Interested in working on cutting-edge blockchain technology and creating equitable access to the global financial system? Since 2014, the mission-driven team at the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) has helped fuel the tremendous growth of the Stellar blockchain network, an open-source platform that operates at high-scale today. Developers and companies around the world build on it, and the SDF team is expanding to support the rapidly growing and changing Stellar ecosystem.
We're hiring a Director, Ecosystem & Product Security to lead security strategy across the Stellar ecosystem and directly own security outcomes for Foundation-developed systems, Foundation-operated infrastructure, and treasury-related security responsibilities. This role is focused on raising the practical security baseline across a decentralized financial ecosystem that includes wallets, infrastructure providers, custodians, issuers, validators, and other critical participants. Success means reducing real-world security risk and financial loss through clear standards, effective coordination, and practical improvements that are adopted in production.
The role is both strategic and hands-on. It requires deep technical judgment across decentralized systems, product security, and operational risk, along with the ability to work across teams and influence independent ecosystem participants without direct authority. This is a highly cross-functional and externally visible leadership role. The right candidate will combine technical credibility, sound judgment, and strong execution to help make security a durable strength of both the Foundation and the broader Stellar network.
In this role, you will:
- Define and lead the Foundation’s security strategy across both the Stellar ecosystem and Foundation-owned systems
- Raise the practical security baseline for key ecosystem participants, including wallets, infrastructure providers, custodians, issuers, and validators
- Publish actionable guidance, reference patterns, and security expectations that drive real adoption across the ecosystem
- Build coordination mechanisms for shared risks, incident response, and cross-ecosystem security improvement
- Own security outcomes for Foundation-developed software, Foundation-operated infrastructure, and treasury / custody-related responsibilities
- Partner with Engineering, Finance, Legal, IT, and Corporate Security to drive implementation of security controls and secure operating practices
- Lead secure development efforts across architecture, threat modeling, vulnerability management, bug bounty programs, and product incident response
- Build and lead a high-performing security team, while translating strategy into execution plans and measurable outcomes
- Represent the Foundation externally as a credible technical leader and convener on ecosystem security
You have:
- 10+ years of experience in security, including significant experience in senior leadership roles
- 5+ years leading security programs, teams, or functions with meaningful scope
- A track record of owning security outcomes for complex, high-consequence systems in production
- Deep experience in product and application security, with hands-on judgment in real-world environments
- Strong familiarity with blockchain and decentralized system security
- The ability to assess and prioritize risk across areas such as protocol design, smart contracts, wallets, validators, dependencies, and governance mechanisms
- Experience driving security improvements across multiple teams, organizations, or ecosystem participants, including in environments where you do not have direct authority
- Strong incident judgment, including experience handling high-severity incidents and disclosure processes
- A pragmatic approach to security, with the ability to make tradeoffs that reduce real-world risk rather than optimize for theoretical completeness
- Experience building, leading, and developing high-performing security teams
- The ability to set strategy, translate it into execution, and deliver measurable outcomes
- Clear communication skills and the credibility to work effectively with engineers, executives, and external ecosystem participants
- Experience operating in environments where security failures could lead to financial loss, operational disruption, or loss of trust
Bonus Points if (optional):
- Experience with secure development frameworks such as NIST SSDF
- Familiarity with Web3 security frameworks such as OWASP SCSVS or SEAL
- Experience in financial infrastructure, payments, custody, or tokenized finance
- Experience with large-scale platform or ecosystem security architecture
- Experience in identity, trust, encryption, or internet-scale systems
We offer competitive pay with a base salary range for this position of $225,000 - $320,000 depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, we offer lumen-denominated grants along with the following perks and benefits:
USA Benefits/Perks:
- Competitive health, dental & vision coverage with most plans covered at 100% for the employee + any dependents
- Flexible time off + 15 company holidays including a company-wide holiday break
- 401(k) with 4% match
- Commuter benefits with $250/month employer contribution
- Health & Dependent Care FSA Accounts
- Health Savings Account (HSA) with monthly employer contribution
- Gym reimbursement ($80 per month)
- Life & ADD (1x salary, up to $250K)
- Short & Long term disability
- Generous paid parental leave for all parents, plus paid pregnancy disability leave for birthing parents
- Family building benefits through Kindbody
- Wellbeing benefits (One Medical, Rightway, Headspace)
- L&D budget of $1,500/year
- Daily lunch and snacks in office
- Company retreats
About Stellar
Stellar is more than a blockchain. Powered by a decentralized, fast, scalable, and uniquely sustainable network made for financial products and services and a thriving and passionate ecosystem that includes a non-profit organization driven by a mission, Stellar is paving the path to unlock the world’s economic potential through blockchain technology. Built with speed and low costs in mind, the Stellar network provides builders and financial institutions worldwide a platform to issue assets, and to send and convert currencies in real time creating real world utility. Founded in 2014, the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) supports the continued development and growth of the Stellar network and also serves the ecosystem of NGOs, corporations, universities, small businesses, governments, and solo entrepreneurs building on the Stellar network through tooling, funding and strategic collaborations. Together, Stellar is where blockchain meets the real world.
About the Stellar Development Foundation
The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) is a non-profit organization focused on working with and supporting change-makers to create equitable access to the global financial system through blockchain technology. SDF provides grants, investments, funding, and other awards to builders and organizations. SDF also develops resources and tooling on the Stellar network to help unlock real world utility. As a nonprofit foundation, SDF puts the health of the Stellar network and the Stellar ecosystem and its mission above all else.
We look forward to hearing from you!
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SDF is committed to diversity in its workforce and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. SDF does not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, or any other basis protected by applicable local, state or federal law.