Stellar Labs, Inc

Director, Research

San Francisco · Director

Sponsorship not specified$210k-$350kDetected 35 days ago

Distributed SystemsProduct StrategyMechanical DesignResearchCommunicationCollaborationMentoringPublic Speaking

About the role

The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) is expanding its scientific and technological research efforts and looking for someone to help guide that growth with purpose, depth, and a commitment to the public good.
Contribute to the broader discourse on decentralized systems and financial inclusion through publications, presentations, and thought leadership.
Together, Stellar is where blockchain meets the real world.

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.
The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) is a non-profit organization focused on working with and supporting change-makers to create equitable access to the global financial system through blockchain technology.
SDF also develops resources and tooling on the Stellar network to help unlock real world utility.

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.

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).
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.

We offer competitive pay with a base salary range for this position of $210,000 - $350,000 depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and location.

Competitive health, dental & vision coverage with most plans covered at 100% for the employee + any dependents
Flexible time off + 15 company holidays including a company-wide holiday break
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 ($80 per month)
Short & Long term disability
Health & Dependent Care FSA Accounts
Commuter benefits with $250/month employer contribution
Health Savings Account (HSA) with monthly employer contribution
Family building benefits through Kindbody
Wellbeing benefits (One Medical, Rightway, Headspace)
As a nonprofit foundation, SDF puts the health of the Stellar network and the Stellar ecosystem and its mission above all else.

in, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, or any other basis protected by applicable local, state or federal law

This listing is sourced directly from Stellar Labs, Inc's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.