Lead Specialty Software Engineer (Protocol Engineer)

Innova Solutions Inc.; Concord, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 96,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical & Pharmacy

Dental & Vision

401(k) Plan

HSA & FSA

Life Insurance

Pet Insurance

Disability Insurance

Accident & Critical Illness

Pre-paid Legal

Sick Time

Paid Leave

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Innova Solutions is seeking a Lead Specialty Software Engineer (Protocol Engineer) in Concord, CA. You will architect and build core settlement engines for a next-generation digital asset platform, using Go, Cosmos SDK, and CometBFT, while implementing privacy-preserving cryptography and MPC features.

The role focuses on translating complex cryptographic concepts into high-performance Go code, contributing to distributed systems and on-chain protocol design.

Qualifications

• Specialty Software Engineering experience or equivalent.
• Backend or systems programming with expert Go.
• Hands-on ECC experience.
• Experience with BFT, P2P, and distributed systems; Cosmos SDK and CometBFT/Tendermint.
• Knowledge of Pedersen Commitments, Bulletproofs, Zero-Knowledge Proofs, MPC concepts.
• Ability to translate math/specs into production code.

Responsibilities

• Architect and build custom blockchain apps using Go, Cosmos SDK, and CometBFT.
• Design and develop the core settlement engine for the platform.
• Implement privacy-preserving cryptographic primitives and MPC features.
• Develop and extend on-chain modules and extensions (ABCI++) for MPC mixing networks.
• Design KVStore state machines for encrypted balances and secure operations.
• Optimize cryptographic operations for latency and throughput.
• Build secure off-chain query layers and view key mechanisms for audits.
• Translate cryptographic specs into production Go code.

Skills

Go (Golang)

ECC

BFT consensus

Cosmos SDK

CometBFT/Tendermint

MPC concepts

ZK proofs

Tools

ABCI++ extensions

Tendermint/Consensus

Job description

A client of Innova Solutions is immediately hiring for a Lead Specialty Software Engineer (Protocol Engineer).

Position type: Full-time, Contract (W2)

Duration: 12 months Contract Possible extension and/or conversion

Location: Concord, CA - 3 days onsite/ 2 day remote

Overview:

Seeking a Lead Specialty Software Engineer (Protocol Engineer) to contribute to a next-generation Digital Asset Platform designed to solve the critical challenge of achieving regulatory compliance without compromising transaction confidentiality. This role focuses on architecting and developing the core settlement engine while working at the intersection of distributed systems, blockchain technology, and applied cryptography. The ideal candidate will translate complex mathematical and cryptographic concepts into high-performance, production-grade Go applications.

As a Lead Specialty Software Engineer (Protocol Engineer), you will:

Day to Day Responsibilities:

• Architect and build custom blockchain applications using Go, Cosmos SDK, and CometBFT (Tendermint).
• Design and develop the core settlement engine for a next-generation Digital Asset Platform.
• Implement and optimize privacy-preserving cryptographic primitives including Pedersen Commitments and Bulletproofs (Range Proofs).
• Engineer custom ABCI++ extensions, specifically PrepareProposal and Vote Extensions, to implement an on-chain Multi-Party Computation (MPC) mixing network.
• Design custom KVStore state machines that manage homomorphic encrypted balances (Elliptic Curve points) instead of plaintext integers.
• Optimize cryptographic operations including scalar multiplication and point addition to improve latency and throughput in distributed environments.
• Build secure off-chain query layers and view key mechanisms to support granular, permissioned regulatory auditing.
• Translate complex cryptographic and mathematical specifications into high-performance, production-grade Go code.
• Work at the intersection of distributed systems and applied cryptography to solve privacy and regulatory compliance challenges.
• Contribute to architectural decisions involving cryptographic curves, libraries, protocol design, and engineering patterns.
• Develop and maintain reliable distributed systems leveraging BFT consensus algorithms, P2P networking, and state replication.
• Build custom blockchain modules and participate in consensus logic enhancements.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to design scalable, secure, and privacy-preserving digital asset infrastructure.
• Apply knowledge of MPC, Verifiable Secret Sharing (VSS), Zero-Knowledge Proofs, and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) in protocol development.
• Support the design and implementation of privacy-preserving ledger architectures and settlement mechanisms.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Specialty Software Engineering experience or equivalent.
• Backend or systems programming experience with expert-level Go (Golang) proficiency.
• Hands-on experience with Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC).
• Experience with BFT consensus algorithms, P2P networking, and distributed systems. Strong experience with Cosmos SDK and CometBFT/Tendermint.
• Experience building custom blockchain modules and modifying consensus logic. Knowledge of Pedersen Commitments, Bulletproofs, Zero-Knowledge Proofs, and MPC concepts.
• Ability to translate mathematical specifications and academic whitepapers into working code.

This position is only open to applicants who can be engaged on a W-2 basis. 1099 contractors and Corp-to-Corp arrangements will not be considered for this position.

We are currently interviewing to fill this and other similar positions.

PAY RANGE AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range*: $70- $75 per hour

*Pay range offered to a successful candidate will be based on several factors, including the candidate's education, work experience, work location, specific job duties, certifications, etc.

Benefits:

• Medical & pharmacy coverage
• Dental/vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Health saving account (HSA) and Flexible spending account (FSA)
• Life Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• Short term and Long term Disability
• Accident & Critical illness coverage
• Pre-paid legal & ID theft protection
• Sick time
• and other types of paid leaves (as required by law)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

ABOUT INNOVA SOLUTIONS:

Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Innova Solutions employs approximately 50,000 professionals worldwide and reports an annual revenue approaching $3 Billion. Through our global delivery centers across North America, Asia, and Europe, we deliver strategic technology and business transformation solutions to our clients, enabling them to operate as leaders within their fields.

Recent Recognitions:

• Named One of America's Best Employers for New Grads by Forbes (2024
• Named One of the Best Companies to Work for by U.S. News & World Report (Private Companies List, 2024-2025)
• One of the Largest IT Staffing Firms in the US - Ranked #3 by Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA, 2024)
• One of the Largest Staffing Firms in the US - Ranked #13 by Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA, 2024; includes Innova Solutions, Volt, & HireGenics)
• Named One of the Top Ten Private Companies in Atlanta by the Atlanta Business Chronicle (2023)
• One of the Largest Certified Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) in the United States (NMSDC, 2024)
• AWS Advanced Tier Services Partner with 100+ certifications

Website:

https://www.innovasolutions.com/

Innova Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits any kind of unlawful discrimination and harassment. Innova Solutions is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, national origin, citizenship, social or ethnic origin, sex, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by the statutes, rules, and regulations in the locations where it operates. If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, please contact us at [e-mail] or [phone]. Please indicate the specifics of the assistance needed. Innova Solutions encourages all interested and qualified candidates to apply for employment opportunities. Innova Solutions (HireGenics/Volt) does not discriminate against applicants based on citizenship status, immigration status, or national origin, in accordance with 8 U.S.C. § 1324b.

The company will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in a manner that complies with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws.