Distributed Systems Engineer

Hyperbolic • Full-time • United States (Hybrid) • 1d ago

Hyperbolic Labs is on a mission to democratize AI by breaking down the barriers to computing power with our Open-Access AI Cloud. By making better use of idle computing resources across the globe, we offer an innovative GPU marketplace and AI inference service that promise affordability and accessibility for all. As pioneers at the intersection of AI and open-source technology, we believe in an open future where AI innovation is limited only by imagination, not by access to resources. We're looking for forward-thinking individuals who share our passion for making AI universally accessible, secure, and affordable. Join us in building a platform that empowers innovators everywhere to turn their visionary AI projects into reality. As we prepare for growth with our seed round, backed by industry leaders, our team—led by co-founders with PhDs in AI, Math, and Computer Science—is poised to redefine computing.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead the research, design, and implementation of data availability sampling (DAS) for Hyperbolic.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams in engineering, research, product, and decentralized AI solutions to implement data availability mechanisms.
Design and implement practical cryptographic verification methods, including erasure coding, zero-knowledge proofs (zk-SNARKs/STARKs), and other techniques to ensure trust-minimized, scalable data availability.
Oversee protocol upgrades and integration with distributed AI verification systems, ensuring all upgrades are secure, audited and deployed.
Engage with external research teams, industry organizations, and open-source communities to write and create cutting edge protocol research.
Develop and maintain comprehensive technical documentation, including protocol specifications.

Requirements:

4+ years of experience as a software engineer, with specific experience working on distributed systems or data availability products.
Strong grasp of cryptographic primitives and their application in blockchain environments (e.g., zero-knowledge proofs, hashing algorithms, Merkle trees).
Experience building protocols in programming languages such as Rust, Go from 0-1.
Familiarity with consensus algorithms and how data availability interacts with the consensus layer.
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.

Nice-to-Have:

Familiarity with rollup architectures and existing relationships or opinions on Ethereum L2s and blockchains.
Contributions to open-source blockchain projects or research publications in the data availability space.
Knowledge of MEV and its implications for DA and blockchain performance.