Director of Research

You will define and lead a long-term scientific research agenda, identifying applied and foundational problems in cryptography, distributed systems, and mechanism design. You will build partnerships with academic and industry collaborators, oversee a portfolio of research projects from applied to blue-sky, and ensure research outcomes inform product strategy and standards. You will recruit, mentor, and develop researchers across career stages and represent the organization at conferences, workshops, and standards bodies.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead a long-term scientific research agenda
• Build and maintain partnerships with academic and industry researchers
• Oversee a portfolio of research projects across applied and exploratory areas
• Recruit, mentor, and develop research staff and interns
• Translate research findings into product strategy, standards, and protocol development
• Represent the organization at conferences, workshops, and standards bodies

Requirements

• PhD in Computer Science, Cryptography, Distributed Systems, or a related field
• 10+ years of research experience in academia or industry
• Proven track record of high-impact contributions such as peer-reviewed publications, patents, or open-source projects
• Demonstrated experience leading research programs or teams and managing multi-year initiatives
• Experience working in both academic and applied research settings (preferred)
• Familiarity with open-source development practices and participation in standards communities (preferred)

Benefits

• Lumen-denominated grants
• Competitive health, dental, and vision coverage
• Flexible time off plus 15 company holidays and company-wide holiday break
• Up to 12 weeks paid parental leave and up to 14 weeks paid pregnancy leave
• Gym reimbursement
• Life and AD&D insurance
• Short and long term disability
• 401(k) with 4% employer match
• Health and Dependent Care FSA accounts
• Commuter benefits with employer contribution
• Health Savings Account with employer contribution
• Family building benefits
• Wellbeing benefits
• Learning and development budget
• Daily lunch and snacks in office
• Company retreats