ZK Proof Engineer

About Us Axiom is using zero knowledge proofs to scale smart contract applications in a new way. We are a small but incredibly strong team backed by the best investors in crypto. We’re looking for exceptional people who are excited to work on challenging and impactful problems in a fast-paced environment. Our office is in NYC and working in person in NY is our strong preference, but we're open to remote candidates as well. We recently released OpenVM, a performant and modular zkVM framework built for customization and extensibility. OpenVM allows developers to verify the correct execution of Rust code in a flexible and performant way. We are building new products using OpenVM and supporting teams building on OpenVM. About the Role We are looking for a ZK Proof Engineer who will implement and optimize cutting-edge cryptographic code for zero-knowledge proof generation. We are looking for someone with strong engineering design skills, the ability to work across the stack, and a security mindset. We also value the ability to make pragmatic technology choices which empower our small team without adding too much overhead. Responsibilities • You will be responsible for building systems to interface between low-level computer systems like the RISC-V ISA, compiler frameworks like LLVM, and database backends and connecting them with cutting-edge zero-knowledge proof systems. • The role will involve both optimizing ZK provers and implementing novel ZK circuits. Your work will require making design choices to enable rapid development of secure and efficient systems. Qualifications • You have a strong background in math/cryptography, or strong problem-solving skills and interest in zero-knowledge proofs. • You have proficiency in Rust, C/C++, or a similarly performant backend language. We work primarily in Rust. • You are extremely detail oriented and have a security mindset. • You’ve worked on challenging software projects and have an eye for performance. • You’re a clear communicator and value collaboration. • You have a strong bias towards action. • You have an extremely strong work ethic. Nice to Have • You have experience with compiler frameworks like LLVM or MLIR. • You've worked with aspects of low level computer architecture like RISC-V or programmed FGPAs or other custom hardware. • You have experience with database backends, including experience with query planning or low level query engines. • You've done research in mathematics, theoretical computer science, or theoretical physics. • You have experience with low-level details of Ethereum We welcome diverse backgrounds. Some non-traditional profiles that may be a good fit include high-frequency trading, math/physics/CS academia, and hardware engineering.