iOS Lead | OPEN WHISPER SYSTEMS | San Francisco, CA OR REMOTE
Moxie Marlinspike and Open Whisper are the author of Signal, widely regarded as the most trustworthy secure messenger available to the public. "Use anything by Open Whisper Systems", says Edward Snowden. "My first choice for an encrypted conversation", says Bruce Schneier. "When I read code, lines of drool run down my face", says Matthew Green. Also, he likes Signal a lot.
If you really believe that we're entering a pitched battle between states and technology providers over encryption; that NSA and GCHQ are turning the world's best-funded best-staffed signals intelligence agencies into instruments of domestic surveillance; that giant corporations (and aspiring giant corporations) are doing everything they can to ensure that users think they're safe while their messages are scanned for ad targeting or censored and traced by despotic regimes; if these are real concerns for you, then this is one of the most important jobs on the Internet.
Until very recently, the iOS version of Signal was managed by Frederic Jacobs. Signal for iOS is a flagship Whisper offering. It should by rights be the most widely used tool for journalists, activists, and researchers to communicate confidently on an insecure Internet. Jacobs is amazing, but he's off to other adventures in Switzerland, and Whisper needs someone to take the reins on iOS Signal.
This is not the most highly-paid role on the Hiring Thread, but it's probably the one that stands to make the biggest dent in the universe. Why else would you consider joining Moxie and his crazy pirate crew of crypto developers?
* Because you're not a cryptographer but want to be engaged with serious cryptography, of the kind that will be in the academic cite record a decade from now, in a role where you'll make an enormous difference deciding how best to get strong crypto into the hands of everyday people.
* Because Moxie and his team are simply excellent people to work with, doing inspiring stuff that is actually inspiring, not cat-sharing.
* Because there are worse things to have on your resume than "product lead for the most important product by a tiny team that took on multi-billion dollar world government spy agencies and won".
* Because you relish the opportunity to be on an HN NSA thread with 'tptacek and be able, at any point, to say "shut up, Thomas, I work for Whisper".
I don't work for Whisper, Whisper will never pay me a dime. I just love what they do, know that they're trying very hard to find this particular person, and want to do whatever I can to help (and to ensure I'll be able to keep using Signal).
Full time role. Very strong iOS application skills needed. No cryptography experience needed at all (if you take this job, you're going to have crypto coming out of your ears either way). The right candidate does not need to be in San Francisco.
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If you know iOS developers who are interested in the problem Whisper is working on, please let them know about this.
Thanks!