Research Team Lead

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About CoW DAO

CoW DAO is on a mission to protect Ethereum users from MEV and optimize trade execution across DeFi through the CoW Protocol, CoW Swap, and the innovative MEV Blocker. We also fund values‑aligned projects via the CoW Grants Program. With over 100 open‑source repositories on GitHub and real‑time Dune Analytics dashboards, we remain a transparent, community‑driven force in DeFi innovation, prioritizing security, efficiency, and decentralization.

About the Role

Location: Fully remote team, preference for Europe or remote +/- 4 hours CEST time. We are not hiring from the United States, Australia, or New Zealand.

Position: Full‑time contractor.

We are looking for a Lead Researcher to shape the future of decentralization, order flow, solver competition, and auction mechanisms at CoW DAO. This role is ideal for someone with a strong applied research background (not purely academic) who has led research teams or major projects in the blockchain space.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Drive research efforts around decentralization of the CoW Protocol, solver competition, and mechanism evolution.
• Lead and manage the research team, providing mentorship, guidance, and oversight for ongoing projects.
• Maintain a hands‑on mindset, directly engaging with protocol challenges, experimentation, and modeling.
• Collaborate with product and engineering to align research with strategic goals and roadmap priorities.
• Stay informed on emerging DeFi and blockchain trends to keep CoW Protocol ahead of the curve.
• Communicate insights clearly to both technical and non‑technical audiences, helping the team make data‑driven decisions.

What We’re Looking For

• Deep applied research experience in blockchain, DeFi, crypto‑economics, or related fields.
• Proven leadership and management skills. Experience mentoring, managing, or leading research teams or projects.
• Strong product ownership and project management abilities, comfortable contributing to strategy, roadmap planning, and cross‑team collaboration.
• Pragmatic approach—driving research that results in shipped products or live systems.
• Strong analytical skills and comfort working with data, research tools, and on‑chain experimentation.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with a diverse, international, remote team.
• Web3‑native mindset, keeping up with the latest on‑chain trends, advancements, and research.

What We Can Offer

• Flexible work environment: Join our hub in Lisbon or work remotely.
• Token plan: Have a stake in our mission and shape the future of CoW DAO.
• Periodic gatherings: Enjoy opportunities to connect with the rest of the team through regular trips.
• Conference allocation: Stay up‑to‑date with ecosystem advancements using our conference budget.
• Learning budget: Use our learning budget to support your higher ambitions.
• Hardware budget: Take advantage of a hardware budget for acquiring necessary equipment.
• Make an impact: Your work matters in a startup setting.
• Flat hierarchies reduce bureaucracy, allowing more of your ideas to come to life.
• Flexible work and vacation times: Prioritize work‑life balance through our robust policy.
• Growth: CoW offers lots of opportunities for individual growth through initiative.

Referral Program

Earn 6,000 USDC or USD with the refer‑to‑earn program. More details here.

Culture

Life within the CoW Protocol is an incredible adventure! We take pride in our collaborative approach, embracing autonomy and fostering a culture of big thinking and continuous growth. We value impact, ownership, simplicity, and team spirit, and enjoy feedback and the journey along the way.

Equal Opportunity Statement

At CoW Protocol, we strive to create a space where everyone feels included and empowered. All qualified applicants are considered for positions regardless of race, ethnic origin, age, religion or belief, marital status, gender identification, sexual orientation, or physical ability.

Seniority Level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment Type

Full‑time

Job Function

Research, Analyst, and Information Technology

Industries

Internet Publishing