As a Software Engineer at Espresso, you will design and implement core blockchain infrastructure in Rust, focusing on transaction processing and consensus.
Espresso Systems builds foundational infrastructure to power tomorrow’s internet, where digital assets are able to move across chains as easily as info flows across the web. It’s the lead developer of the Espresso Network, the first base layer built from the ground up to provide rollups with the functionality they’ve always needed but never had: fast, secure finality for users’ transactions and seamless composability with other rollups.
Rollups today rely on infrastructure that wasn’t built with them in mind, resulting in their isolation and the fragmentation of users, developers and liquidity within the Ethereum ecosystem. This prevents rollups from achieving the seamless composability that’s essential to web3's vision. Espresso solves this by providing rollups with secure, real-time visibility into what’s happening on all integrated chains, including their own, empowering the apps to execute crosschain interactions immediately without waiting for slow settlement or trusting centralized sequencers.
The Espresso Network is currently live on mainnet in its initial release. In addition to fast confirmations and data availability, rollups seeking further decentralization can also opt to use the Espresso Network as a decentralized sequencer. As the first purpose-built base layer for rollups, Espresso supports a fast-growing ecosystem of interconnected chains regardless of tech stack, VM, or settlement layer—from established chains like Celo and ApeChain to emerging app-specific chains attracting their first users.
At Espresso Systems, we work with leading teams developing rollups and innovating around interoperability, including Offchain Labs, Polygon, Caldera, AltLayer, Cartesi, Across, Hyperlane, and beyond—all united in our mission to build a unified, composable ecosystem where rollups are free to achieve their full potential regardless of where they choose to settle.
The Espresso team comprises a diverse and passionate group of contributors from around the world. We are developers, designers, and researchers who have contributed in academia, open-source communities, policymaking, and beyond. We have raised roughly $60 million from leading investors in technology and crypto, including a16z, Greylock Partners, Electric Capital, Sequoia Capital, and Polychain Capital.
As a Systems Software Engineer, you will closely collaborate with fellow engineers and product managers to make Espresso a reality. Your focus will be on the transaction processing, communication, consensus, and storage components of the ledger and roll-up systems, while using the cryptography library developed by our cryptography team.
Responsibilities
- Contribute to the design and implementation of Espresso’s core blockchain infrastructure in Rust
- Take engineering projects from concept and design to production, while working with engineering leaders and the product team to create sound and realistic roadmaps
Requirements
- B.S. in Computer Science, Mathematics, or relevant field, or equivalent computer science and software engineering experience
- Experience shipping and taking engineering projects to production
- Experience with distributed systems and/or blockchain systems, especially P2P networking and consensus
- Understanding of software engineering and security best practices
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Passion for writing correct code
Preferred
- Proficiency with Rust in a production environment (or similar strongly-typed languages such as C++, Haskell, Ocaml, etc.)
- Experience working on blockchain infrastructure, e.g. a layer-1 blockchain
- Enthusiasm for the rapidly developing blockchain ecosystem
Benefits
- Fully remote with flexible hours
- Work alongside the brightest minds in the crypto space
- Competitive salary + equity package
- Regular team off-sites to international locations
- Unlimited vacation policy
- Top-tier health, dental, and vision coverage for US employees
Espresso Systems Menlo Park, California, USA Office
Menlo Park, CA, United States
Similar Jobs
.png)
Artificial Intelligence • Blockchain • Fintech • Financial Services • Cryptocurrency • NFT • Web3
Build and maintain multi-cloud infrastructure standards, self-service tooling, and paved-road defaults across AWS and GCP. Partner with compute, security, and networking teams to embed guardrails, drive standardization, lead cross-team initiatives, and resolve systemic operational issues to ensure secure, scalable, and reliable platform infrastructure.
Top Skills:
AWSDnsGCPGenerative AiGoLoad BalancersPulumiPythonTerraformTransit GatewaysVpc
Artificial Intelligence • Cloud • Consumer Web • Productivity • Software • App development • Data Privacy
Design, implement, and operate large-scale distributed storage systems ensuring data durability, availability, and performance. Build and maintain replication, erasure coding, and lifecycle systems; write high-quality Go/Rust/C++ code; participate in on-call rotations; troubleshoot production incidents; collaborate with networking, hardware, and capacity teams; lead scoped projects and drive infrastructure evolution.
Top Skills:
C++CephColossusErasure CodingGfsGoReplication ProtocolsRustS3
.png){kind=logo}
AdTech • Cloud • Digital Media • Information Technology • News + Entertainment • App development
Lead full‑stack development of AI infrastructure prototypes and production systems. Build backend Python services, integrate front-end apps with APIs, AD and OAuth, deploy serverless cloud solutions (AWS/Azure/GCP), write automated tests and documentation, and collaborate across teams to deliver generative-AI agents using foundation model APIs and agent frameworks.
Top Skills:
Active DirectoryAgent FrameworksAi GatewaysAngularAWSAzureCode Versioning ToolsFoundation Model ApisFront-End Testing FrameworksGCPJavascript (Es6+)OauthPythonReactRestful ApisServerlessTerraformVue
What you need to know about the San Francisco Tech Scene
San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area attracts more startup funding than any other region in the world. Home to Stanford University and UC Berkeley, leading VC firms and several of the world’s most valuable companies, the Bay Area is the place to go for anyone looking to make it big in the tech industry. That said, San Francisco has a lot to offer beyond technology thanks to a thriving art and music scene, excellent food and a short drive to several of the country’s most beautiful recreational areas.
Key Facts About San Francisco Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 365,500; 13.9% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Google, Apple, Salesforce, Meta
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, fintech, consumer technology, software
- Funding Landscape: $50.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, Greylock Partners, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins
- Research Centers and Universities: Stanford University; University of California, Berkeley; University of San Francisco; Santa Clara University; Ames Research Center; Center for AI Safety; California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
