Principal EVM Engineer - Smart Contracts Team

MLabs

Job Overview

Location

United States

Job Type

Full-time

Full Job Description

📋 Description

• As a Principal EVM Engineer on the Smart Contracts Team at MLabs, you will play a pivotal role in advancing a high-performance, EVM-compatible proof-of-stake blockchain platform designed for enterprise and Web3 applications requiring exceptional speed, security, and sustainability. Your work will directly influence the evolution of core protocol features that power decentralized applications and institutional-grade infrastructure.
• You will collaborate daily with a distributed team of protocol engineers to design, implement, and optimize critical components of the EVM, focusing on transaction processing, execution efficiency, and state transition mechanics in a performance-critical, plain Java environment where low latency and high throughput are non-negotiable.
• Your contributions will bridge Ethereum’s evolving roadmap with MLabs’ native innovations, ensuring compatibility while introducing differentiated improvements through community-driven HIPs (Harmony Improvement Proposals) and open-source client development.
• Day to day, you will: architect and implement core blockchain features with an emphasis on VM state transitions; innovate on EVM opcode execution and gas metering algorithms; develop and refine transaction processing pipelines for maximum throughput; contribute to open-source clients by enhancing performance and correctness; implement and test community-proposed improvement proposals; validate EVM behavior using Ethereum test suites (like ethereum/tests) and native consensus testing frameworks; mentor junior and mid-level engineers through code reviews and technical guidance; spend approximately 80% of your time hands-on in design, coding, and testing; and advocate for best practices in TDD, CI/CD, and cryptographic security.
• You will join a mission-driven, remote-first team deeply committed to open-source collaboration and decentralized governance, working alongside world-leading organizations across finance, supply chain, healthcare, and technology sectors that govern and build on the platform. The team values technical excellence, intellectual curiosity, and a builder’s mindset, fostering an environment where deep systems thinking and protocol-level innovation are rewarded.
• In this role, you will deepen your expertise in blockchain virtual machines, high-performance Java systems, and consensus-critical software design; gain influence over the technical direction of a growing L1 blockchain; contribute to open-source software used by enterprises and developers globally; and emerge as a recognized authority in EVM optimization and smart contract execution engineering.

🎯 Requirements

• Master’s degree in Computer Science or a related technical field, or equivalent professional experience demonstrating mastery of advanced systems concepts.
• 10+ years of professional software development experience, including at least 4+ years focused specifically on blockchain protocol development (e.g., EVM clients, consensus layers, or smart contract platforms).
• Expert-level proficiency in Java, with demonstrable ability to write high-performance, low-level code in a 'plain vanilla' environment without reliance on heavy frameworks or abstraction layers.
• Deep architectural understanding of the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), including opcode behavior, gas accounting, memory model, and state trie interactions, backed by hands-on experience writing, debugging, and optimizing smart contracts.
• Proven leadership experience as a Tech Lead, Team Lead, or similar role, with a track record of mentoring engineers, driving technical consensus, and delivering complex systems features.
• Rigorous grasp of computer science fundamentals, including concurrent programming, performance profiling, memory management, and high-throughput architectural patterns (e.g., lock-free data structures, pipelining, batching).
• Strong commitment to software quality, including test-driven development (TDD), automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, and adherence to cryptographic best practices in secure protocol design.

🏖️ Benefits

• Competitive compensation package reflective of senior impact and market leadership in blockchain engineering.
• Equity and token grants providing direct ownership in the ecosystem’s long-term success and network value accrual.
• Annual performance bonuses tied to individual and team impact, delivery quality, and innovation outcomes.
• Comprehensive health insurance and 401(k) matching for U.S.-based employees, supporting long-term well-being and financial security.
• Innovation-first culture that empowers engineers to propose and implement protocol improvements, work on open-source clients, and engage with a decentralized governance model backed by cross-industry leaders.

Skills & Technologies

JavaScript

TypeScript

Java

Node.js

Senior

Remote

Degree Required

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MLabs

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About MLabs

MLabs is a technology company specializing in the development and implementation of advanced laboratory automation solutions. They focus on creating intelligent systems that streamline complex laboratory workflows, enhance data accuracy, and improve overall efficiency for research and development, quality control, and clinical diagnostics. Their offerings often include robotics, AI-driven software, and integrated hardware designed to automate tasks such as sample handling, analysis, and reporting. MLabs serves a diverse range of industries including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and healthcare, aiming to accelerate scientific discovery and improve patient outcomes through cutting-edge automation.

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