Smart Contract Engineer

Join to apply for the Smart Contract Engineer role at CoW DAO

We are hiring a Smart Contract Engineer to help shape the next iterations of CoW Protocol and extend its real-world use cases.

Fully remote, preference for Europe or remote +/- 4 hours CEST time. Not hiring from the United States, Australia, or New Zealand.

Full-time contractor

• Build new protocol features by designing and implementing smart contracts and ensuring they integrate cleanly with our off-chain infrastructure.
• Work on sophisticated DeFi integrations such as flash loan-based flows with top protocols, as well as collaborations with leading wallets and lending markets.
• Help reshape the next iteration of CoW Protocol, focusing on decentralization, verifiable execution, and pragmatic on-chain order settlement.
• Support the health of the protocol by investigating suspicious transactions, detecting on-chain misbehavior, and contributing to CoW DAO governance discussions and proposals.
• Review and advise on integrations from external teams, including grant proposals and support for grantees building on top of CoW Protocol.
• Collaborate in a remote-first environment through code reviews, async discussions, and a public Git Hub-driven development process with strong testing and CI.

• Smart contracts:
  Solidity, Foundry (and occasionally Hardhat).
• Backend and services:
  Rust and Kubernetes, where contracts connect to off-chain components.
• Monitoring and debugging:
  Tenderly, Grafana, and Elasticsearch for tracing and alerting.
• Data and analysis:
  Python, Dune Analytics.
• Governance tools:
  Safe multisig, Snapshot.
• Supported chains:
  Ethereum, Gnosis Chain, Arbitrum, Base, and potentially others as the roadmap expands.

• You have solid Solidity experience and a track record on EVM-compatible chains, ideally visible through meaningful Git Hub activity and collaboration with others.
• You are strong in Rust or Python;
  Rust is preferred, but deep Python skills plus a real willingness to learn Rust also work.
• You are a problem solver who likes to dig into issues, reason about trade-offs, and architect “masterpiece” level solutions rather than quick hacks.
• You are comfortable working in a highly async, remote setup, with thoughtful written communication and detailed code reviews.
• You take ownership, follow through, and are curious about extending and reiterating on the protocol rather than just implementing tickets.

• Familiarity with the DeFi ecosystem and major protocols.
• Experience contributing to or maintaining open source projects.

• Flexible work environment:
  Join our hub in Lisbon or work remotely.
• Token plan:
  Have a stake in our mission and shape the future of CoW DAO.
• Periodic gatherings:
  Enjoy opportunities to connect with the rest of the team through regular trips.
• Conference allocation:
  Stay up-to-date with ecosystem advancements using our conference budget.
• Learning budget:
  Use our learning budget to support your higher ambitions.
• Hardware budget:
  Take advantage of a hardware budget for acquiring necessary equipment.
• Make an impact:
  You are joining a startup where you can make a huge difference. Your work matters!
• Flat hierarchies mean fewer processes and bureaucracy - see more of your ideas come to life!
• Flexible work and vacation times:
  Prioritize work-life balance through our robust flexible work policy and vacation allowance.
• Growth:
  If you're someone who loves taking the initiative and getting things done, CoW offers lots of opportunities for your individual growth.

Earn 5.000 USDC or USD with the refer-to-earn program. More details here.

Life within the CoW Protocol is an incredible adventure! We take pride in our collaborative approach, embracing autonomy and fostering a culture of big thinking and continuous growth. We value impact, ownership, simplicity, and team spirit. Plus, we're all about feedback, coming together, and enjoying the journey along the way!

At CoW Protocol, we strive to create a space where everyone feels included and empowered. We believe that our products and services benefit from our diverse backgrounds and experiences. All qualified applicants are considered for positions regardless of race, ethnic origin, age, religion or belief, marital status, gender identification, sexual orientation, or physical ability.