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The Security Research Group at Microsoft Research Redmond is pushing the boundary of what is possible with the fascinating primitive of zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs. You’ll work alongside experts who are shaping the future of secure and privacy-preserving computation through real-world applications of this primitive. Your contributions will help define the next generation of secure, scalable, and private systems in the cloud.

As a Senior Research Software Engineer, you will design and implement zero-knowledge (ZK) circuits for core cryptographic operations, while building reusable components and SDKs to accelerate development across the ecosystem. You’ll advance high-speed cryptography by extending libraries like Nova, integrating optimizations, and scaling proof generation across machines and Graphics Processing Units (GPU). Your work will directly impact the performance and scalability of modern proof systems, enabling secure, real-world applications. In this role, you’ll deepen your expertise in constraint systems, ZK proof frameworks, parallelization, and systems programming in Rust. You’ll grow your skills through hands-on innovation and collaboration with world-class researchers and engineers.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day.

Responsibilities

+ Design and implement ZK circuits for real-world applications including signature verification and state management via Merkle trees.

+ Use and extend circuit Software Development Kits (SDKs) to accelerate development.

+ Develop reusable circuit components and SDKs to support new token standards.

+ Add new functionality, extend existing functionality, and maintain high-speed cryptography libraries like Nova.

+ Upgrade proof systems to include recent developments/optimizations.

+ Parallelize proof generation across machines.

+ GPU-based optimization of proving process.

+ Embody our culture (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/culture) and values (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/about/corporate-values) .

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

+ Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 4+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, Rust

+ OR equivalent experience.

+ Experience with constraint systems and ZK proof systems.

Preferred Qualifications

+ Doctorate (PhD) or Master's Degree in Computer Science or related fields.

+ Prior experience with ZK circuit development using frameworks like Bellpepper, Circom, or Arkworks.

+ Familiarity with blockchain token standards.

+ Familiarity with state-of-the-art proof systems.

+ Prior experience with implementing and optimizing proof systems.

Software Engineering IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $158,400 - $258,000 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until November 12, 2025.

\#Research

\#MSRR

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html) .