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 achieve 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 (scalar multiplication, 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

What you bring

• 5+ years of specialty software engineering experience (or equivalent demonstrated through work experience, training, military service, or education)
• 3+ years of backend or systems programming experience 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 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 like 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 (pay may vary based on demonstrated performance, skills, experience, or work location; employees may also be eligible for incentive opportunities)
• Hybrid work schedule
• Health benefits including disability, life insurance, critical illness insurance, and accident insurance
• 401(k) plan
• Paid time off, parental leave, and critical caregiving leave
• Tuition reimbursement and scholarships for dependent children
• Adoption reimbursement, commuter benefits, and discounts and savings programs

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo is building a next-generation Digital Asset Platform to solve regulatory compliance challenges in institutional finance while preserving transaction confidentiality. The company maintains offices in Columbus, Ohio; Concord, California; Iselin, New Jersey; and New York, New York.