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Software Engineer (Engineer III to Principal) – Formal Methods

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Remote from
USA
Salary
USD 115k–230k / yr
Employment
Full Time
Experience
Senior
Published
Apply before
21 Nov 2026
Listing views
29
Application actions
2
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AI Summary

The role, at a glance.

CertiK is seeking a senior-to-principal research software engineer to build formal-methods tools that verify smart-contract correctness and detect security vulnerabilities. The role spans algorithm design, language translation and intermediate representations, automated testing, CI/CD, operations, and customer-driven iteration. Candidates need strong foundations in programming languages, automated reasoning, mathematical logic, and at least two years of experience with formal verification, model checking, SAT/SMT solving, or abstract interpretation. The position is suited to engineers who can turn advanced verification research into reliable tools used in production blockchain-security workflows.

Role DNA

A quick view of the complexity, pace, ownership and collaboration implied by the job description.

Job Complexity

5/5
EasyHard

Pace & Pressure

4/5
RelaxedFast-paced

Autonomy Level

4/5
GuidedFull ownership

Communication Load

4/5
IndependentCollaborative
AI insightThis is a highly specialized engineering role requiring practical expertise in formal verification and automated reasoning alongside production software-delivery skills. The broad seniority range and expectation to shape technical direction increase the technical and ownership demands.

Salary analysis

Estimated compensation compared with the broader US market for similar roles.

Estimated job median (per year)Market rate
$172,500
US market range (per year)$150k–$250k
AI insightThe employer explicitly states a US annual base-salary range of $115,000–$230,000 USD, with a midpoint of $172,500 per year. The estimated US market range for experienced formal-methods and security-focused software engineers is approximately $150,000–$250,000 annually; actual pay will vary by level, location, research depth, and production engineering experience.

Core skills

Skills and capabilities most closely associated with this opportunity.

Sample interview questions
Describe a formal-verification tool or analysis you built and the practical impact it had.

I would explain the verification objective, formal model, algorithms selected, engineering architecture, and validation strategy. I would quantify impact through findings, false-positive reduction, runtime improvements, or adoption by developers.

How would you choose between bounded model checking, CEGAR, and PDR/IC3 for a smart-contract property?

I would begin with the property, state-space characteristics, and desired completeness guarantees. BMC is useful for bounded bug finding, CEGAR can control abstraction complexity through refinement, and PDR/IC3 is strong for inductive safety proofs when an effective invariant can be discovered.

How do you improve the performance of an SMT-backed program-analysis pipeline?

I would profile the complete pipeline, reduce and simplify the generated constraints, select appropriate theories and solver tactics, cache repeated queries, and use incremental solving where possible. I would then benchmark changes against representative real contracts while monitoring soundness and precision.

What makes translating source languages into an intermediate representation challenging for verification?

The translation must preserve semantics relevant to the target properties while creating a model that solvers can analyze efficiently. Important concerns include control flow, storage and memory behavior, arithmetic semantics, external calls, nondeterminism, and traceability from counterexamples back to source code.

How would you balance research exploration with the need to ship reliable tools to customers?

I would define measurable hypotheses, prototype promising ideas behind clear interfaces, and validate them on realistic workloads early. Productionization would include regression tests, soundness documentation, observability, staged rollout, and feedback loops with users so research value translates into dependable outcomes.

This analysis is generated from the job description. Salary estimates, role characteristics and sample answers are guidance, not employer-provided facts.
Opportunity details

About this role.

Why us?

Blockchain technology is enabling a rapidly-growing era of innovation for the digital world. It is crucial that blockchain code such as protocols and smart contracts are provably secure and correct. Once deployed, they are public and cannot be changed. Vulnerabilities and bugs in such programs regularly put millions of dollars at stake. This is where CertiK comes in. We are the leading blockchain security company. Our goal is to secure the cyber world by applying cutting edge techniques from academia to secure blockchain code. Come and join this ambitious mission as a research software engineer to work on automated analyses for provably secure and correct blockchain applications!

What you will do

You will design and develop tools that automatically ensure the correctness of smart contracts or identify security issues and bugs in smart contracts. We have software engineer positions available at all levels of seniority. Title and responsibilities will be commensurate with experience and background.

As part of our multinational team of programming language experts, you will participate in the development of tools that rest upon techniques such as symbolic model checking, SAT/SMT solving, abstract interpretation, data flow analysis, and deductive verification. You will have the opportunity to work on all stages of tool development from idea generation to implementation and iterative improvements. Our team is highly supportive and collaborative with great opportunities to learn and grow.

About you

You have a background in programming language theory and automated reasoning and love to work on the forefront of applying results from theoretical computer science. You love to tackle computationally hard problems and have a proven track record of achieving results, where results are people using your tool to do their jobs. You are collaborative: you share ideas, love to brainstorm with peers, and give and receive feedback. You are comfortable with the unknown and understand that #startuplife means that you will be wearing multiple hats.

Responsibilities

  • Extend the scope and depth of our automated program verification tools and brainstorm, design, and implement new tools.
  • Adapt and improve algorithms for symbolic software model checking. Examples include bounded model checking (BMC), counterexample-guided abstraction refinement (CEGAR), and property directed reachability (IC3/PDR).
  • Build and extend translators from different input languages into intermediate representations, optimizing the generated models for automated analysis.
  • Identify new classes of security properties of smart contracts and formalize properties for use in our automated verification tools.
  • Closely collaborate with other software engineers in developing tools and set technical direction for solving problems in consultation with your team and management.
  • Work on all aspects of delivering working software that meets customer needs, including analysis, design, automated testing, operations, CI/CD, measuring results, incorporating customer feedback, and support.

Required Qualifications

  • Master’s Degree in Computer Science or a related field or 5 years of equivalent experience.
  • Minimum of 4 years of software development experience (includes internships, software developed during research, and open-source development).
  • Minimum of 2 years of experience with one or more of the following: model checking, formal verification, SAT/SMT solving (Z3, CVC4, Yices, MathSAT, SMTInterpol), abstract interpretation, or closely related disciplines.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of fundamental computer science concepts such as data structures, algorithms, mathematical logic, and automata theory.

Preferred Qualifications

  • PhD in the broader field of automated reasoning.
  • Publication record in conferences like POPL, CAV, TACAS, FMCAD, FM, etc.
  • Experience in functional programming (OCaml or Haskell).
  • Strong and creative problem-solving skills; always willing to learn and embrace new technologies and to collaborate.
  • Prior experience in a professional software development environment.

Compensation

Additional Information

About the Company

Founded in 2018 by professors of Yale University and Columbia University, CertiK is a pioneer in blockchain security, utilizing best-in-class technology to secure and monitor blockchain protocols and smart contracts. CertiK’s mission is to secure the cyber world. Starting with blockchain, CertiK applies cutting-edge innovations from academia into enterprise, enabling mission-critical applications to be built with security and correctness.

Compensation

Target annual base salary for this role performed in the US is $115,000 – $230,000.

The exact compensation at which this job is filled will be determined by the skills and experience of qualified candidates.

#LI-Remote

#blockchain

#startups

#hiring

CertiK is proud to offer medical, vision, and dental insurance, 401(k) plan with company matching, life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, HSA (with high deductible plan), FSA, and other benefits to all full-time employees, along with flexible paid time off and holidays. CertiK also offers a variable commission program for business development sales roles.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

CertiK is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, medical condition, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status or civil partnership/union status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, childbirth, genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable federal, state or local law.

CertiK will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with local and federal requirements.

https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/migrated_files/employers/poster_screen_reader_optimized.pdf

All CertiK employees are expected to actively support diversity on their teams, and in the Company.

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