Lead Protocol Engineer (Go / Cryptography)

As a Lead Protocol Engineer at Wells Fargo, you will architect the core settlement engine of a next-generation Digital Asset Platform designed to solve a critical challenge in institutional finance: achieving strict regulatory compliance without compromising transaction confidentiality. You will work at the intersection of distributed systems and applied cryptography, translating complex mathematical proofs into high-performance, production-grade Go code.

What you'll do

• Architect and build a custom blockchain application using Go, Cosmos SDK, and CometBFT (Tendermint)
• Implement and optimize privacy-preserving primitives, specifically Pedersen Commitments and Bulletproofs (Range Proofs), ensuring no trusted setup is required
• Engineer custom ABCI++ extensions (specifically PrepareProposal and Vote Extensions) to implement an on-chain Multi-Party Computation (MPC) mixing network
• Design a custom KVStore state machine that manages homomorphic encrypted balances (Elliptic Curve points) instead of plaintext integers
• Optimize cryptographic operations such as scalar multiplication and point addition for low latency and high throughput in a distributed environment
• Build secure off-chain query layers and "view key" mechanisms that allow for granular, permissioned regulatory auditing
• Play a key role in architectural decisions, choosing the right curves, libraries, and design patterns

What you bring

• 5+ years of Specialty Software Engineering experience, or equivalent demonstrated through work experience, training, military experience, or education
• 3+ years of experience in backend or systems programming, with expert-level proficiency in Go (Golang)
• 6+ months of experience with Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)
• 1+ year of experience with BFT consensus algorithms, P2P networking, and state replication in reliable, distributed systems

Nice to have

• Deep experience with Cosmos SDK and CometBFT, including building custom modules and modifying consensus logic
• Experience with Pedersen Commitments and their homomorphic encryption properties
• Knowledge of Zero-Knowledge Proofs, specifically Bulletproofs or Sigma protocols
• Demonstrated ability to read academic whitepapers and preprints and translate mathematical specifications into functioning code
• Experience with Multi-Party Computation (MPC) or Verifiable Secret Sharing (VSS) schemes
• Familiarity with the Ristretto255 curve or libraries such as gnark-crypto
• Background in FinTech, payment systems, or high-frequency trading platforms
• Understanding of the Account Model versus UTXO Model trade-offs in privacy-preserving ledgers

What we offer

• Base pay range of $159,000 to $305,000, depending on demonstrated examples of prior performance, skills, experience, or work location. Employees may also be eligible for incentive opportunities
• Health benefits
• 401(k) Plan
• Paid time off
• Disability benefits
• Life insurance, critical illness insurance, and accident insurance
• Parental leave
• Critical caregiving leave
• Discounts and savings
• Commuter benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• Scholarships for dependent children
• Adoption reimbursement
• Hybrid work schedule
• Relocation assistance is not available for this position

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo is building a next-generation Digital Asset Platform to solve critical challenges in institutional finance by achieving strict regulatory compliance without compromising transaction confidentiality. This role is based at one of four locations: Columbus, Ohio; Concord, California; Iselin, New Jersey; or New York, New York.