Staff Research Scientist

Key Skills

Python Programming, SQL, Machine learning techniques, Data science techniques, Cryptography

Job Description

Visa Research: Visa Research is an organization that focuses exclusively on the scientific foundations of existing, emerging and future commerce-related technologies. With the establishment of a formal research organization and the associated long-term commitment to technology research, Visa joins the ranks of a small number of industry leaders with both the insight and ability to substantially influence and systemically impact the future.

As a Research Scientist within the Advanced Cryptography team, you will conduct world-class security research and contribute to the long-term research agenda for digital payments. This represents an exciting opportunity to make key contributions to Visa's strategic vision as the world-leading digital payments company. Successful candidates must have an outstanding academic track record in fundamental and applied research. Candidates will be self-starters comfortable with ambiguity, with strong attention to detail, and excellent collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Research and develop cutting-edge cryptographic technologies across a large spectrum of applications concerned with secure payments, and data protection.
• Deliver high-impact intellectual property values through research publications and patents.
• Collaborate with team members across Cryptography and Security to deliver innovative technologies, insights and products to Visa business units to resolve their significant product pain-points and create new growth opportunities.
• Collaborate with our partners in academia, industry and government on key initiatives to advance our security research goals.
• Work with team members and cross-functional teams (internal/external) that include representation from Technology, Product, Operations, etc.
• Foster in-depth and productive relationships at all levels with team members and clients internally and externally.

As a New College Grad, job duties and projects could include:

• Privacy-Preserving Machine Learning
• Efficient Constructions for Private Set Intersection
• Oblivious Transfer from Post-Quantum Assumptions
• Biometric-Enabled Threshold Authentication
• Privacy-preserving Attestations of Identity Data

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• 2 years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or an Advanced Degree (e.g. JD, MD, or PhD)
• PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, CIS/MIS, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Business or a related field with a focus on cryptography, graduating January 2021 - August 2022
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 (or equivalent scale)

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in one or more cryptographic research areas:
• Secure Multi-party Computation,
• Fully Homomorphic Encryption,
• Zero-Knowledge Proofs
• Experience in the application of these technologies to areas such as:
• Privacy-Preserving Machine Learning
• Digital Currencies
• Identity and Authentication
• Strong track record of impact in the research community and proven publication track record in leading conferences such as Crypto, Eurocrypt, Asiacrypt, ACM CCS, IEEE S&P and USENIX Security.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to think outside the box and innovate.
• Good team player with excellent interpersonal skills
• Experience in payments or related industry is a plus.
• Strong communications skills, specifically, the absence of repeated grammatical or typographical errors, clear and concise written and spoken communications, and communications that demonstrate professional judgment.
• The ability to take on challenges and address problems head-on
• Strong ability to collaborate
• Highly driven, resourceful and results oriented
• Good team player and excellent interpersonal skills
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated ability to lead and navigate through ambiguity

Additional Information

Visa has adopted a COVID-19 vaccination policy to safeguard the health and well-being of our employees and visitors. As a condition of employment, all employees based in the U.S. are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless a reasonable accommodation is approved or as otherwise required by law.

Work Hours: Varies upon the needs of the department.

Travel Requirements: This position requires travel 5-10% of the time.

Mental/Physical Requirements: This position will be performed in an office setting. The position will require the incumbent to sit and stand at a desk, communicate in person and by telephone, frequently operate standard office equipment, such as telephones and computers.