 days (5 weeks) of paid vacation annually, plus 3 Spiritual Days
• Company closure from December 25th to January 1
• Annual Lifestyle benefits (reimbursements for gym memberships, fitness equipment, etc)
• A remote-first, flexible work environment
• A home-office stipend to set you up for success
• Annual company retreats
• Paid parental leave
• ….. and many more!

We are an equal-opportunity employer and value diversity in our organization. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and encourage applications from people of all race, religion, colour, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.