Director, Research

About the role

SDF is expanding its scientific and technological research efforts and seeking a researcher to guide this growth with purpose, depth, and a commitment to the public good. The successful candidate will shape the research vision, foster deep academic and industry collaboration, balance innovation with exploration, build and support a strong research team, and translate insights into real-world impact.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead a long-term scientific research agenda that supports SDF’s mission while contributing to broader conversations in computer science and decentralized systems.
• Identify both mission-aligned applied challenges and foundational open problems to guide internal research and community engagement.
• Build strong, lasting partnerships with top researchers, labs, and institutions. Support initiatives that lead to joint publications, open-source contributions, and shared advancement of knowledge—both within and beyond the Stellar ecosystem.
• Oversee a portfolio of research efforts ranging from mission-critical applications to blue-sky investigations in areas such as cryptography, distributed systems, and incentive design.
• Champion rigorous thinking that leads to practical outcomes and advances the state of the art.
• Recruit and develop a diverse group of research scientists and applied researchers, from early-career PhD interns to experienced domain experts. Create a supportive environment where a range of perspectives, backgrounds, and research styles can thrive.
• Ensure that research outcomes inform product strategy, ecosystem standards, and protocol development—helping strengthen Stellar’s role in building accessible, resilient financial infrastructure.
• Engage with the global research community: Represent SDF at conferences, academic workshops, and standards bodies. Contribute to the broader discourse on decentralized systems and financial inclusion through publications, presentations, and thought leadership.

Requirements

• PhD in Computer Science, Cryptography, Distributed Systems, or a related field.
• 10+ years of research experience in academia (e.g., tenured or tenure-track faculty) or industry (e.g., senior research scientist or director-level role).
• Strong track record of high-impact contributions, such as peer-reviewed publications, patents, open-source projects, or foundational technical work.
• Demonstrated experience leading research programs or teams, including setting strategy and managing multi-year initiatives.

Qualifications

• Experience working in both academic and applied research settings, with an ability to translate deep technical insights into practical impact.
• Familiarity with open-source software development practices and/or participation in open standards communities (e.g., IETF, W3C).
• Proven ability to collaborate across disciplines and institutions, including with academic labs, research consortia, and industry partners.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage technical and non-technical stakeholders, represent the organization publicly, and contribute to technical and policy discussions.
• Commitment to mentoring and supporting researchers across career stages, and to fostering a collaborative and inclusive research culture.
• Interest in or experience with the societal, economic, and ethical dimensions of decentralized systems, particularly in the context of financial access and inclusion.

Skills

• Deep understanding of distributed systems, cryptography, mechanism design, and the broader societal impact of decentralized technologies.
• Ability to translate deep technical insights into practical impact.
• Experience in open-source software development and open standards communities.
• Strong collaboration and mentorship skills.
• Experience with financial systems and blockchain technology.

Benefits

• Competitive pay with a base salary range for this position of $210,000 - $350,000 depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and location.
• USA Benefits/Perks: Competitive health, dental & vision coverage with most plans covered at 100% for the employee + any dependents; flexible time off; up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave for both non-birthing and birthing parents, as well as up to 14 weeks of paid pregnancy leave for birthing parents; gym reimbursement; life & ADD (up to $50K); short & long term disability; 401K with 4% match; health & dependent care FSA Accounts; commuter benefits with $250/month employer contribution; HSA with monthly employer contribution; family building benefits through Kindbody; wellbeing benefits (One Medical, Rightway, Headspace); L&D budget of $1,500/year; daily lunch and snacks in office; company retreats.

Pay

$210,000 - $350,000 depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and location.

Schedule

N/A