About the Role

Location: Fully remote team. We hire almost globally, with a preference for candidates based in Europe or within ±4 hours CEST.

Please note: we are not hiring from the United States, Australia, or New Zealand.

Position: Full-time contractor

We are looking for a Lead Researcher to shape the future of decentralization, order flow, solver competition, and auction mechanisms at CoW DAO.

This role is ideal for someone with a strong applied research background (not purely academic) and experience leading research teams or major projects in the blockchain space. You will tackle complex challenges, see your work directly influence a live protocol, and stay on top of emerging DeFi trends to keep CoW Protocol innovative and competitive.

What You’ll Be Doing

1. Drive research efforts around decentralization of the CoW Protocol, solver competition, and mechanism evolution
2. Lead and manage the research team, providing mentorship, guidance, and oversight for ongoing projects
3. Maintain a hands-on mindset by directly engaging with protocol challenges, experimentation, and modeling
4. Collaborate with product and engineering teams to align research with strategic goals and roadmap priorities
5. Stay informed on emerging DeFi and blockchain trends to keep CoW Protocol ahead of the curve
6. Communicate insights clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences to support data-driven decision-making

What We’re Looking For

1. Deep applied research experience in blockchain, DeFi, crypto-economics, or related fields
2. Proven leadership and management experience, including mentoring or leading research teams or projects
3. Strong product ownership and project management skills, with comfort contributing to strategy, roadmap planning, and cross-team collaboration
4. Pragmatic approach to research, focused on outcomes that lead to shipped products or live systems
5. Strong analytical skills and comfort working with data, research tools, or on-chain experimentation
6. Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with a diverse, international, remote team
7. Web3-native mindset with ongoing awareness of on-chain trends, advancements, and research

What We Can Offer

1. Flexible work environment: Join the Lisbon hub or work remotely
2. Token plan: Participate directly in the mission and future of CoW DAO
3. Periodic gatherings: Regular opportunities to connect with the team through trips and meetups
4. Conference budget: Stay current with ecosystem developments
5. Learning budget: Support professional growth and higher ambitions
6. Hardware budget: Funding for necessary equipment
7. High impact: Join a startup where your work directly matters
8. Flat hierarchies: Fewer processes and bureaucracy, faster execution of ideas
9. Flexible work and vacation policy: Strong focus on work-life balance
10. Growth opportunities: High ownership and initiative are strongly supported

Referral Program

Earn 6,000 USDC or USD through the refer-to-earn program.