Director, Research
Stellar is an open-source blockchain network designed to facilitate fast, low-cost cross-border payments and financial transactions globally.
Funding
Investors
Projects
About Stellar
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
About the Role
You will help define and grow a research agenda focused on distributed systems, cryptography, mechanism design, and the societal impact of decentralized technologies. You'll work closely with academic and industry partners, guide and support a team bringing together diverse technical and disciplinary perspectives, and contribute to the technical foundations that power a more inclusive financial future. You'll apply deep research experience in a mission-driven environment where thoughtful, collaborative work has real-world impact.
Requirements
- PhD in Computer Science, Cryptography, Distributed Systems, or a related field
- 10+ years of research experience in academia (e.g., tenured or tenure-track faculty) or industry (e.g., senior research scientist or director-level role)
- Strong track record of high-impact contributions, such as peer-reviewed publications, patents, open-source projects, or foundational technical work
- Demonstrated experience leading research programs or teams, including setting strategy and managing multi-year initiatives
Responsibilities
- Define and lead a long-term scientific research agenda that supports the mission while contributing to broader conversations in computer science and decentralized systems
- Identify mission-aligned applied challenges and foundational open problems to guide internal research and community engagement
- Build strong, lasting partnerships with top researchers, labs, and institutions
- Support initiatives that lead to joint publications, open-source contributions, and shared advancement of knowledge
- Oversee a portfolio of research efforts ranging from mission-critical applications to blue-sky investigations in cryptography, distributed systems, and incentive design
- Champion rigorous thinking that leads to practical outcomes and advances the state of the art
- Recruit and develop a diverse group of research scientists and applied researchers, from early-career PhD interns to experienced domain experts
- Create a supportive environment where a range of perspectives, backgrounds, and research styles can thrive
- Ensure research outcomes inform product strategy, ecosystem standards, and protocol development
- Represent the organization at conferences, academic workshops, and standards bodies
- Contribute to the broader discourse on decentralized systems and financial inclusion through publications, presentations, and thought leadership
Benefits
- Competitive health, dental & vision coverage with most plans covered at 100% for the employee + any dependents
- Flexible time off + 15 company holidays including a company-wide holiday break
- Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave for both non-birthing and birthing parents, as well as up to 14 weeks of paid pregnancy leave for birthing parents
- Gym reimbursement ($80 per month)
- Life & ADD (up to $50K)
- Short & Long term disability
- 401K with 4% match
- Health & Dependent Care FSA Accounts
- Commuter benefits with $250/month employer contribution
- Health Savings Account (HSA) with monthly employer contribution
- Family building benefits through Kindbody
- Wellbeing benefits (One Medical, Rightway, Headspace)
- L&D budget of $1,500/year
- Daily lunch and snacks in office
- Company retreats
- Lumen-denominated grants