Smart Contract Engineer Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Note: Fidelity will not provide immigration sponsorship for this position.

The Role

The DeFi Product Manageris responsible fordesigning, evaluating, and scaling institutional-gradeDeFi investment products, with a primary focus on protocol assessment, vault construction, and ongoing portfolio curation. This role sits at the intersection of traditional capital markets, investment risk management, and on-chain financial infrastructure, translating DeFi primitives into investable, compliant, and risk-managed products for investors.

The role requires deep technical fluency in blockchain and smart-contract systems, strong investment judgment grounded in traditional finance, and extensive operating relationships across the DeFi ecosystem.The successful candidate will combine the judgment of a seasoned investment professional with the technical fluency of a DeFi native. They will be capable of structuring differentiated on-chain products,identifyingand mitigating risk before it materializes, and serving as a credible bridge between traditional investmentmanagersand the DeFi ecosystem.

DeFi Protocol Evaluation & Due Diligence

• Lead comprehensive due diligence of DeFi protocols, including:
• Smart-contract architecture and upgradeability models

• Economic and incentive design (tokenomics, liquidity dynamics, fee structures)

• Governance frameworks and decentralization maturity

• Oracle dependencies, cross-chain risk, and composability exposure

• Assess protocol risk across market, liquidity, counterparty, technical, and governance dimensions.

• Maintain a livingprotocolrisk taxonomy and scoring framework aligned with institutional risk standards.

Vault Design, Construction & Curation

• Design and launch on-chain vaults and structured DeFi strategies (e.g., yield, carry, delta-neutral, liquidity provision, structured credit).

• Curate vault parameters including asset eligibility, allocation limits, rebalancing logic, and risk constraints.

• Oversee ongoing vault monitoring, performance attribution, and risk reporting.

• Work closely with engineering teams to translate investment logic into smart-contract-enforced rules.

Investment & Risk Management Integration

• Apply traditional portfolio construction, risk budgeting, and capitalmarketsframeworks to on-chain strategies.

• Define stress testing, scenario analysis, and drawdown management approaches for DeFi portfolios.

• Partner with legal, compliance, and operations teams to ensure products meet institutional governance and fiduciary expectations.

• Support investment committee materials, protocol memos, and board-level product reviews.

Ecosystem Engagement & Product Sourcing

• Maintain deep, active relationships across the DeFi ecosystem, including protocol founders, core developers, DAO contributors, auditors, and infrastructure providers.

• Source early-stage protocol opportunities and influence roadmap discussions relevant to institutional use cases.

• Represent the firm in DeFi governance forums, working groups, and industry initiatives.

• Monitor emerging DeFi primitives, L2s, app-chains,restaking, and cross-chain infrastructure relevant to vault strategies.

The Expertise and Skills You Bring

Investment & Capital Markets Experience

• 7-12+ years of experience across asset management, trading, structured products, derivatives, or capital markets.

• Demonstrated experience with portfolio construction, risk management, and investment decision-making.

• Strong understanding of fixed income, derivatives, financing markets, and liquidity dynamics.

DeFi & Blockchain Expertise

• Deep understanding of blockchain architecture (Ethereum, L2s, Solana, and emerging ecosystems).

• Strong working knowledge of smart contracts, DeFi primitives (AMMs, lending, derivatives, staking,restaking), and on-chain governance.

• Experience evaluating smart-contract risk and interpreting audit reports (no coding requirement, but technical fluencyrequired).

• Familiarity with MEV, oracle design, cross-chain bridges, and protocol upgrade patterns.

Product & Ecosystem Leadership

• Proven ability to design investment products from concept through launch and ongoing management.

• Extensive network across the DeFi ecosystem witha track recordof trusted relationships.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex on-chain mechanics into investment-grade narratives.

• Prior experience buildingand/or managing on-chain vaults, structured DeFi products, or protocol-level strategies.

• Experience working in or alongside DAOs, protocol foundations, or DeFi infrastructure firms.

• Exposure to regulated investment products, institutional custody, or fund operations.

• CFA, advanced finance degree, or technical background in computer science or engineering.

The Team

Fidelity Digital Asset Management (FDAM) isFidelityInvestments'digital asset investment platform, offering products and services designed to meet the needs of retail, intermediary, and institutional clients. As part of the Asset Management division, FDAM brings Fidelity's research-led investment culture to digital assets-evaluating opportunities across the ecosystem and building client-focused investment solutions.

FDAM is a well-resourced team with support from Asset Management and the broader Fidelity enterprise, driving the development of critical digital asset infrastructure for the firm. We foster an entrepreneurial culture thatleveragesthe latest technologies to create new products and capabilities, integrating traditional and on-chain markets to deliver innovative solutions for investors.

Fidelity's Onsite Working Model
Fidelity is transitioning to a full-time onsite working model through a phased rollout across regions and roles. Currently, some roles and locations require 100% onsite presence, while others require less. Onsite expectations are likely to evolve as the rollout continues. This transition does not apply to fully remote roles.

Placement in the range will vary based on job responsibilities and scope, geographic location, candidate's relevant experience, and other factors.

Base salary is only part of the total compensation package. Depending on the position and eligibility requirements, the offer package may also include bonus or other variable compensation.

We offer a wide range of benefits to meet your evolving needs and help you live your best life at work and at home. These benefits include comprehensive health care coverage and emotional well-being support, market-leading retirement, generous paid time off and parental leave, charitable giving employee match program, and educational assistance including student loan repayment, tuition reimbursement, and learning resources to develop your career. Note, the application window closes when the position is filled or unposted.

Please be advised that Fidelity's business is governed by the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the Investment Company Act of 1940, ERISA, numerous state laws governing securities, investment and retirement-related financial activities and the rules and regulations of numerous self-regulatory organizations, including FINRA, among others. Those laws and regulations may restrict Fidelity from hiring and/or associating with individuals with certain Criminal Histories.