Director, Ecosystem Product Security (New York)
Interested in working on cutting‑edge blockchain technology and creating equitable access to the global financial system? Since 2014, the mission‑driven team at the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) has helped fuel the tremendous growth of the Stellar blockchain network, an open‑source platform that operates at high‑scale today. Developers and companies around the world build on it, and the SDF team is expanding to support the rapidly growing and changing Stellar ecosystem. We're hiring a Director, Ecosystem & Product Security to lead security strategy across the Stellar ecosystem and directly own security outcomes for Foundation‑developed systems, Foundation‑operated infrastructure and treasury‑related security responsibilities. This role is focused on raising the practical security baseline across a decentralized financial ecosystem that includes wallets, infrastructure providers, custodians, issuers, validators and other critical participants. Success means reducing real‑world security risk and financial loss through clear standards, effective coordination and practical improvements that are adopted in production. The role is both strategic and hands‑on. It requires deep technical judgment across decentralized systems, product security and operational risk, along with the ability to work across teams and influence independent ecosystem participants without direct authority. This is a highly cross‑functional and externally visible leadership role. The right candidate will combine technical credibility, sound judgment and strong execution to help make security a durable strength of both the Foundation and the broader Stellar network. In This Role, You Will Define and lead the Foundation’s security strategy across both the Stellar ecosystem and Foundation‑owned systems Raise the practical security baseline for key ecosystem participants, including wallets, infrastructure providers, custodians, issuers and validators Publish actionable guidance, reference patterns and security expectations that drive real adoption across the ecosystem Build coordination mechanisms for shared risks, incident response and cross‑ecosystem security improvement Own security outcomes for Foundation‑developed software, Foundation‑operated infrastructure and treasury / custody‑related responsibilities Partner with Engineering, Finance, Legal, IT and Corporate Security to drive implementation of security controls and secure operating practices Lead secure development efforts across architecture, threat modeling, vulnerability management, bug bounty programs and product incident response Build and lead a high‑performing security team while translating strategy into execution plans and measurable outcomes Represent the Foundation externally as a credible technical leader and convener on ecosystem security You Have 10 years of experience in security, including significant experience in senior leadership roles 5 years leading security programs, teams or functions with meaningful scope A track record of owning security outcomes for complex, high‑consequence systems in production Deep experience in product and application security, with hands‑on judgment in real‑world environments Strong familiarity with blockchain and decentralized system security The ability to assess and prioritise risk across areas such as protocol design, smart contracts, wallets, validators, dependencies and governance mechanisms Experience driving security improvements across multiple teams, organisations or ecosystem participants, including in environments where you do not have direct authority Strong incident judgment, including experience handling high‑severity incidents and disclosure processes A pragmatic approach to security, with the ability to make trade‑offs that reduce real‑world risk rather than optimise for theoretical completeness Experience building, leading and developing high‑performing security teams The ability to set strategy, translate it into execution and deliver measurable outcomes Clear communication skills and the credibility to work effectively with engineers, executives and external ecosystem participants Experience operating in environments where security failures could lead to financial loss, operational disruption or loss of trust Bonus Points If (optional) Experience with secure development frameworks such as NIST SSDF Familiarity with Web3 security frameworks such as OWASP SCSVS or SEAL Experience in financial infrastructure, payments, custody or tokenised finance Experience with large‑scale platform or ecosystem security architecture Experience in identity, trust, encryption or internet‑scale systems Benefits Competitive health, dental & vision coverage with most plans covered at 100% for the employee any dependents Flexible time off 15 company holidays including a company‑wide holiday break Generous paid parental leave for all parents, plus paid pregnancy disability leave for birthing parents Gym reimbursement ($80 per month) Life & ADD (up to $50K) Short & long‑term disability 401(k) with 4% match Health & Dependent Care FSA accounts Commuter benefits with $250/month employer contribution Health Savings Account (HSA) with monthly employer contribution Family building benefits through Kindbody Wellbeing benefits (One Medical, Rightway, Headspace) L&D budget of $1,500/year Daily lunch and snacks in office Company retreats About Stellar Stellar is more than a blockchain. Powered by a decentralised, fast, scalable and uniquely sustainable network made for financial products and services and a thriving and passionate ecosystem that includes a non‑profit organisation driven by a mission, Stellar is paving the path to unlock the world’s economic potential through blockchain technology. Built with speed and low costs in mind, the Stellar network provides builders and financial institutions worldwide a platform to issue assets and to send and convert currencies in real time creating real‑world utility. Founded in 2014, the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) supports the continued development and growth of the Stellar network and also serves the ecosystem of NGOs, corporations, universities, small businesses, governments and solo entrepreneurs building on the Stellar network through tooling, funding and strategic collaborations. Together, Stellar is where blockchain meets the real world. About the Stellar Development Foundation The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) is a non‑profit organisation focused on working with and supporting changemakers to create equitable access to the global financial system through blockchain technology. SDF provides grants, investments, funding and other awards to builders and organisations. SDF also develops resources and tooling on the Stellar network to help unlock real‑world utility. As a non‑profit foundation, SDF puts the health of the Stellar network, the Stellar ecosystem and its mission above all else. SDF is committed to diversity in its workforce and is proud to be an equal‑opportunity employer. SDF does not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, colour, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship or any other basis protected by applicable local, state or federal law. J-18808-Ljbffr
