Head of Security

About Nexus

Nexus is innovating at the intersection of artificial intelligence, blockchain, and zero-knowledge cryptography to build a Layer 1 for the AI era. Our team of world-leading experts is developing the Nexus Layer 1 blockchain, Nexus zkVM, and other breakthrough products with the goal of creating a verifiable world.

Nexus has raised $25M in Series A funding from Lightspeed, Pantera, Dragonfly, SV Angel, and more.

We are headquartered in San Francisco, and this role will be in-person with the rest of the Nexus team.

Role Overview

Nexus is seeking a Head of Security to lead our security strategy and execution as we approach our Mainnet launch. You will be responsible for securing the Nexus Layer 1 blockchain and shaping security practices for any future on-chain components built into the protocol. This role requires a hands-on leader with deep technical and Web 3 expertise to build and scale a world-class security program in a rapidly evolving ecosystem.

Responsibilities

Design and execute the end-to-end security strategy for Nexus Layer 1 and all infrastructure, organizational, and ecosystem security needs.

Lead threat modeling, risk assessments, and security audits across protocol, infrastructure, and application layers.

Partner with engineering leadership to architect secure blockchain protocols and integrate risk controls at the protocol layer.

Embed security practices into the software development lifecycle and CI / CD pipelines.

Develop incident response plans for critical on-chain and infrastructure risks.

Establish monitoring systems to detect economic, cryptographic, or consensus-layer vulnerabilities.

Establish ecosystem security policies for validators, governance participants, and external integrations.

Collaborate with legal and compliance teams to ensure readiness for global regulatory environments.

Collaborate with leadership to communicate risk posture and mitigation strategies.

Develop and report security KPIs, risk metrics, and strategic priorities

Requirements

7+ years in security engineering or security leadership in blockchain, crypto, or high-growth tech environments.

Hands-on expertise in cryptography, protocol security, cloud security, and distributed systems.

Proven success building security programs from early-stage to production-grade systems.

Experience with incident response, audits, and threat modeling for mission-critical systems.

Familiarity with compliance standards (SOC 2, ISO 27001) and regulatory risk management.

Ability to balance tactical execution with strategic planning as the organization scales.

Embrace AI as a core part of how you work, think, and build.

Benefits

Competitive salary and generous equity compensation

Health insurance for employees and their dependents

Daily lunch and dinner provided at SF headquarters

Company-paid travel to events and conferences

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