Blockchain Engineer (Virtual Machine/zkEVM)

About Fluent

Fluent is a Layer 2 general-purpose execution layer for Ethereum, enabling developers and users to access applications written in multiple programming languages and built on different virtual machines (VMs). This is achieved through Blended Execution, a novel approach where all applications are compiled into a unified intermediate representation called rWasm (reduced WebAssembly).
rWasm is a compact, proof-efficient IR derived from WebAssembly binaries, optimized for performance and zero-knowledge (ZK) proving. Fluent is pioneering a next-generation blockchain architecture that blends expressivity, scalability, and cross-VM composability.

About the Role

We are seeking a VM Engineer to help design, optimize, and maintain the rWasm VM—a high-performance, ZK-friendly WebAssembly runtime powering the Fluent blockchain.
This is a deeply technical role focused on systems programming, compiler/runtime development, and low-level optimization across WASM, EVM, and cryptographic proving environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain core components of the rWasm VM, including the interpreter, AOT backend, and execution engine
• Optimize the VM for ZK proof generation (e.g., stack-based execution, memory models, opcode structure)
• Implement syscall and builtins layers with compatibility for EVM semantics
• Extend the rWasm instruction set for zk-STF use cases and recursive proofs
• Collaborate with core protocol engineers to integrate runtime with blockchain and consensus logic
• Write high-quality, well-tested Rust code with a focus on determinism, performance, and security

Minimum Qualifications

• Strong proficiency in Rust with experience in systems-level or compiler development
• Solid understanding of WebAssembly internals, memory layout, and binary formats
• Experience building VMs or emulators (stack-based, register-based, interpreters)
• Familiarity with blockchain execution models (EVM, Wasm, RISC-V)
• Working knowledge of ZK systems or strong interest in ZK-enabled architectures
• Comfort working in low-level, performance-constrained environments (e.g., no_std, AOT, embedded)

Nice to Have

• Contributions to WASM runtimes like Wasmtime, Wasmi, Wasm3, or similar
• Experience with ZK proving systems such as Halo2, STARKs, PLONK, or zkVMs
• Background in formal verification, gas metering, or symbolic execution
• Experience working in multi-language smart contract environments
• Understanding of Solidity, Yul, or bytecode-to-Wasm translation workflows

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive equity compensation with meaningful ownership
• Flexible PTO and a focus on outcome-driven work
• Remote-first team with flexible hours and time zone alignment
• Home office setup stipend
• Regular team offsites for deep work, planning, and connection