Innovation Specialist

Lugano - Switzerland

Monthly Salary: Not Disclosed

Posted on: Yesterday

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Blockstream was founded in 2014 by Dr. Adam Back and a group of fellow cryptographers and engineers who are passionate about Bitcoin and its potential to change the world. Today Blockstream is the leading Bitcoin company providing cutting-edge infrastructure solutions for enterprises institutions and individual Bitcoin users. We develop industry-leading Bitcoin self-custody solutions Bitcoin-based financial products second-layer scaling technologies and enterprise-grade blockchain infrastructure.

We are seeking an Innovation Specialist a forward-thinking role focused on researching emerging blockchain technologies prototyping new solutions and supporting innovation initiatives for banking and institutional clients. This role combines technical curiosity with strategic thinking to identify and explore new opportunities in distributed ledger technology digital assets and financial services innovation.

Within the Service & Enterprise Solutions organization the Innovation Specialist serves as a bridge between cutting-edge technology research and practical client solutions. This role works closely with Solution Architects Product teams and senior leadership to explore emerging trends develop proof-of-concepts and contribute to thought leadership in blockchain and fintech innovation.

What Youll Be Doing (Responsibilities):

Research and evaluate emerging blockchain technologies protocols and industry trends
Support the design and development of proof-of-concepts (POCs) and technology prototypes
Analyze new use cases for distributed ledger technology in banking and financial services
Collaborate with clients to understand innovation objectives and identify technology opportunities
Conduct technical feasibility assessments for emerging technologies
Support innovation workshops hackathons and client engagement activities
Document research findings technology assessments and prototype outcomes
Contribute to thought leadership content including whitepapers and presentations
Stay current with developments in blockchain ecosystems and digital asset innovations
Partner with Product and Engineering teams to evolve prototypes toward production

What We Look for In You (Required Qualifications):

Bachelors or Masters degree in Computer Science Engineering Finance or related field
1-3 years of experience in technology research innovation roles or strong academic research background (thesis projects research papers innovation labs)
Strong understanding of blockchain technology fundamentals and distributed systems concepts
Technical background with ability to read and understand code (Python JavaScript or similar)
Experience with or willingness to learn prototyping and POC development
Self-starter with proven ability to work collaboratively across multiple teams and geographies demonstrating high-quality and high-touch customer engagement throughout all phases of delivery
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Excellent communication skills with ability to explain technical concepts clearly
Intellectual curiosity and passion for emerging technologies
Languages: English required; German/ Swiss German French and/or Italian a plus
Location: Switzerland with focus on Lugano.

Nice To Haves (Preferred Qualifications):

Knowledge of Bitcoin Ethereum or other blockchain platforms
Understanding of smart contracts DeFi protocols or Layer-2 scaling solutions
Familiarity with tokenization digital asset custody or crypto economics
Interest in cryptography zero-knowledge proofs or privacy-enhancing technologies
Experience writing technical content blog posts or research papers
Participation in blockchain hackathons developer communities or open-source projects
Understanding of financial services banking systems or regulatory frameworks
Interest in progressing into senior innovation research or technical leadership roles

Stay Safe from Job Scams
All official Blockstream communication will come from an @ email address. We will never ask you to share sensitive information or purchase equipment during the hiring process. If in doubt contact us at Learn more about avoiding job scams here.

Required Experience:

What Youll Be Doing (Responsibilities):

Research and evaluate emerging blockchain technologies protocols and industry trends
Support the design and development of proof-of-concepts (POCs) and technology prototypes
Analyze new use cases for distributed ledger technology in banking and financial services
Collaborate with clients to understand innovation objectives and identify technology opportunities
Conduct technical feasibility assessments for emerging technologies
Support innovation workshops hackathons and client engagement activities
Document research findings technology assessments and prototype outcomes
Contribute to thought leadership content including whitepapers and presentations
Stay current with developments in blockchain ecosystems and digital asset innovations
Partner with Product and Engineering teams to evolve prototypes toward production

What We Look for In You (Required Qualifications):

Bachelors or Masters degree in Computer Science Engineering Finance or related field
1-3 years of experience in technology research innovation roles or strong academic research background (thesis projects research papers innovation labs)
Strong understanding of blockchain technology fundamentals and distributed systems concepts
Technical background with ability to read and understand code (Python JavaScript or similar)
Experience with or willingness to learn prototyping and POC development
Self-starter with proven ability to work collaboratively across multiple teams and geographies demonstrating high-quality and high-touch customer engagement throughout all phases of delivery
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Excellent communication skills with ability to explain technical concepts clearly
Intellectual curiosity and passion for emerging technologies
Languages: English required; German/ Swiss German French and/or Italian a plus
Location: Switzerland with focus on Lugano.

Nice To Haves (Preferred Qualifications):

Knowledge of Bitcoin Ethereum or other blockchain platforms
Understanding of smart contracts DeFi protocols or Layer-2 scaling solutions
Familiarity with tokenization digital asset custody or crypto economics
Interest in cryptography zero-knowledge proofs or privacy-enhancing technologies
Experience writing technical content blog posts or research papers
Participation in blockchain hackathons developer communities or open-source projects
Understanding of financial services banking systems or regulatory frameworks
Interest in progressing into senior innovation research or technical leadership roles