Software Engineer (Cryptography)

IMDEA Software Institute, Madrid, Spain

The IMDEA Software Institute invites applications for a Software Engineer to join its cryptography research team.

The successful candidate will work closely with researchers on the design of novel software libraries and on the implementation of cutting-edge cryptographic protocols, in particular involving homomorphic encryption and zero-knowledge proofs. This position is well suited for candidates with strong software engineering skills who are excited about contributing to state-of-the art cryptographic systems and helping shape the next generation of cryptographic software.

Requirements

• BSc, MSc or PhD in Computer Science, Mathematics, or a closely related field
• Solid software engineering background, including API design, writing unit tests, and software documentation.
• Experience with C and Python languages (links to contributed projects, e.g., open-source repositories, are welcome in your CV)
• Foundations in algorithms and mathematics
• Foundational knowledge of computer architecture and microarchitecture (in particular, how they affect software performance)
• Basic knowledge of software optimization techniques (low-level programming with Intrinsics, compiler optimization options, and software profiling). Previous experience with it is highly desirable but not required.

Desirable Qualifications

• Prior experience implementing cryptographic primitives or protocols
• Ability to read and understand cryptography research papers
• Interest in bridging theoretical cryptography and practical implementations
• Experience with packaging and deploying Python projects.

What you will be doing

Your main task consists of working on the development of libraries for efficient cryptographic implementations, in close collaboration with our research team. In particular:

• Implement mathematical algorithms designed by the research team using Python and C.
• Design (with the help of the research team) and maintain a consistent high-level API for the algorithms to be included in different libraries.
• Write API documentation and work on versioning and deploying the libraries as GitHub releases and to PyPI repositories.

Working at IMDEA Software

Ranked among the top research institutes in Europe in computer science, the IMDEA Software Institute offers a dynamic and stimulating research environment located in the Montegancedo Science and Technology Park. Set against the backdrop of Madrid’s vibrant cityscape, the institute provides an internationally competitive salary, flexible work schedule, access to excellent public healthcare, full social security benefits (including unemployment and retirement), and support for research-related travel. English is the primary working language, and knowledge of Spanish is not required.

Dates

The starting date is flexible.

How to apply?

The application requires a CV and possibly the names of 2-3 persons that can provide references about you and your work.

Applicants interested in the position should submit their application at https://careers.software.imdea.org/ using reference code 2026-01-programmer-verifhe. Deadline for applications is March 15th, 2026. Review of applications will begin immediately.

The recruitment process will comply with the IMDEA Software Institute’s OTM-R Policy (Open, Transparent and Merit-based Recruitment).

For enquiries about the position, please contact: Dario Fiore

Funded if necessary by Grant CEX2024-001471-M funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033