Senior Protocol Engineer

Employment: Full-time via MLabs
Engagement: Contracted to a UAE-based enterprise blockchain / fintech client
Location: Remote (Eastern Europe / MENA / India preferred)

MLabs is hiring a Senior Protocol Engineer to contribute to the core infrastructure of a custom Layer-1 blockchain ecosystem supporting enterprise-grade financial systems.

You will work at the protocol layer, contributing to consensus mechanisms, node architecture, networking, and system-level performance. This role requires deep distributed systems expertise and hands-on experience working on blockchain infrastructure rather than application-layer smart contracts.

The ideal candidate is comfortable operating in performance-critical, security-sensitive environments and contributing to protocol evolution discussions.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement core blockchain protocol components
• Contribute to consensus performance, scalability, and reliability improvements
• Optimize node performance and system-level efficiency
• Work on P2P networking and state synchronization mechanisms
• Identify and mitigate protocol-level vulnerabilities
• Collaborate with smart contract, infrastructure, and backend teams
• Participate in architecture reviews and protocol evolution discussions

Requirements:
• 5+ years of software engineering experience
• Strong background in distributed systems
• Experience working on Layer-1 blockchain infrastructure
• Proficiency in Rust, Go, C++, or similar systems-level language
• Strong understanding of consensus mechanisms (PoS, BFT, etc.)
• Experience working in high-performance, production environments

Preferred

• Experience contributing to open-source blockchain projects
• Experience working on validator or node implementations
• Experience with networking protocols and P2P systems
• Experience in fintech or regulated environments
• Experience working in distributed remote teams

Benefits:
• Competitive international compensation
• Remote-first work model
• Long-term engagement on an enterprise blockchain platform
• Opportunity to work on core protocol architecture

Due to the high volume of applications we anticipate, we regret that we are unable to provide individual feedback to all candidates. If you do not hear back from us within 4 weeks of your application, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion. We genuinely appreciate your interest and wish you the best in your job search.

Commitment to Equality and Accessibility:

At MLabs, we are committed to offer equal opportunities to all candidates. We ensure no discrimination, accessible job adverts, and providing information in accessible formats. Our goal is to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace with equal opportunities for all. If you need any reasonable adjustments during any part of the hiring process or you would like to see the job-advert in an accessible format please let us know at the earliest opportunity by emailing [email protected].

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