Web3 Research Jobs in Palo Alto, United States

Aptos is a people-first blockchain on a mission to help billions of people achieve universal and fair access to decentralized assets in a safe and scalable way.

Founded by some of the original creators and maintainers that researched, designed, and built the Diem blockchain to serve this purpose, we have dedicated several years toward this mission. We believe the open-source Diem technology we have developed is an important foundation of a safe and scalable web3 world where everyone has more equitable opportunities to grow and access financial assets with lower fees and fewer intermediaries.  

Aptos (Ohlone for "The People") encompasses our mission and ethos for why we build.

About the role:

We're looking for a seasoned Product Designer to join Aptos Labs and help us define the future of consumer crypto experiences. This role isn’t just about designing in Figma, it’s about contributing to the design culture and direction of a high-velocity team inside a deeply technical organization.

You’ll be joining a small but ambitious design team building products from the ground up across our flagship wallets, DeFi products, and broader onchain consumer experiences. The ideal candidate is someone who thrives in the ambiguous 0→1 phase, but also knows how to scale systems, structure, and design quality as products (and companies) mature.

We’re looking for an experienced, self-motivated Product Designer to join our consumer team, with a primary focus on DeFi products—including our flagship wallet experiences and broader consumer‑facing applications. As a designer at this level, you’ll own your projects end-to-end: from UX flows and wireframes to polished, high-fidelity mockups. 

What you'll do:

• Have you translated deeply technical concepts into intuitive, user-friendly experiences? Here, you will simplify complex Web3 and DeFi interactions into clear, approachable interfaces that empower everyday users without overwhelming them.
• Have you taken a product from zero to launch and beyond? Here, you will own design for new Consumer product workstreams at Aptos Labs—from initial concepts to final execution.
• Can you point to times you’ve helped cross-functional teams find clarity amidst extreme complexity? Here, you will partner with PMs, engineers, and researchers to align on the right problems and outcomes.
• Have you shaped systems that scale as fast as the product? Here, you will define interaction patterns, flows, and information systems with an eye to growing the business.
• Are you well-adapted to making design decisions rooted in research and real data? Here, you will use insight and evidence — not guesswork — to guide your work.
• Have you worked with (or built) a living design system? Here, you will contribute to and evolve a design system that supports consistency, speed and scalability.
• Have you played a role in building design culture through critique, mentorship, or simply raising the bar? Here, you will shape the culture of a growing team, contributing to a creative, thoughtful, and rigorous design practice.

What we’re looking for:

• 8+ years of product design experience, with at least one role at a venture-backed startup
• Track record of shipping consumer-facing products, ideally in complex domains like fintech, crypto, or marketplaces
• Experience across multiple stages of scale, from early zero-to-one to rapid growth and maturity
• Strong visual design skills, demonstrated in real shipped products, not just a polished portfolio
• Entrepreneurial mindset. You’ve taken initiative in ambiguous environments or owned a product area end-to-end
• Genuine curiosity about crypto, DeFi, and emerging tech, whether you’ve worked in it or explored it personally—working knowledge of wallets, decentralized exchanges, and other DeFi protocols highly preferred.
• Strong communication skills, especially when explaining design rationale to cross-functional peers

A demonstrated hunger to learn. You're the kind of person who teaches yourself things for fun, devours new domains, and doesn’t wait to be taught

Our Benefits

• 100% insurance premium coverage for medical, dental, and vision for you and your dependents (US Employees)
• Equipment of your choice
• Flexible vacation time, 11 holidays, and floating company days off 
• Competitive Salary
• Protocol Token Grants
• 401k matching (US Employees)
• Fun and inclusive in-person and digital events

Aptos is committed to diversity in the workplace, and we’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not hire on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, or any other basis protected by local, state or federal law. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.

We are committed to providing a safe and secure hiring process for all applicants. Unfortunately, there are individuals who may attempt to impersonate Aptos or our employees for fraudulent purposes.To protect yourself, please be aware of the following:

• We will never ask you for payment of any kind during the application or onboarding process, including fees for background checks, training, or equipment.
• We will always communicate with you using our official company email domain.
• We will never request your personal financial information, such as your social security number or bank account details, during the initial application stages or via email or a video/voice call when onboarding.