Blockchain developers have a strong mix of skills in the areas of computer networking, cryptography, and algorithms and data structures. But they also have experience with at least one specific type of blockchain, like that of bitcoin or Ethereum. It’s important to know whether you will build on existing open-source technologies: Only a rare few will succeed in making something brand new, but that’s often unnecessary.
Blockchain is a special database which gained popularity because of cryptocurrencies adopting it, especially bitcoin. Blockchain development is used together with cryptocurrencies to implement peer-to-peer (P2P), distributed services. Blockchain’s primary usage is large, public databases that are immutable—in other words, they can’t be tampered without spending massive amounts of resources.
Blockchain is spread across a world of cryptocurrencies and platforms for distributed applications. When you are looking for a blockchain developer to fill a specific position, posting a generic blockchain developer description in your job ad will bring applications from people who may only know bitcoin-like blockchains or only be proficient in Ethereum. Targeting the correct type of specialist is key to an effective job description.
Blockchain Developer - Job Description and Ad Template
Copy this template, and modify it as your own:
Company Introduction
{{ Write a short and catchy paragraph about your company. Make sure to provide information about the company’s culture, perks, and benefits. Mention office hours, remote working possibilities, and everything else that you think makes your company interesting. }}
Job Description
We are looking for a blockchain developer who will be responsible for designing, implementing, and supporting a distributed blockchain-based network. Your primary responsibility will be analyzing requirements, designing blockchain technology around a certain business model, and the building and launching of a blockchain network.
Responsibilities
Research, design, develop, and test blockchain technologies
Brainstorm and help evaluate applications for new tools and technologies as they continually evolve
Maintain and extend current client- and server-side applications responsible for integration and business logic
Be involved in the global blockchain community—work on implementing and integrating the latest improvement proposals
Document new solutions as well as maintaining that of existing ones
Skills
Strong software development background
Experience working with large codebases
Experience working with open-source projects
Proficiency in one of the following languages: C++, Java, JavaScript {{ Depending on the project }}
Strong knowledge of common algorithms and data structures
Familiarity with basic cryptography
Familiarity with P2P networks
Strong knowledge of bitcoin-like blockchains
Strong knowledge of concurrency and writing efficient and safe multithreaded code
Strong knowledge of STL, C++11 {{ In the case of a blockchain based on C++ }}
Proficiency in the Qt Widgets module {{ Applies to projects where a GUI wallet application is needed }}
As blockchain technology continues to disrupt, blockchain-related jobs are flooding the market. How can you tell whether a candidate is a genuine match?
This guide provides a good base of blockchain interview questions, then helps you understand which types of blockchain professionals you'll need for your project.
Toptal is a network of top blockchain developers, engineers, and consultants. Top companies work with Toptal blockchain engineers to launch ICOs, write smart contracts, create Dapps, and more.
Logan is a developer with expertise in the blockchain space. He has built entire projects around blockchain. As an entrepreneur, he has conceptualized and delivered many of his own products. Logan has written and managed smart contract interactions on the Ethereum blockchain, written applications using the Substrate blockchain framework, built infrastructure, managed complex integrations, and managed security audits.
Ken is a software engineer specializing in distributed systems and web3 technologies. He's launched multiple Ethereum Mainnet contracts, assisted with over 20 blockchain patent applications, created an NFT, and delivered MVPs. His experience includes web2 back-end services, data analysis, and work on multi-million dollar projects. Ken enjoys system design and is adept at creating technical solutions around business use cases.
David is a senior software engineering generalist with blockchain and security experience. With two years of management training and strong communication skills, he excels at bridging business requirements with modern technology. His EECS degree from U.C. Berkeley is evidence of his technical depth. David's current passion is building on his experience as a leader to maximize team effectiveness through industry best practices.
Sam is an accomplished game, web, and blockchain developer with over a decade of experience. He has recently worked for more than four years as the lead developer and product lead of an edtech gaming startup, building their product from the ground up. After the company's acquisition, he managed the transition of the product before ending his time there. He currently leads a game studio focusing on Web3 game development and is eager to work on new, challenging projects and goals.
Aminadav has 15+ years of professional experience and started coding at the age of seven, making programming like a native language for him. As a full-stack and blockchain architect, developer, and consultant, he has in-depth knowledge of many areas and possesses the ability to code quickly and efficiently. During the past ten years, his primary focus has been on full-stack development. StackOverflow rated him at the top 1% of developers.
Serkan is a seasoned software engineer with 14 years of experience in consultancy and in-house development. For the last four years, he's been working as a member of a rapid prototyping team at Daimler AG, focusing on blockchain projects. Previously, he worked as a consultant for different companies and projects for 6+ years. As a software consultant, he led development teams of up to ten developers and worked on employee relations, learning management, and eCommerce applications.
Daniel is a software engineer focused on functional programming. He gained professional experience in blockchain technology while working on large projects such as Golem. He also has experience in building startups and designing products, as he is a co-founder of DoxyChain, a blockchain-based document management system.
Vidor is a Computer Science Ph.D. candidate actively doing research and development in the blockchain space with a focus on Tendermint, Ethereum, and Hyperledger. He has been involved in software development since a young age and has participated in the development of different software solutions for microprocessors, core banking, the web, and money-handling equipment. Vidor has strong business English and years of remote-working experience.
Alex is a software developer primarily specializing in blockchain technology, having developed for both commercial applications as well as innovative initiatives. He has spearheaded the development of blockchain applications in European Horizon 2020 projects and worked on building commercial applications, such as a multi-currency account management service that boasted support for over 70 currencies and 13 blockchains.
Janko is a software engineer and architect specializing in blockchain and focusing on decentralized finance and self-sovereign identity (SSI). He has years of experience with Bitcoin, Ethereum, Quorum, Fabric, Tendermint, Cosmos blockchains, and Hyperledger Indy and Aries SSI solutions. Janko has recently applied modern distributed systems, cryptography, and blockchain theory to solving SSI-related problems.
Ivan is primarily a back-end developer with 18+ years of experience architecting and implementing server-side solutions, including distributed platforms, such as blockchains, chat servers, and game back-ends. He has handled DBA operations, developed modules for PostgreSQL, and has experience developing firmware for IoT devices. He helped establish the Toptal blockchain specialization, served as a tech screener, and lectured for Toptal Academy.
