Ready to be pushed beyond what you think you’re capable of?
\nAt Coinbase, our mission is to increase economic freedom in the world.
\nWe're seeking a Senior Staff Software Engineer to serve as Coinbase's Solana Staking Protocol CTO , the definitive technical authority on all things Solana staking across the company.
\nThis is not a typical engineering role. You will combine deep Solana protocol mastery with strategic technical leadership to shape Coinbase's Solana staking trajectory for years to come.
\nYou will own the technical strategy across validator operations, staking integrations, and protocol evolution , partnering directly with engineering leadership, product teams, and external ecosystem players including the Solana Foundation.
\nYou will represent Coinbase on the world stage as a recognized Solana expert, speaking at conferences, engaging with the validator community, and influencing protocol direction.
\nInternally, you will be the go-to expert for any Solana staking technical decision, from runtime-level optimizations to cross-product integration strategy.
\nResponsibilities
\nDefine Solana Staking Strategy
\nOwn and drive Coinbase's multi-year technical strategy for Solana staking across validator performance, protocol participation, and product integration.
\nConnect engineering decisions to business outcomes including yield optimization, cost efficiency, and customer growth.
\nMaximize Validator Performance
\nLead the engineering effort to achieve industry-leading APY through validator optimization , including vote accuracy, block production, MEV strategies, commission tuning, and stake distribution.
\nBuild systems and tooling that give Coinbase a durable performance edge.
\nOwn Protocol Expertise
\nServe as Coinbase's foremost authority on the Solana runtime, consensus mechanism, staking economics, and validator client landscape (Agave, Firedancer, etc.).
\nEvaluate protocol upgrades (e.g., SIMD proposals), assess risks, and proactively position Coinbase for changes before they land.
\nDrive Cross-Product Integration
\nPartner with Retail Staking and Institutional Staking product and engineering teams to architect scalable staking integrations across Coinbase's product surface area.
\nEnsure Solana staking is deeply embedded and differentiated in every Coinbase staking product.
\nBuild External Presence & Influence
\nRepresent Coinbase in the Solana ecosystem.
\nMaintain deep relationships with the Solana Foundation, core development teams, other major validators, and ecosystem partners.
\nSpeak at major conferences (Breakpoint, etc.) and contribute to protocol governance.
\nBe Coinbase's voice on Solana staking.
\nLead Technical Execution
\nWrite production code.
\nDesign and build critical infrastructure for validator operations, monitoring, automation, and reliability.
\nSet the technical bar for the team , code reviews, architecture decisions, incident response.
\nExpand Beyond Staking
\nServe as a technical advisor on non-staking Solana initiatives where deep protocol knowledge is required (e.g., Solana tax infrastructure, token programs, new Solana-based products).
\nMentor and Scale the Team
\nElevate a team of strong engineers (IC4-IC5) through mentorship, architectural guidance, and raising the bar on Solana-specific domain expertise.
\nDefine what great Solana engineering looks like at Coinbase.
\nRequirements
\nDeep Solana Protocol Expertise
\nYou have extensive, hands-on experience with Solana's architecture , Eg: the runtime, validator mechanics, staking economics, consensus (Tower BFT), turbine, Gulf Stream, and the validator client ecosystem.
\nYou understand Solana at the source-code level, not just the API level.
\nTechnical Authority & Execution
\nYou are a strong IC7-caliber engineer.
\nYou design and build complex distributed systems.
\nYou write production code in Rust and/or Go.
\nYou have deep experience with infrastructure at scale , bare metal, cloud, networking, observability.
\nStrategic Vision
\nYou can define year-long technical strategies and connect them to business goals.
\nYou break down ambiguous, large-scope problems into executable plans with measurable milestones.
\nYou think in terms of competitive advantage, not just engineering correctness.
\nEcosystem Presence & Influence
\nYou are a known figure in the Solana ecosystem.
\nYou have existing relationships with the Solana Foundation, core contributor teams, and major validators.
\nYou have a track record of public speaking, community engagement, or protocol governance participation.
\nCross-Functional Leadership
\nYou partner effectively with product, business, and executive stakeholders.
\nYou translate complex protocol dynamics into business-relevant terms for non-technical audiences.
\nYou drive alignment across multiple teams and functions.
\nPassion for Solana
\nThis isn't a role for a generalist who happens to know some Solana.
\nYou are genuinely passionate about the Solana ecosystem, follow protocol developments closely, and have a strong thesis on where Solana staking is headed.
\nAbility to Responsibly Use Generative AI Tools
\nDemonstrates the ability to responsibly use generative AI tools and copilots (e.g., LibreChat, Gemini, Glean) in daily workflows, continuously learn as tools evolve, and apply human-in-the-loop practices to deliver business-ready outputs and drive measurable improvements in efficiency, cost, and quality.
\nNice to Have
\nCore Contributor to Solana Validator Clients
\nCore contributor to Solana validator clients (Agave, Firedancer) or significant Solana ecosystem projects.
\nExperience Operating in Highly Regulated Industries
\nExperience operating in highly regulated industries or security-first cultures.
\nBackground in Financial Services
\nBackground in financial services, fintech, or crypto custody.
\nTrack Record of Publishing Technical Content
\nTrack record of publishing technical content (blog posts, research, conference talks) on Solana or Blockchain in general.
\nExperience with Solana's Evolving Staking Landscape
\nExperience with Solana's evolving staking landscape , liquid staking, stake pools, restaking protocols.
\nFamiliarity with Other PoS Protocol Staking Operations
\nFamiliarity with other PoS protocol staking operations (Ethereum, Cosmos ecosystem) for comparative perspective.
\nPay Transparency Notice
\nDepending on your work location, the target annual base salary for this position can range as detailed below.
\nTotal compensation may also include equity and bonus eligibility and benefits (including medical, dental)
\nXML job scraping automation by YubHub
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