Director, Research
Stellar is an open-source blockchain network designed to facilitate fast, low-cost cross-border payments and financial transactions globally.
Maintainer signals as of 9/2/2026
Funding history
Investors
Projects
About Stellar Development Foundation
Stellar is an open-source blockchain network focused on improving global financial access by enabling fast, secure, and low-cost cross-border transactions. It connects financial institutions, payment systems, and individuals to transfer digital and fiat assets. With a mission to promote financial inclusion, Stellar is designed to serve both developed and underserved markets, offering interoperability between traditional and blockchain-based financial systems.
Skills
Candidate Availability
Required and preferred rules are kept separate and reflect the wording in the original posting.
About the Role
You will define and grow a research agenda focused on distributed systems, cryptography, mechanism design, and the societal impact of decentralized technologies. You will work with academic and industry partners, guide a diverse research team, and translate research into product, standards, and protocol impact.
Requirements
- PhD in Computer Science, Cryptography, Distributed Systems, or a related field.
- 10+ years of research experience in academia or industry.
- Strong record of high-impact contributions, including publications, patents, open-source projects, or foundational technical work.
- Experience leading research programs or teams and managing multi-year initiatives.
Responsibilities
- Define and lead a long-term scientific research agenda.
- Identify applied challenges and foundational open problems.
- Build partnerships with researchers, laboratories, and institutions.
- Support joint publications and open-source contributions.
- Oversee research across cryptography, distributed systems, and incentive design.
- Recruit and develop research scientists and applied researchers.
- Create a supportive and inclusive research environment.
- Ensure research informs product strategy, ecosystem standards, and protocol development.
- Represent SDF at conferences, workshops, and standards bodies.
- Contribute to publications, presentations, and thought leadership.
Benefits
- Competitive health, dental, and vision coverage.
- Flexible time off and 15 company holidays.
- Paid parental and pregnancy leave.
- Gym reimbursement.
- Life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
- Short- and long-term disability coverage.
- 401(k) with 4% match.
- Health and dependent care FSAs.
- Commuter benefits.
- Health savings account contributions.
- Family-building benefits through Kindbody.
- Wellbeing benefits including One Medical, Rightway, and Headspace.
- $1,500 annual learning and development budget.
- Daily lunch and snacks in office.
- Company retreats.
- Lumen-denominated grants.