Axiom

Forward Deployed Engineer

USA, United States full-time Mid Salary not listed
full-time Mid level Technology & IT Curated
Sign in to apply Free account — we bring you straight back to this role.

About the role

About Us

Axiom is using zero-knowledge proofs to enable new types of verifiable and private software applications, starting with crypto and fintech. We are a small but incredibly strong team backed by the best investors in crypto. We’re looking for exceptional people who are excited to work on challenging and impactful problems in a fast-paced environment. Our office is in NYC and working in person in NY is our strong preference, but we're open to remote candidates as well.

We recently released OpenVM, a performant and modular zkVM framework built for customization and extensibility. OpenVM allows developers to verify the correct execution of arbitrary computer programs in a flexible and performant way. We are building ZK-enabled products using OpenVM and supporting teams building on OpenVM.

The Role

We are looking for a Forward Deployed Engineer to help customers maximize the value they get out of OpenVM and the Axiom Proving API. You'll design compelling product demos, execute pilots, and work closely with teams across crypto and fintech to integrate ZK into their products with OpenVM. Beyond the sales process, you will own technical customer relationships by customizing OpenVM for user needs and ensuring successful product impact. You will also help shape our product roadmap by deeply understanding and communicating customer needs.

We are looking for someone with strong technical skills, the ability to work across the stack, and a product- and customer-first mindset. We also value the ability to make pragmatic design choices to solve customer problems while maintaining sustainable engineering practices.

Who you are

You have a strong track record of shipping full-stack products across frontend and backend using Python, Typescript, or comparable stacks.

You are familiar with deploying applications using k8s and Terraform.

You’re a clear communicator and relationship-builder. You're comfortable discussing complex technical topics with customers in all roles and levels.

You thrive in ambiguous environments and have a strong bias towards action.

You have an extremely strong work ethic.

Bonuses

You have experience selling a product or doing customer-facing work.

You have experience with cryptography or blockchain engineering.

You are proficient in Rust, C/C++, Go, or a similar backend language.

Why join us

You’ll be an early employee with ownership to make key technical/product decisions.

You’ll be working on groundbreaking tech that has the potential to be a key piece of infrastructure for the crypto industry and beyond.

You’ll receive a competitive salary with equity.

You will work with and receive mentorship from an exceptional team.

Our Team

Our founders Yi Sun and Jonathan Wang met while studying math at Harvard and have been working on ZK since 2021. Together, they wrote some of the most performant ZK circuits for elliptic curve cryptography and Ethereum data reads before starting Axiom.

Before Axiom, Yi was a professor at UChicago Statistics and did a math PhD at MIT. He was previously an advisor for Gauntlet and worked at an HFT startup from inception to profitable trading. Jonathan published number theory research in top math journals and did a math PhD at UChicago.

The rest of our small but incredibly strong team includes alums of Applied Intuition, Coinbase, Color, Neon, Google, and Perplexity as well as math / CS PhDs and IMO / IPhO / Codeforces winners. We look forward to working with you!

Interview prep

Walk in with sharper answers.

Use this as a quick practice sheet before you speak with the employer.

Mid
Technology & IT Javascript Python Remote Collaboration Sales Mid level full-time

Likely questions

  1. Tell us about work you have done that is close to the Forward Deployed Engineer role.
  2. How would you approach your first 30 days at Axiom?
  3. Which of Javascript, Python and Remote Collaboration have you used recently, and what did it help you achieve?
  4. Describe a time you solved a problem without waiting to be told exactly what to do.
  5. How do you handle busy days, changing priorities, or pressure at work?

Prepare before the call

  • A recent example that proves your experience with Javascript, Python and Remote Collaboration.
  • One short story with a problem, your action, and the result.
  • Two examples that show the strengths listed on your CV.
  • A clear reason why this role and company interest you.
  • Your availability, preferred work style, and salary expectations.

Ask them

  • What would success look like in the first 90 days?
  • What are the main problems this hire should help solve?
  • How does the team give feedback and measure good work?
  • What does a normal working week look like for this role?
Practice line

I am interested in the Forward Deployed Engineer role because I can bring practical experience in Javascript, Python and Remote Collaboration, learn the team quickly, and contribute to the outcomes Axiom needs from this hire.

Related jobs.

More roles from this company or category.