Senior Validator Engineer (Solana)

Location: Remote - Europe only

Compensation: $180K - $300K

We are reengineering blockchain infrastructure from first principles to make global digital markets as precise and dependable as physical systems. Built on Solana, our platform delivers deterministic execution, guaranteed inclusion, and low-latency performance—solving the foundational failures that cause transactions to miss and systems to collapse under pressure.

By placing high-performance compute close to where transactions happen and coordinating execution through our advanced scheduling engine, we empower developers to build scalable applications and give institutions the reliability they demand. We believe financial infrastructure should behave like physics: fast, reliable, and predictable—every time, without exception.

As a Senior Validator Engineer, you will spearhead our engineering efforts surrounding the Solana Validator (both Agave and Firedancer), driving the innovation and implementation of next-generation high-performance distributed systems. You will join a highly proficient team of core engineers who have all contributed to foundational network components.

Our engineering team is building an entire platform in Rust that connects L1s and L2s, allowing for deeply complex interactions with the running network. While your primary focus will be Rust and core validator components, you will have exposure to the C-coded Firedancer validator. We believe in working at every level of the stack to understand the "big picture" of how everything is wired together.

Key Responsibilities:

Refactor, improve, and lead the software design and implementation of core validator components.
Maintain a large, modular codebase, ensuring it remains future-proofed and highly performant.
Translate complex protocol specifications into actionable issues and high-quality code.
Automate security testing processes and benchmarks, creating innovative tools for continuous system improvement.
Collaborate through frequent architectural discussions, design specs, and rigorous code reviews.
Mentor less experienced engineers and document complex technical systems effectively.

Requirements

We hire exceptional individuals who are motivated by coherent system design and eager to solve complex core infrastructure challenges.

Experience: At least 3 years of experience in blockchain and distributed systems, with a deep technical understanding of L1/L2 architectures (ideally Solana).
Rust Proficiency: 2–3+ years of professional experience writing high-performance, efficient Rust code.
System Design: Demonstrated experience in designing, developing, and deploying scalable distributed systems.
Domain Expertise: Direct involvement in the Solana ecosystem, specifically contributing to the runtime, scheduler, or other core systems.
Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.
Mindset: An analytical approach to mitigating security threats and a passion for shipping quality code frequently.

Preferred Qualifications:

Proficiency in writing and debugging C code.
Active open-source contributions to core protocols (e.g., Firedancer, Reth, Lighthouse, Geth).
Engagement with the blockchain security research community (publications, conference presentations, or open-source research).

Benefits

Cutting-Edge Innovation: Work on ground-breaking projects that redefine how blockchain infrastructure functions.
Elite Engineering Culture: Join a team of highly proficient core contributors in a collaborative, high-standards environment.
Full-Stack Exposure: Gain deep visibility into every level of the blockchain stack, from low-level validator code to high-level network interactions.
Impact: Play a foundational role in building infrastructure designed to support the future of global digital markets.
Professional Growth: Opportunity to lead design efforts and mentor talent within a rapidly evolving technical landscape.

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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