Senior Data Engineer - Graph Analytics & Blockchain at TRM in Columbus

Build a Safer World.

TRM Labs provides AI-powered intelligence solutions that help public and private sector agencies investigate and disrupt crime. TRM's platforms enable investigators to trace illicit activity, build cases, and construct operating pictures of threat networks. Leading agencies and businesses worldwide rely on TRM to make the world safer and more secure.

As a Senior Data Engineer on the Graph Analytics team, you will build scalable graph systems that analyze large networks of cryptocurrency transactions. You will collaborate closely with engineers, data scientists, and investigators to design mission-critical graph algorithms that analyze flows of funds. You will leverage distributed databases and graph processors to implement real-time graph algorithms at the multi-blockchain scale. You will also collaborate with data science teams to identify opportunities to apply tools and techniques from graph theory to a variety of predictive learning problems.

The impact you will have:

• Designing and implementing graph algorithms that analyze large cryptocurrency transaction networks at multi-blockchain scale
• Researching new graph-native technology to evaluate benefit to data science and data engineering teams at TRM
• Working on a highly cross-functional team that collaborates with cryptocurrency investigators to identify key user stories and requirements for new graph algorithms and features
• Understanding and refining TRM's risk models which analyze large networks of cryptocurrency transactions to assign risk scores to addresses
• Communicating complex implementation details to a variety of audiences — from investigators and customer success stakeholders to data engineers and data scientists
• Integrating with a diverse set of data inputs ranging from raw blockchain data to complex model outputs

What we're looking for:

• Academic background in a quantitative field such as Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or Physics
• Strong knowledge of algorithm design and data structures, with experience applying this knowledge to real-world problems
• Experience optimizing large-scale distributed data processing systems such as Apache Spark, Apache Hadoop, Dask, and distributed graph databases
• Experience converting academic research into products and working with research teams that regularly ship new features
• Strong programming experience with Python and SQL
• Excellent communication skills — skilled at tailoring explanations of complex topics to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Self-motivated: comfortable working with ambiguity, proposing and validating solutions with minimal guidance, and shaping your own research direction while being accountable for outcomes
• Knowledgeable of basic graph theory concepts

About the Team:

Our team is spread across several countries and time zones. We've built a culture grounded in trust, transparency, and adaptability. We stay closely connected through open communication and regular check-ins, using digital tools to collaborate seamlessly and work at an impressive pace. The diversity of perspectives and expertise within our team sparks creative exchanges and enhances our problem-solving capabilities.

We're driven by a deep sense of ownership, constant pursuit of improvement, and an obsession with delivering magical experiences to our customers. We regularly assess our processes, seek feedback, and embrace iterative development. We use the 80/20 rule to identify where to direct our focus. Each of us is passionate about excellence and growth, and we're encouraged to challenge the status quo and experiment with new methods.

Learn about TRM Speed in this position:

• The team received a request to show the running balance for assets tied to an address. They brainstormed a minimal viable solution deliverable within two weeks, implementing a framework for enabling this feature per chain (BTC, ETH, etc.), and successfully delivered for BTC on schedule.
• The team was asked to implement a new user feedback feature tied to an upcoming company event. They quickly assessed requirements, built a solution addressing 80% of needs within a tight timeframe, and delivered on schedule.
• The team developed a solution to reveal Indirect Exposure through cross-chain swaps in response to a competitor feature, consulting stakeholders to establish a feasible timeline, communicating tradeoffs, and delivering as promised.

Work Week Travel: This role requires participation in in-person R&D work weeks, typically 1–2 times per quarter, at a TRM hub or other designated location. Work weeks may be scheduled with as little as 14 days' notice, and some roles may require additional travel based on team and cross-functional needs. TRM coordinates and covers approved travel, lodging, and workspace. Accommodations are available for legitimate caregiving, health, immigration, and similar constraints.

About TRM's Engineering Levels:

Engineer: Responsible for helping to define project milestones and executing small decisions independently with the appropriate tradeoffs between simplicity, readability, and performance. Provides mentorship to junior engineers, and enhances operational excellence through tech debt reduction and knowledge sharing.

Senior Engineer: Successfully designs and documents system improvements and features for an OKR/project from the ground up. Consistently delivers efficient and reusable systems, optimizes team throughput with appropriate tradeoffs, mentors team members, and enhances cross-team collaboration through documentation and knowledge sharing.

Staff Engineer: Drives scoping and execution of one or more OKRs/projects that impact multiple teams. Partners with stakeholders to set the team vision and technical roadmaps for one or more products. Is a role model and mentor to the entire engineering organization. Ensures system health and quality with operational reviews, testing strategies, and monitoring rigor.

Application Instructions

If you're interested in joining TRM, we encourage you to apply directly. Every application is reviewed by our Talent team.

Before applying, review the job description carefully and highlight the experience and impact that best demonstrate the required qualifications. Please also provide thoughtful and accurate answers to the application questions, as these will be used to evaluate your skills and qualifications for the role.

If you send your resume directly to someone at TRM, we can't guarantee it will reach the appropriate hiring team. Applying directly is the best way to ensure your application will be considered.

Interviewing with TRM

Our process is designed to understand how you think, solve problems, and deliver impact, while allowing you to evaluate TRM. Most interview processes include a case study, an AI skills assessment, and a Leadership Principles interview.

• Recruiter Intro: Qualifications, motivations, and alignment with the role.
• Hiring Manager: Deep dive into your relevant experience, skills, and impact.
• First Round: 1–2 interviews focused on the skills most critical to the role.
• Final Round: Hands-on case study — a panel-style session diving deeper into your craft, problem-solving, and alignment with TRM.
• References: Former colleagues who can provide insight into your work and impact.
• Offer: Your recruiter will present the offer and compensation details.
• Welcome to TRM: We're excited to build a safer world with you!

Your recruiter will share your specific interview plan and preparation guidance along the way.

AI Fluency at TRM

AI fluency is a baseline expectation at TRM. We believe AI meaningfully changes how top performers operate. We expect every team member to use AI to accelerate and reimagine their craft, not just automate surface tasks.

At TRM, AI fluency means you are among the top 10% of operators in your function in how you apply AI to:

• Accelerate repeatable workflows
• Structure and solve problems
• Improve output quality
• Increase speed and leverage

You will be evaluated on applied AI fluency during the interview process.

Life at TRM

TRM moves fast. We are a high-velocity, high-ownership team that expects clarity, follow-through, and impact. People who thrive here are energized by hard problems, experimentation, and continuous feedback. If something takes months elsewhere, it will ship here in days.

Our work sits at the intersection of AI, national security, and fighting crime. The problems are complex, the stakes are real, and the environment evolves quickly. At TRM, you should expect:

• Priorities and targets to change quickly
• Operating with a high degree of ambiguity
• A high level of personal ownership and accountability
• Close collaboration across teams and functions
• Frequent, high-touch communication
• Creative problem-solving and out-of-the-box thinking
• A pace that rewards urgency, adaptability, and outcomes

We also recognize that this style of operating is not for everyone. If you are primarily optimizing for predictability or a consistently balanced workload, we encourage you to use the interview process to pressure-test whether this environment is truly the right fit. We want teammates who thrive here, not just survive here.

Leadership Principles

• Impact-Oriented Trailblazer: We put customers first and move with speed, focus, and adaptability. We treat every plan like an experiment — test, ship, measure, and iterate quickly.
• Master Craftsperson: We care deeply about our craft. We balance speed with high standards, own outcomes end-to-end, and invest in getting better every day.
• Inspiring Colleague: We add clarity and energy, not noise. We bring humility, candor, and a one-team mindset — giving and receiving feedback to make the team stronger.

Join our Mission

At TRM, we care deeply about our craft. We are looking for individuals who want their work to matter, who experiment with speed and rigor, and who take pride in building a safer world for billions of people. If you're excited by TRM's mission but don't check every box, we encourage you to apply — we hire for slope, judgment, and the will to learn fast.

TRM is a Series C company with $220M in total funding, backed by Goldman Sachs, Bessemer, Y Combinator, Thoma Bravo, and others. Headquartered in San Francisco, TRM operates as a distributed-first company with hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Washington D.C., London, and Singapore.

Privacy Policy and Additional Information

By submitting your application, you agree to allow TRM Labs to process your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

We collect the information you provide (such as your resume, work history, and contact details) solely for the purpose of evaluating your candidacy for current and future roles at TRM.

Because our hiring cycles for certain positions may span 24 to 36 months, we retain your personal information for up to 36 months from the date of your application. After that period, your data is deleted unless a different retention period is required or permitted by law.

If you are located in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or another jurisdiction with applicable data protection laws, you have the right to access, correct, or request deletion of your personal data at any time before that period ends. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected].

To notify TRM Labs that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form.

The use of AI tools of any kind (including but not limited to notetakers, interview assistants, and real-time coaching tools such as Otter.ai, Fireflies, Fathom, Cluey, or similar) during TRM interviews is not permitted without prior approval from TRM.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this form.

Recruitment Agencies

TRM Labs does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to TRM employees. TRM Labs is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes and will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company without a signed agreement.