o1Labs incubated the Mina Protocol—the first succinct zero-knowledge blockchain—and built
o1js, the leading framework for writing ZK applications. We are exploring new applications of
programmable cryptography and verifiable infrastructure, with an initial focus on institutional
custody and authorization workflows. Our goal is to create portable, independently verifiable
evidence that authorization and policy are enforced correctly. We are in an exciting,
high-conviction 'zero-to-one' phase, validating our hypotheses and building from the ground up.
What this role is
If landing the first design partners and shaping the product around what institutions need is
appealing to you, then this is a role for you.
You own the product rigor and quality of the custody product, and — because we're
pre-commitment — you're hands-on in landing and learning from the first institutional
design partners and you make sure every idea is pressure-tested against evidence, specified
well, and either advanced or killed cleanly.
Concretely, you will:
● Lead design-partner discovery and validation with a small set of institutional
custodians, help land the first relationships, and turn what they actually need into
product direction.
● Own the bar for evidence: every feature or direction is gated against defined
proof-of-concept exit criteria.
● Translate complex systems concepts into precise product specifications that engineers
can build against without a second translation layer.
● Pressure-test competitive and threat-model claims (e.g. how our
enforcement-and-evidence story actually differs from incumbents)
● Maintain the roadmap and manage cross-functional dependencies, timelines, and
sequencing as the product takes shape.
Proven track record as a product manager for complex software, infrastructure,
especially when the target audience is technical and skeptical.
● Experience with web3, enterprise workflows and polices, and/or financial
applications is highly preferred.
● Demonstrated analytical rigor, including defining success metrics, establishing clear
decision criteria, and making defendable, evidence-based product calls.
● Strong program management skills, with the ability to navigate dependencies,
timelines, and cross-functional coordination in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
● Exceptional communication skills, capable of distilling complex technical concepts for
both engineering teams and non-technical institutional stakeholders.
● Comfort with a remote, owner-governed, distributed team; strongly self-directed.