Summer Research Intern - Decentralized Systems & Crypto

Category Labs, Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 182,000 - 227,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing stipend

Job summary

Category Labs is seeking Summer Research Interns in New York City to pursue advanced research in mechanism design, cryptoeconomics, distributed systems, programming languages, cryptography, and governance. Interns will work with researchers and engineers on frontier decentralized tech and may extend to part-time roles.

The 12‑week program runs May–August with residency in NYC strongly preferred. The anticipated rate is $4,500 per week, plus a $500 housing stipend.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a PhD program in computer science, economics, mathematics, the social sciences, or a related field.
• Exceptional master’s and undergraduate students will also be considered.
• You’re passionate about decentralized systems and have enough foundational knowledge to hit the ground running.
• You communicate clearly and can explain complex ideas in simple terms, making research accessible to a broader audience.
• You have a clear research vision and the drive to pursue innovative ideas aligned with Category Labs’ mission.
• You’re collaborative, self-motivated, and adaptable, eager to tackle hard problems and pick up new concepts quickly in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Conduct novel, rigorous research on the topics above.
• Contribute to technical publications, including peer-reviewed papers, blog posts, and white papers.
• Partner with the engineering team to build prototypes, run simulations, and design experiments that test your models and assumptions.
• Engage with team members and visiting researchers to refine ideas and share insights from your own work.

Skills

Clear communication

Collaborative

Self-motivated

Adaptable

Education

PhD program in CS/economics/math/social sciences

Masters/Undergraduate students considered

Job description

Category Labs is seeking Summer Research Interns in New York City to pursue advanced research in mechanism design, cryptoeconomics, distributed systems, programming languages, cryptography, and governance. Interns will work with researchers and engineers on frontier decentralized tech and may extend to part-time roles.

The 12‑week program runs May–August with residency in NYC strongly preferred. The anticipated rate is $4,500 per week, plus a $500 housing stipend.