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OP Labs builds Optimism, an open-source blockchain network powering the next generation of financial infrastructure. Over 65% of Layer 2 activity on Ethereum runs through the OP Stack, which is used by hundreds of companies ranging from enterprises like Sony, Coinbase, and Kraken to ambitious early-stage builders.
The Protocol Team designs and operates the core specifications and clients defining the OP Stack. You will own features through their full lifecycle—from architecture and implementation through deployment and monitoring—working cross-functionally to maximize impact.
Key responsibilities include:
- Architecting, implementing, documenting, deploying, and monitoring protocol features
- Building rigorous conformance and adversarial tests to ensure implementation compatibility
- Executing safe protocol upgrades and resolving complex availability and performance issues
- Using AI-assisted engineering tools effectively while maintaining high standards for correctness, security, and technical ownership
OP Labs is also building OP Enterprise, enabling major institutions to launch and operate OP Stack chains. Near-term projects may include developing kona-node and Rust-based consensus-client infrastructure as a production-ready alternative to op-node, implementing native account abstraction across the stack, and developing premium protocol capabilities for enterprise operators.
You should have a professional record of shipping production software and maintainable Rust systems, deep knowledge of Ethereum (EVM, JSON-RPC, clients) and distributed systems, and the ability to navigate ambiguity while communicating complex design decisions effectively. Preferred qualifications include familiarity with op-node, kona, or Reth implementations, ability to read and migrate production Go code into Rust, and proficiency in Solidity for system-level smart contracts.
OP Labs is a small, fast-moving team backed by a16z, Paradigm, and others with $178M in funding. The company is remote-friendly with NYC as the center of gravity.
