ForgeApplyTry it free

ForgeApply · Job listing

Lead Protocol Engineer (Go / Cryptography)

Wells Fargo

CONCORD, CA | COLUMBUS, US$159k – $305khybrid

See all 148 open roles at Wells Fargo →

Tailor your resume for this Wells Fargo job in about a minute.

ForgeApply tailors your resume and cover letter to this exact posting, then hands you a ready-to-submit application for Wells Fargo's site. Free trial, no card required.

Tailor my resume for this jobView original posting →

About this role

About this Role:

Wells Fargo is seeking a Lead Specialty Software Engineer (Protocol Engineer) to contribute to a next-generation Digital Asset Platform designed to solve the most critical challenge in institutional finance: achieving strict regulatory compliance without compromising transaction confidentiality. As a Lead Protocol Engineer, you will be responsible for architecting the core settlement engine. You will work at the intersection of distributed systems and applied cryptography, translating complex mathematical proofs into high-performance, production-grade Go code.

Why Join Us? • Work on "Hard" Problems:  You won't be building another yield farm copycat. You'll solve fundamental privacy/compliance contradictions in the global financial system

• High-Impact Engineering:  Your code will secure high-value institutional transactions

• Technical Autonomy:  You'll play a key role in architectural decisions, choosing the right curves, libraries, and design patterns

Responsibilities • Core Protocol Development:  Architect and build a custom blockchain application using  Go ,  Cosmos SDK , and  CometBFT (Tendermint)

• Cryptographic Implementation:  Implement and optimize privacy-preserving primitives, specifically  Pedersen Commitments  and  Bulletproofs (Range Proofs) , ensuring no trusted setup is required

• Consensus Customization:  Engineer custom  ABCI++  extensions (specifically PrepareProposal and Vote Extensions) to implement an on-chain Multi-Party Computation (MPC) mixing network

• State Machine Design:  Design a custom KVStore state machine that manages homomorphic encrypted balances (Elliptic Curve points) instead of plaintext integers

• Performance Engineering:  Optimize cryptographic operations (scalar multiplication, point addition) for low latency and high throughput in a distributed environment

• Auditing Infrastructure:  Build secure off-chain query layers and "view key" mechanisms that allow for granular, permissioned regulatory auditing

Required Qualifications: • 5+ years of Specialty Software Engineering experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education

• 3+ years of experience in backend or systems programming, with expert-level proficiency in  Go (Golang)

• 6+ months of experience with Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)

• 1+ year of experience with BFT consensus algorithms, P2P networking, and state replication; reliable, distributed systems experience

Desired Qualifications: • Blockchain Core:  Deep experience with  Cosmos SDK  and  CometBFT . Comfort building custom modules and modifying consensus logic, not just deploying smart contracts

• Pedersen Commitments  (Homomorphic encryption properties)

• Zero-Knowledge Proofs  (specifically Bulletproofs or Sigma protocols)

• Math-to-Code:  Demonstrated ability to read academic whitepapers/preprints and translate mathematical specifications into functioning code

• Experience with  MPC (Multi-Party Computation)  or Verifiable Secret Sharing (VSS) schemes

• Familiarity with the  Ristretto255  curve or libraries like gnark-crypto

• Background in FinTech, payment systems, or high-frequency trading platforms

• Understanding of the  Account Model  vs.  UTXO Model  trade-offs in privacy-preserving ledgers

Job Expectations: • This position offers a hybrid work schedule

• Relocation assistance is not available for this position

​ Locations: • 3075 Loyalty Circle, Columbus, Ohio

• 1755 Grant Street, Concord, California

Pay Range   Reflected is the base pay range offered for this position. Pay may vary depending on factors including but not limited to demonstrated examples of prior performance, skills, experience, or work location. Employees may also be eligible for incentive opportunities. $159,000.00 - $305,000.00 Benefits

Wells Fargo provides eligible employees with a comprehensive set of benefits, many of which are listed below. Visit  Benefits - Wells Fargo Jobs for an overview of the following benefit plans and programs offered to employees. • Health benefits • 401(k) Plan • Paid time off • Disability benefits • Life insurance, critical illness insurance, and accident insurance • Parental leave • Critical caregiving leave • Discounts and savings • Commuter benefits • Tuition reimbursement • Scholarships for dependent children • Adoption reimbursement

Posting End Date:

29 Sep 2026 * Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.

We Value Equal Opportunity

Wells Fargo is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Employees support our focus on building strong customer relationships balanced with a strong risk mitigating and compliance-driven culture which firmly establishes those disciplines as critical to the success of our customers and company. They are accountable for execution of all applicable risk programs (Credit, Market, Financial Crimes, Operational, Regulatory Compliance), which includes effectively following and adhering to applicable Wells Fargo policies and procedures, appropriately fulfilling risk and compliance obligations, timely and effective escalation and remediation of issues, and making sound risk decisions. There is emphasis on proactive monitoring, governance, risk identification and escalation, as well as making sound risk decisions commensurate with the business unit’s risk appetite and all risk and compliance program requirements.

Applicants with Disabilities

To request a medical accommodation during the application or interview process, visit  Disability Inclusion at Wells Fargo .

Drug and Alcohol Policy   Wells Fargo maintains a drug free workplace.  Please see our Drug and Alcohol Policy to learn more.

Wells Far

Salary insight

The midpoint of this range ($232k) is about 80% above the median disclosed salary for Columbus roles listed on ForgeApply ($129k across 277 jobs).

Based on live postings with disclosed pay on ForgeApply; refreshed daily. Not an estimate of this employer's offer.

Tailor your resume for this Wells Fargo role before you apply.

Tailor my resume for this job

Similar jobs

Free ATS checker · How to Tailor Your Resume to a Job Description (Step by Step)