ASIC Lead - Proto

Proto is accelerating the world's transition to an open economy with products that increase access and independence for everyone. We're building Bitkey, a simple and safe self-custody bitcoin wallet that will put customers in control, as well as hardware and software that will help decentralize bitcoin mining and enable new and innovative use cases for bitcoin mining. We're developing these products in the open - you can read more about them at bitkey.build and mining.build . Within Proto, our Bitcoin Products team delivers the product and go-to-market strategy, software, firmware, and custom silicon needed to make Bitkey and our ambitious mining initiatives a reality. Come build the future of money with us!
With Proto, we're building hardware and software that will help decentralize bitcoin mining, promote new and innovative use cases for bitcoin mining, and drive a major new business for Block. As the ASIC Lead, you'll lead a talented team focused on development of a core component of our mining products: the custom silicon that powers both the mining rigs we're building as well as customer-developed systems for new mining applications. Top-performing silicon is critical to our customers' success. Power efficiency (energy expended for a given hashrate), area efficiency (hashrate output for a given silicon area), and system uptime directly impact mining profitability for operators of all sizes. Our ASIC team's work is foundational to these metrics and to our Proto business, and we're looking for the right leader to develop the team and product into a market-leading position.
As ASIC Lead, you will:

• Build, grow, and develop the best mining silicon team in the world - and then take on the bullet points below with and through your team
• Lead the end-to-end development process of high-performance mining ASICs, from defining architecture to custom physical design to verification and post-tapeout productionization
• Identify, understand, and apply new technologies to deliver performance not previously seen in the mining industry
• Work with the hardware system team to co-design our chip and system for maximum overall performance, including not just power and area efficiency but also best-in-class uptime and reliability
• Collaborate with the hardware operations team to deliver effectively and predictably at scale, including fostering relationships with key partners to ensure access to key technologies and capacity
• Cultivate strong, trusting relationship with 3rd party IP and EDA vendors, engineering service providers, OSATs and fabrication houses
• Communicate clearly, directly, and with empathy at all levels of the organization

You have:

• 15+ years of experience in silicon development from concept to mass production
• Demonstrated success in leading and managing teams of at least tens of engineers to repeatedly ship custom silicon in high volume (having led geographically-dispersed teams across multiple time zones is a plus)
• Experience working in a small company and/or early stage initiative
• Experience with advanced technology nodes (at least 3nm)
• A deep appreciation for technical excellence in your and your team's work
• An inspiring and contagious sense of urgency in your work and leadership

We're working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is an equal opportunity employer evaluating all employees and job applicants without regard to identity or any legally protected class. We will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and "fair chance" ordinances.
We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we're doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page .
While there is no specific deadline to apply for this role, U.S. roles are typically open for an average of 55 days before being filled by a successful candidate. Please refer to the date listed at the top of this job page for when this role was first posted.
Block takes a market-based approach to pay, and pay may vary depending on your location. U.S. locations are categorized into one of four zones based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. The successful candidate's starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future.
To find a location's zone designation, please refer to this resource . If a location of interest is not listed, please speak with a recruiter for additional information.
Zone A:
$304,500 - $456,700 USD
Zone B:
$304,500 - $456,700 USD
Zone C:
$304,500 - $456,700 USD
Zone D:
$304,500 - $456,700 USD
Use of AI in Our Hiring Process
We may use automated AI tools to evaluate job applications for efficiency and consistency. These tools comply with local regulations, including bias audits, and we handle all personal data in accordance with state and local privacy laws.
Contact us at [email protected] with hiring practice or data usage questions.
Every benefit we offer is designed with one goal: empowering you to do the best work of your career while building the life you want. Remote work, medical insurance, flexible time off, retirement savings plans, and modern family planning are just some of our offering. Check out our other benefits at Block.
Block, Inc. (NYSE: XYZ) builds technology to increase access to the global economy. Each of our brands unlocks different aspects of the economy for more people. Square makes commerce and financial services accessible to sellers. Cash App is the easy way to spend, send, and store money. Afterpay is transforming the way customers manage their spending over time. TIDAL is a music platform that empowers artists to thrive as entrepreneurs. Bitkey is a simple self-custody wallet built for bitcoin. Proto is a suite of bitcoin mining products and services. Together, we're helping build a financial system that is open to everyone.