Head of Security at Ethena Labs

City of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

15 Jan, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

17 Oct, 25

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Cybersecurity, Blockchain Security, Risk Management, Incident Response, Crisis Management, Threat Intelligence, Compliance Frameworks, Secure Software Development, Infrastructure Security, Team Leadership, Communication, Problem Solving, Vendor Management, Budget Management, Security Auditing, Vulnerability Assessment

Industry

technology;Information and Internet

Description

Who We Are: Ethena Labs is at the forefront of the next wave of DeFi, dedicated to building products for modern finance. Ethena is a synthetic dollar protocol built on Ethereum that provides a crypto-native solution for money, USDe, alongside a globally accessible dollar savings asset, sUSDe. Our core mission is to provide truly crypto-native financial solutions that are globally accessible and bridge the gap between TradFi and the digital asset economy. We believe in transparency, efficiency, and empowering both individuals and institutions with greater control over their assets. What we are Doing: Ethena Labs is actively building and deploying a suite of groundbreaking products designed to address key challenges and unlock new opportunities within the digital finance landscape. Our flagship product, USDe, is a synthetic dollar backed by digital assets, and takes the novel approach of using a delta-neutral hedging strategy to maintain its peg. This provides a truly scalable and censorship-resistant digital dollar. Building upon USDe, we offer sUSDe. sUSDe provides crypto-native rewards generated from funding rates in derivatives markets, offering an alternative to existing products tethered to the traditional financial system. Furthermore, we are actively developing solutions to facilitate institutional adoption of digital assets. In partnership with Securitize and Blackrocks BUIDL fund, USDtb provides a more traditional, asset-backed stablecoin option, leveraging established financial infrastructure to appeal to institutional clients. Expanding on this, iUSDe is designed specifically for traditional financial institutions, incorporating necessary compliance features to enable them to access the crypto-native rewards our protocol generates, in an institutional-friendly manner. Finally, our most ambitious undertaking to date is Converge, our joint blockchain initiative with Securitize. This hybrid blockchain is designed to be the nexus where DeFi meets the needs of CeFi and TradFi. Converge aims to be a primary issuance layer for tokenised assets, integrating seamlessly with existing DeFi protocols to provide institutions with an environment to participate in the decentralised economy. Through these offerings, Ethena Labs is not just creating new financial products; we are building the foundational infrastructure for a more open, efficient, and interconnected global financial system. Join us!! The Role As the Head of Security, you will lead and own the comprehensive security strategy for our Ethena. You will be functionally accountable for all aspects of security, ensuring the protection of our assets, infrastructure, data, personnel, and facilities. This includes cybersecurity, blockchain security, physical security, and operational security. This is a pivotal opportunity to build a security-first culture in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment where DeFi innovations meet real-world risks. You will collaborate closely with Product Engineering, DeFi Engineering, Security Engineering, DevOps and non-engineering teams to embed security into every facet of our operations, from smart contract development to physical site protections. By driving compliance, incident response, and proactive threat mitigation, you'll safeguard our users' funds, maintain regulatory alignment, and position the company for scalable growth in the evolving crypto landscape. \n What You'll Do Develop and execute a holistic security strategy encompassing cybersecurity, blockchain security, physical security, and operational security, aligning with industry standards (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001) and DeFi-specific risks. Oversee blockchain and smart contract security, including audits, formal verification, secure key management, and protections against exploits like reentrancy or flash loan attacks. Build and enforce a robust cybersecurity framework, including threat detection systems (e.g., SIEM, IDS/IPS), secure DevOps practices, penetration testing, and vulnerability assessments. Manage physical security operations, including access controls, surveillance, executive protection programs, travel risk assessments, and site audits for offices, data centers, events, and key personnel residences. Drive compliance and regulatory alignment, achieving milestones such as SOC 2 and ISO 270001; prepare for audits and liaise with regulators. Establish incident response and crisis management plans, conducting simulations, drills, and rapid recovery for cyber, physical, or hybrid threats to minimize downtime and losses. Foster a security-first culture through training, workshops, and integration of security-by-design principles across all teams. Lead and scale the security team, hiring and mentoring Senior/Staff Security Engineers (and potentially physical security specialists), while overseeing the Security Engineering team. Implement real-time monitoring, threat intelligence, and performance metrics for digital and physical assets. Manage security budgets, vendor relationships, and resources to optimize effectiveness. Future-proof security for growth, anticipating emerging threats in DeFi and adapting systems for new products, integrations, and expanded operations. What We’re Looking For 10+ years of progressive experience in security leadership roles, with demonstrated expertise in cybersecurity, physical security, and risk management, preferably in fintech, crypto, or high-tech environments. Proven track record in developing and implementing comprehensive security strategies, including blockchain/DeFi security (e.g., smart contract auditing, cryptographic protocols) and physical protections (e.g., executive security, facility assessments). Strong leadership skills with experience building and mentoring high-performing teams, including oversight of engineers and coordination with cross-functional stakeholders. Expertise in incident response, crisis management, threat intelligence, and compliance frameworks (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, AML/KYC); experience achieving certifications is highly desirable. Proficiency in secure software development, infrastructure security (e.g., cloud, Kubernetes, AWS), and tools for monitoring, automation, and vulnerability mitigation. Excellent communication and collaboration abilities to convey complex security concepts to technical teams, executives, regulators, and non-technical stakeholders. Strategic thinker with adaptability in dynamic environments, strong problem-solving, and a proactive approach to risk management. Experience in budget and vendor management for security operations. Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or a related field; advanced certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CRISC, or similar are a plus. Familiarity with DeFi-specific risks and technologies is highly desirable. \n Why Ethena Labs? Join a forward-thinking, crypto-native company with a mission to revolutionize decentralized finance. Work alongside a passionate and innovative team that values collaboration and creativity. Enjoy a flexible, remote-friendly work environment with opportunities for growth and learning. If you subscribe to the mission of separating the dollar from the state, then we want to hear from you! We look forward to receiving your application and will be in touch after having a chance to review. In the meantime, here are some links to more information about Ethena Labs to help you check us out: Website Twitter LinkedIn

Responsibilities

Lead and own the comprehensive security strategy for Ethena Labs, ensuring the protection of assets, infrastructure, data, personnel, and facilities. Collaborate with various teams to embed security into all operations, from smart contract development to physical site protections.