Research Scientist (Protocol economics)

About the Ethereum Foundation
The Ethereum Foundation (EF) is a global non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Ethereum and related technologies. Our mission is to do what is best for Ethereum’s long-term success. Our role is to allocate resources to critical projects, to be a valued voice within the Ethereum ecosystem, and to advocate for Ethereum to the outside world.

Overview
The EF is looking to hire a Microeconomics and Market Structure Research Scientist for the Robust Incentives Group, an Ethereum Research team.

Cryptoeconomic interactions allow blockchain users to express complex preferences via orders fulfilled by a plethora of market participants, from base or secondary layer protocols to third-party sequencers. Settlement requires blockspace, a novel good with unique properties, manufactured and sold within decentralized systems. As the value for blockspace reaches unprecedented highs, market sophistication increases. It is critical for protocols to understand this emerging landscape and provide public research to foster open conversations.

At the Robust Incentives Group, you will be at the forefront of these conversations. With other members of the group, collaborators at the EF, industry leaders and academic experts, you will also take part in a dynamic research environment.
Research topics for the role include, but are not limited to:
Protocol-side infrastructure for blockspace markets
Fee markets and blockchain resource pricing
Economic models of user demand
Contract theory and pricing models for order flow
Incentive compatibility of cryptoeconomic mechanisms
Ordering protocols and block building primitives
Economic models for privacy
Financial primitives and derivatives for market participants
Simulations and data analysis

About You
You are passionate about harnessing decentralized economic systems to power robust, open infrastructure for all. You recognize in this description the mission of Ethereum and its allies and identify with such values.
You revel in peeling back layers and communicating your findings clearly and widely. You believe in science as a public good and you are collaborative in nature.
You’re independently-minded and self-motivated. You also enjoy the benefits of a remote-first team and the opportunities to collaborate with your teammates.
You have research experience in (algorithmic) game theory, mechanism design, microeconomics, market structure, financial engineering, econometrics, computer science, mathematics, blockchain protocols or other relevant domains. While a Ph.D. is not an absolute requirement for the role, a strong research background is expected, in an academic setting or otherwise.

Contract Details
Preference to full-time candidates but we are open to exploring options for the right person. We’re flexible. If you’re interested in this role but not sure about how it fits into your life (e.g., you are still in the process of finishing your PhD), apply anyway.
The Ethereum Research team offers a unique work environment:
Remote-first: our team is distributed across the globe (with option of offices in e.g. Berlin or Boulder)
Flat hierarchy: independence in day-to-day work
Optional travel throughout the year: Ethereum conferences, research workshops, annual Devcon event
Collaborations with academia & industry: we maintain collaborations on high-impact projects with the industry and grant relationships with academia
Flexible PTO
Possibility to join the Protocol Guild past six months of employment, when meeting conditions (participation in Ethereum public goods or research commons)

How to Apply

Submit a CV, cover letter or any other material highlighting your facility with the above work. Tangible outputs such as writings, papers or code repositories are prioritized.

We encourage persons from under-represented groups to apply to our position.