Staff Software Engineer (Messaging Protocol) - North America

We are currently hiring a Staff level Software Engineer focused on building and maintaining XMTP.
A Note from Shane, our CEO

The greatest mistake I ever made in my career was trying to convince people to join a startup. I’m not here to convince you.

In my early days, I oversold. I tried to make the journey look easier than it was. I tried to convince people that going smaller could feel as stable as Microsoft. I tried to make ownership sound exciting without fully preparing people for the weight of it. The kind of ownership that changes how you show up every single day.

On one hand, it’s the most empowering thing you will ever feel. On the other hand, it’s hard. Really hard.

As I sit here almost five years in, thinking about the next twenty, I’m more excited than I have ever been about what we’re building and why. And the only thing that matters to me now is finding people who deeply and genuinely believe in this mission too.

I don’t want you to work here because you want to work with me.
I don’t want you to work here because you want to try a startup.
I don’t want you to work here because small sounds refreshing after years at a big company.

You should only want to work here if you truly believe in our mission.
Securing the world’s freedom to communicate.

That is the work.

We need a new foundation.
We need new rules.
We need open source and decentralized systems to bring trust back to the single most important thing in the digital world. Communication.

If that belief isn’t already in your bones, nothing I write here should convince you. And that’s okay.

But if it is, and if you’re the best in the world at what you do, and if you are obsessed with becoming more effective, more leveraged, and more impactful, then maybe it’s worth applying. Because there is one word that drives everything we do here. Leverage. Leverage is our operating system. It shapes every cultural norm, every system, every tool, every decision.

Our goal is simple. Help every person here become one of the most highly leveraged individuals on earth. Better tools. Better systems. Better teammates. Clearer priorities. Less noise. More output.

We measure ourselves with one ratio. Total messages sent on XMTP divided by total employees.

It forces us to build things that scale beyond headcount.

It forces focus.

It forces great systems.

It forces us to hire only when hiring increases the total leverage of the organization.

That is why we hire slowly and rarely.
That is why getting a job here is hard.
And it is intentional.

Here is something I did not understand early in my career. Something I wish someone had told me. For the few people who do get to work here, it is a chance to own and lead and grow in your career like never before.

We don’t hide how the company works.

We don’t shield people from hard decisions.

We want everyone here to learn everything there is to know about running and building a company.

Because the best thing about going small isn’t the speed. It isn’t the lack of red tape.

It is the learning. Seeing how it really works from the inside out.

Whatever you want to do after XMTP.

Start something. Lead something. Build something.

You will be better because of your time here.

You will leave with a level of judgment, ownership, and leverage you can’t get anywhere else.

If this resonates, take a look at the roles below.

If it doesn’t, that’s fine too. Please send this to someone you know who would thrive here.

— Shane

• Build and maintain XMTP’s mobile SDKs, designing and implementing Rust-to-mobile bindings for high-performance, reliable developer experiences across iOS, Android, and React Native.

• Advance the encrypted messaging protocol (built on Rust and OpenMLS), from multi-device sync and performant content types to scaling from hundreds to tens of thousands of participants.

• Collaborate with teammates to design systems, evaluate trade-offs, and deliver improvements, balancing security, scalability, and efficiency.

• Engage with the open source community, ensuring XMTP SDKs are intuitive, well-supported, and empowering the next generation of privacy-preserving apps.

• Minimum of 10+ years of professional experience as a staff-level software engineer.

• Expertise in mobile development with one or more of Kotlin, Swift, React Native, or C++, including delivering production-ready SDKs or apps.

• Solid experience with Rust, or a strong interest in learning Rust and building Rust-to-mobile bindings.

• Experience building and maintaining communication protocols, SDKs, or developer-facing APIs with an emphasis on performance, scalability, and security. A well-rounded, "T-shaped" expertise profile is preferred.

• Bonus points if you have prior experience with Messaging Layer Security.

• A proven aptitude for adversarial systems design, including identifying and mitigating potential security risks.

• Prior involvement in open source SDK projects and public communications.

• Experience with large-scale distributed database systems.

• Experience with smart contract development, web3 technologies, and/or protocol mechanism design.

• Familiarity with standards such as ISO 27001, NIST, GDPR, and HIPAA.

• Experience in implementing and adhering to security compliance requirements.

• Interest in or prior experience with privacy-preserving cryptographic technologies, or with zero-knowledge cryptography.

• Experience contributing to a Layer 1 blockchain.

• You are passionate about decentralized technology and believe in an onchain future.

• You love to win and are fueled by solving hard problems.

• You are self-directed, see opportunities, and are inspired by challenges and helping to solve them.

• You have a small team mindset and are focused on where you can have the greatest impact.

• You love to learn and are not afraid to change your opinion or admit to being wrong.

• Competitive compensation package, Base + Equity.

• Salary range between $230k-$265k base range (depending on experience + location).

• Remote-first environment with semi-yearly gatherings to connect IRL.

• Fully paid Medical, Dental, Vision insurance in the US.

• Parental Leave.

• IT Equipment and WFH setup.

• Monthly Wellness and Lifestyle stipend.

• Personal assistant.

• Unlimited time off

XMTP Labs isn’t for those merely exploring or curious about Web3, or those needing daily direction. It’s for the committed—those devoted to decentralized technology and an onchain future, with a championship mindset, ready to win alongside the best.

Our shared belief fuels our success, and our values steer our decisions. Our culture guide is a transparent look into how we operate.

This is a different type of company. Both in how we work and what we work on. We intentionally keep our team small and focus on working with the best people in the world. We’re looking for people whose track record demonstrates the ability to work effectively with our technology stack to take on the difficult but deeply impactful challenge of building XMTP.