Senior Software Engineer - Blockchain Network

About the role

This role focuses on building and maintaining the core infrastructure that connects various blockchain protocols with Coinbase's internal systems. The work involves abstracting the complexities of blockchain technology into reliable, platform-level APIs. A key aspect of the position is leading significant initiatives, such as integrating new blockchains, re-architecting existing systems, and managing data migrations, all with the goal of enhancing system latency, reliability, and cost efficiency.

The Senior Software Engineer will be responsible for defining and maintaining the APIs, Service Level Objectives (SLOs), and observability for the systems they develop, including participation in on-call rotations. Collaboration with product and platform teams is essential to establish data contracts and deliver SDKs and foundational primitives that promote adoption across the Coinbase ecosystem. Success in this role means simplifying cross-chain operations by building deep technical understanding of major blockchain protocols like Bitcoin and Ethereum.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in software engineering, specifically owning production services within a service-oriented architecture. This includes a proven ability to design, scale, and maintain distributed systems that handle high-throughput and low-latency demands. The role requires decomposing complex systems into well-defined microservices with clear API contracts, demonstrating a strong understanding of system architecture and integration.

The base salary for this position ranges from $98,000 to $162,000, with total compensation potentially including equity, bonuses, and benefits.

Skills that matter here

• Golang: Experience with Golang is required for developing and maintaining the blockchain network infrastructure.
• Kafka: Familiarity with Kafka is necessary for handling high-throughput data streams within distributed systems.
• Redis: Experience with Redis is important for managing caching and data storage in low-latency environments.
• MongoDB: Proficiency in MongoDB is utilized for database management within the blockchain infrastructure.

Who this role suits

• You have a strong background in owning and scaling production services within a service-oriented architecture.
• You are adept at breaking down complex, monolithic systems into manageable microservices with clear interfaces.
• You possess direct experience integrating with or building on top of blockchain protocols.
• You are comfortable with an intense, high-bar environment and are driven to push past perceived limits.

From the employer

• Own the design and delivery of blockchain network infrastructure that abstracts blockchain complexity into reliable, platform APIs
• Lead multi-quarter initiatives including new chain integrations, re-architecture efforts, and data migrations that improve system latency, reliability, and cost
• Define and maintain APIs, SLOs, and observability for the systems you build, including on-call ownership
• Partner with product and platform teams to establish data contracts and ship SDKs and platform primitives that drive adoption across Coinbase
• Build deep technical context across multiple top blockchain protocols (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum) and apply that knowledge to simplify cross-chain operations

• 5+ years of software engineering experience, with demonstrated ownership of production services in a service-oriented architecture
• Proven track record designing, scaling, and maintaining distributed systems handling high-throughput, low-latency workloads
• Hands-on experience with at least two of the following: Golang, Kafka, Redis, MongoDB, or similar infrastructure technologies
• Direct experience with blockchain protocols or crypto infrastructure (e.g., integrating with Ethereum, Bitcoin, or similar L1/L2 networks)
• Demonstrated ability to decompose complex systems (monoliths, legacy architectures) into well-bounded microservices with clear API contracts
• Utilizes generative AI responsibly, maintaining human oversight to deliver business-ready outputs and drive measurable improvements in workflow efficiency, cost, and quality.

• Base salary range: $98K-$162K
• Total compensation may also include equity and bonus eligibility, and benefits (medical, dental, vision, 401(k)).