Research Physicist Jobs in New Zealand

FABRIC CRYPTOGRAPHY FABRIC CREATES NEXT-GENERATION CRYPTOGRAPHY TECHNOLOGY THAT REIMAGINES TRUST AND PRIVACY.  
Fabric is a fast-growing Series A deep tech company (full-stack across silicon, hardware and cloud) that was founded to weave programmable trust into the fabric of society.

Incredible cryptographers, engineers, and builders are working tirelessly to bring this vision to life. Our job is to make their work possible at scale and at speed.
We’re a team of 60+ AI hardware and software veterans, cryptographers and cypherpunks. Together, we’re building the first general purpose, high performance computer chip for all cryptography – what we call the Verifiable Processing Unit (VPU). On top of the VPU, we’re developing a full compiler stack and acceleration libraries to ensure the chips are easy to program and use.
In a world where progress often comes at the cost of security, our hardware-accelerated cryptography redefines the paradigm. We're enabling real-time, high-performance systems where privacy is the default, not the exception.

In a world where progress often comes at the cost of security, our hardware-accelerated cryptography redefines the paradigm. With $39 million in equity and tens of millions worth in pre-orders, we're enabling real-time, high-performance systems where privacy is the default, not the exception.
You can learn more about us on Forbes or our website.

About the job
As a Cryptography Engineer, you will play a key role on the Cryptography team, working closely with Sales/Business Development and Software teams to deliver cutting-edge cryptographic solutions to clients. You’ll bridge technical expertise with client-facing initiatives, ensuring that our clients’ needs are integrated into our innovative cryptographic infrastructure.
This role is ideal for candidates with a strong foundation in cryptography, particularly in zero-knowledge proofs (ZKP), who are excited to engage in both technical development and client relations.

What you'll be doing...

• Client Benchmarks: Collaborate with the sales team to generate benchmarks for clients and prospects based on their proving systems. This will involve interpreting client requirements and mapping them onto our Instruction Set Architecture (ISA).
• ISA Enhancement: Actively contribute to defining ISA updates, driven by client requirements and technical insights.
• Kernel Specifications: Translate client requirements into software kernels, supporting our cryptographic software team.
• Kernel Development & Audits: Work closely with kernel engineers to establish and audit specifications, ensuring alignment with client demands and industry standards.
• Compiler Development: Assist in compiler automation to streamline benchmarks and improve the efficiency of cryptographic processes.
• Industry Expertise: Stay updated on advancements in cryptography, particularly zero-knowledge and programmable cryptography systems, as well as cryptographic hardware.
• Open-Source Contributions: Maintain active involvement in the cryptographic community through open-source contributions (preferred).
• Conference Participation: Attend and potentially present at relevant cryptographic conferences.

Experience and requirements...

• Crypto-Nativity: Demonstrated experience in cryptography, ideally with a background in zero-knowledge proofs (ZKP) or related programmable cryptographic systems.
• Experience: Previous work in ZK rollups, industry research, or crypto infrastructure projects is highly valued.
• Programming: Proficiency in Rust and/or C/C++ for low-level programming. Distributed systems and compiler knowledge is a plus.
• Client-Facing Aptitude: Comfortable communicating complex cryptographic concepts to clients and participating in technical discussions during client meetings.
• Sales & Business Collaboration: Ability to work closely with business development teams to align cryptographic benchmarks with client needs.
• Research Mindset: Although a cryptography research background is preferred, candidates should have practical engineering experience and a strong drive to learn.
• Education: BS or MS in Mathematics, Computer Science or related field. Advanced degree preferred.