Senior Protocol Engineer

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

* Design, build and maintain core protocol components: execution and consensus clients, sequencer, block derivation and batch submission to the parent chain.
* Work on the bridge and the proof system: deposits, withdrawals, cross-layer messages and state validation.
* Maintain a large open source codebase: learn how its parts work together, make changes that are safe for a live network, and keep the code easy to evolve.
* Review code, write design docs and RFCs, and take part in architecture decisions.
* Test and debug a distributed system: unit to adversarial tests, local devnets, reorgs, node desync and performance problems.
* Deliver and operate releases on public chains: upgrades, hard forks, monitoring and incidents, etc.
* Collaborate with Product, DevOps and Security to plan and ship each release.

WHAT YOU BRING

Must have

* 5+ years of professional software engineering, with at least 2 years in blockchain core or protocol development (node clients, consensus, etc.).
* Solid production experience in mainstream languages (for example Go, Rust or Java).
* Deep knowledge of blockchain internals and the EVM: consensus, P2P networking, state and storage, transaction lifecycle, JSON-RPC, etc.
* Experience working effectively in large codebases you did not write.
* AI-assisted development is a core part of your work, while owning what you deliver.
* Autonomy and ownership: you help define the work, not only execute assigned tasks.
* Good English, spoken and written, since the team is international and remote.

Nice to have

* Professional experience with Go and/or Rust.
* Hands-on experience with Ethereum Layer 2 rollups (optimistic or ZK).
* Understanding of rollup design: sequencing, data availability, derivation, finality, etc.
* Contributions to open source blockchain clients or rollup stacks.
* Experience with fault proof systems or validity proofs.
* Knowledge of Bitcoin and EVM compatible chains.
* Experience with Docker, cloud providers, Prometheus and Grafana.
* Able to read and review Solidity (bridge and system contracts).

ROOTIES BENEFITS

At RootstockLabs, we don’t just offer a job, we offer a community. Here’s what you can expect when you join us:

* Competitive compensation package and unique benefits designed to support your growth and well-being.
* 100% Remote Work from Europe & Latin America, with access to global CoWorking spaces.
* Work-Life Balance: Paid vacation and sick leave days
* Continuous Learning: Access to training programs, language courses, and learning sponsorship annually.
* Unique Projects: Work with cutting-edge blockchain technology in a global, diverse team.

ABOUT ROOTSTOCKLABS

RootstockLabs is a key contributor to Rootstock, Bitcoin's Financial Infrastructure for lending, yield, and onchain capital markets. We build and commercialize the institutional infrastructure that turns Bitcoin into productive capital.

* What we do: Develop and commercialize Bitcoin-backed lending, tokenized real-world assets, and onchain financial strategies
* Who we work with: Leading custodians, asset managers, and financial institutions
* Why it matters: Rootstock is secured by 80%+ of Bitcoin's hash power and has run with 100% uptime since 2018 (bringing Ethereum-style programmability to the world's hardest money).
* Proof it works: 200+ dApps live on Rootstock, from BTCFi protocols like Sushiswap and Oku to institutional names like Mercado Bitcoin, Animoca Brands, and Paystand