Staff Software Engineer, Backend - Proto

Proto is accelerating the world's transition to an open economy with products that increase access and independence for everyone. We're building Bitkey, a simple and safe self-custody bitcoin wallet that will put customers in control, as well as hardware and software that will help decentralize bitcoin mining and enable new and innovative use cases for bitcoin mining. We're developing these products in the open - you can read more about them at bitkey.build and mining.build . Within Proto, our Bitcoin Products team delivers the product and go-to-market strategy, software, firmware, and custom silicon needed to make Bitkey and our ambitious mining initiatives a reality. Come build the future of money with us!
The Role
Proto's vision is to contribute to the health of the bitcoin network by decentralizing both the supply of mining hardware and the distribution of hashrate . To realize this, we'll introduce competitive mining chips, rigs, and software products that offer new alternatives to mining operators of all sizes and which expand the scope of mining to include innovative applications (e.g. heat reuse, off-grid mining, home mining) beyond the current industrially-dominated market.
And we are well-positioned to deliver on this vision. Existing miners are not satisfied with our competitors - they're exhausted with unreliable hardware, difficulty securing supply, unfavorable payment terms, and nearly nonexistent support. All of these weaknesses are amongst our strengths: we've shipped tens of millions of reliable devices, are excellent operationally, can support a consistent supply of chips and rigs, and have strong customer support capability built up through multiple successful business lines. Additionally, we bring a clear customer focus and go-to-market capability that doesn't yet exist in mining - and mining operators recognize Block as a leader in the bitcoin space and are anxious to add an additional supplier, especially one based in the US.
We are seeking a skilled backend engineer for Proto's software suite. These two products aim to bring the best user experience in the world for miners to control their operation and connect with external services such as pools and miner management systems. Our approach is to give customers a significantly greater degree of control and diagnostic capability than what currently exists in the market. This role will be essential in making this experience a reality, not only focusing on how a miner may use our software to run their fleet, but ensuring we do it in a safe and secure manner.
You Will

• Design and implement APIs for bitcoin miner connectivity.
• Develop APIs to support real-time KPI monitoring, bulk deployment of settings, and parameter updates.
• Integrate miner fleet management systems with third-party tools for monitoring.
• Ensure secure and stable local connectivity for bitcoin mining hardware.
• Collaborate with hardware teams to validate mining system performance.
• Work closely with engineering and product teams to meet milestones, including upcoming demos and pilots, and our eventual launch later in the year.

You Have

• A minimum of 8 years professional experience building software
• Experience developing backend applications that communicate across the network.
• Experience with API design and implementation, particularly in real-time systems.
• Experience building relational databases for transactional and analytical workloads
• Expertise developing highly concurrent or asynchronous web application using NodeJS and Typescript or similar languages such as Go, Kotlin, Rust or Ruby
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, milestone-driven environment.

Bonus:

• Familiarity with bitcoin mining hardware and protocols.
• Experience working with Electron or Tauri application frameworks.
• Experience implementing secure web authorization and authentication schemes.

We're working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is an equal opportunity employer evaluating all employees and job applicants without regard to identity or any legally protected class. We will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and "fair chance" ordinances.
We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we're doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page .
While there is no specific deadline to apply for this role, U.S. roles are typically open for an average of 55 days before being filled by a successful candidate. Please refer to the date listed at the top of this job page for when this role was first posted.
Block takes a market-based approach to pay, and pay may vary depending on your location. U.S. locations are categorized into one of four zones based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. The successful candidate's starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future.
To find a location's zone designation, please refer to this resource . If a location of interest is not listed, please speak with a recruiter for additional information.
Zone A:
$217,800 - $326,800 USD
Zone B:
$207,000 - $310,400 USD
Zone C:
$196,100 - $294,100 USD
Zone D:
$185,200 - $277,800 USD
Every benefit we offer is designed with one goal: empowering you to do the best work of your career while building the life you want. Remote work, medical insurance, flexible time off, retirement savings plans, and modern family planning are just some of our offering. Check out our other benefits at Block.
Block, Inc. (NYSE: XYZ) builds technology to increase access to the global economy. Each of our brands unlocks different aspects of the economy for more people. Square makes commerce and financial services accessible to sellers. Cash App is the easy way to spend, send, and store money. Afterpay is transforming the way customers manage their spending over time. TIDAL is a music platform that empowers artists to thrive as entrepreneurs. Bitkey is a simple self-custody wallet built for bitcoin. Proto is a suite of bitcoin mining products and services. Together, we're helping build a financial system that is open to everyone.