Job description
About Ritual
Ritual is building a sovereign, execution layer for AI, with our private testnet already live and running. The Ritual chain is the first blockchain custom-built to support AI-native operations, designed from the ground up to enable a new class of applications at the intersection of crypto and AI. Our first product, Infernet, is pioneering new ground as the first solution to enable developers to access AI models both on-chain via smart contracts and off-chain, demonstrating our commitment to bridging these transformative technologies.
About the role
As a Distributed Systems Engineer at Ritual, you'll be instrumental in building and scaling our heterogeneous blockchain infrastructure. You'll work on innovative solutions for node specialization, consensus mechanisms, and distributed AI execution while ensuring the reliability and performance of our network.
Design and implement distributed systems components for Ritual's heterogeneous compute network
Develop and optimize peer-to-peer networking protocols optimized for AI model execution and blockchain consensus
Build and maintain infrastructure for node monitoring, metrics collection, and system observability
Architect solutions for efficient state management and synchronization across specialized nodes
Collaborate with the research team to implement novel distributed systems algorithms
Create robust testing frameworks for distributed system components
About you
Deep expertise in Go and/or Rust, with a track record of building production-grade distributed systems
Strong understanding of peer-to-peer systems, networking, and messaging protocols
Proven experience operating and developing blockchain nodes, with deep knowledge of node architecture and consensus mechanisms
Experience optimizing high-throughput systems and implementing performance improvements at scale
Advanced Linux expertise, with strong command line proficiency and system administration skills
Proficiency with infrastructure orchestration tools like Kubernetes
Mastery of monitoring and observability tools such as Grafana and Prometheus
Experience designing and implementing fault-tolerant, high-performance distributed applications
Strong background in system design, with the ability to make architectural decisions that balance performance, reliability, and scalability
Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to debug complex distributed systems issues
Ability to act quickly under high pressure scenarios and context switch at a high frequency
A high level of end-to-end ownership and self-direction, with excellent communication skills
Hungry, high-energy and ability to work within and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
Nice to have
Familiarity with AI/ML systems and their distributed computing requirements
Knowledge of cryptography and secure systems design
Contributions to open-source distributed systems projects
Why join us
Join a passionate group of engineers, researchers, and operators on a mission to build the next generation of AI infrastructure
Highly competitive compensation package, including annual discretionary bonus & optimized tax structure compared to the vast majority of web3 startups
Top 1% of benefits across the web3 startup space
100% of premiums covered on highest quality healthcare
Aggressive company 401k match
Fully remote and/or hybrid, up to you!
Participate in virtual and in-person events
Much much more!
Originally posted on Himalayas
Who can apply
Eligible countries: United States. Accepted UTC offsets: UTC-10, UTC-9, UTC-8, UTC-7, UTC-6, UTC-5, UTC+14. Review the full description for employer-specific work authorization, residency and schedule requirements.