Location: New York, Charlotte, Chicago, St. Louis, Boston

The Opportunity

EY's Blockchain & Digital Assets practice is seeking a highly experienced Senior Manager to serve as a lead technical architect and trusted advisor for institutional clients navigating the rapidly evolving digital asset ecosystem. This role combines deep technical expertise in cryptography, cybersecurity, and digital asset custody with strategic advisory capabilities to help organizations safeguard digital assets against traditional cyber threats and emerging AI-enabled attack vectors.

The successful candidate will possess extensive hands-on experience designing, implementing, and securing institutional-grade digital asset infrastructure. This individual will work directly with leading financial institutions, digital asset custodians, exchanges, and crypto-native organizations to develop resilient trust architectures and infrastructure security strategies.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Infrastructure Safeguarding: Design, assess, and audit institutional-grade digital asset custody solutions, including Multi-Party Computation (MPC), Hardware Security Modules (HSMs), and air-gapped cold storage environments.
• Protocol Analysis: Conduct technical evaluations of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and emerging Layer 1 and Layer 2 ecosystems, with emphasis on security assumptions, consensus mechanisms, attack vectors, and operational risks.
• AI-Driven Threat Modeling: Develop defensive strategies to address AI-assisted cybersecurity risks, including autonomous vulnerability discovery and multi-stage attack scenarios.
• Cryptographic Implementation: Provide subject matter expertise in Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs), threshold signature schemes, and distributed key management systems.
• Incident Response & Engineering: Lead technical incident response efforts during active security events, coordinating engineering and security teams to contain threats and strengthen infrastructure resilience.
• Strategic Advisory: Translate complex technical risks into actionable business intelligence for C-suite stakeholders, with focus on infrastructure trust models and the long-term utility of verifiable digital assets.
• Practice Development: Lead complex client engagements, manage cross-functional teams, and support business development through thought leadership, market insights, and client pursuits.

Skills and Attributes for Success

• Deep understanding of institutional digital asset custody frameworks and key management practices.
• Strong technical expertise in blockchain protocols, cryptographic architectures, and cybersecurity engineering.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts effectively to both technical and executive audiences.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and incident response capabilities.
• Experience leading large-scale client engagements and managing diverse technical teams.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, high-stakes environments.

To Qualify for the Role, You Must Have

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Cybersecurity, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in cybersecurity, systems engineering, blockchain security, digital asset infrastructure, or cryptographic research.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience managing private key lifecycles, digital asset custody operations, signing ceremonies, and enterprise-scale key management programs.
• Deep knowledge of Bitcoin and Ethereum architecture, including the Bitcoin UTXO model, Bitcoin Script, Lightning Network, EVM, account abstraction, validator operations, and staking mechanisms.
• Strong understanding of security models and architectural trade-offs across blockchain ecosystems such as Solana, Cosmos, and Polkadot.
• Advanced knowledge of cryptographic primitives and protocols, including SHA-256, Keccak, ECDSA, Schnorr signatures, Multi-Party Computation (MPC), and threshold signature schemes.
• Experience with traditional cybersecurity domains, including Linux security, network segmentation and isolation, application and API security, and infrastructure hardening.
• Experience leveraging generative AI and large language models (LLMs) for security analysis, threat detection, vulnerability assessment, and code review activities.
• Experience leading technical teams and delivering complex client-facing projects.

Ideally, You'll Also Have

• Master's degree in computer science, Cybersecurity, Mathematics, Engineering, or related field.
• Advanced cybersecurity, blockchain security, or cryptography certifications.
• Experience within a professional services, consulting, or advisory organization.
• Thought leadership contributions through industry publications, speaking engagements, open-source projects, or blockchain security research.
• Strong understanding of regulatory and operational risk considerations impacting digital asset custody platforms and financial institutions.
• Experience working with global financial services organizations, asset managers, custodians, exchanges, or fintech firms.

What We Look For

We're looking for individuals who combine deep technical expertise with strategic business acumen. The ideal candidate is passionate about securing the future of digital assets, understands that infrastructure and operational controls are at the core of trust, and can help clients navigate complex cybersecurity and digital asset risks in an increasingly AI-driven landscape.

What we offer you
At EY, we'll develop you with future-focused skills and equip you with world-class experiences. We'll empower you in a flexible environment, and fuel you and your extraordinary talents in a diverse and inclusive culture of globally connected teams. Learn more.

• We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package where you'll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to the business. The base salary range for this job in all geographic locations in the US is $150,400 to $343,600. The base salary range for New York City Metro Area, Washington State and California (excluding Sacramento) is $180,500 to $390,500. Individual salaries within those ranges are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, skills and geography. In addition, our Total Rewards package includes medical and dental coverage, pension and 401(k) plans, and a wide range of paid time off options.
• Join us in our team-led and leader-enabled hybrid model. Our expectation is for most people in external, client serving roles to work together in person 40-60% of the time over the course of an engagement, project or year.
• Under our flexible vacation policy, you'll decide how much vacation time you need based on your own personal circumstances. You'll also be granted time off for designated EY Paid Holidays, Winter/Summer breaks, Personal/Family Care, and other leaves of absence when needed to support your physical, financial, and emotional well-being.

Are you ready to shape your future with confidence? Apply today.
EY accepts applications for this position on an on-going basis.

For those living in California, please click here for additional information.

EY focuses on high-ethical standards and integrity among its employees and expects all candidates to demonstrate these qualities.