Special Investigations Associate

Ready to be pushed beyond what you think you’re capable of? At Coinbase, our mission is to increase economic freedom in the world. It’s a massive, ambitious opportunity that demands the best of us, every day, as we build the emerging onchain platform — and with it, the future global financial system. To achieve our mission, we’re seeking a very specific candidate. We want someone who is passionate about our mission and who believes in the power of crypto and blockchain technology to update the financial system. We want someone who is eager to leave their mark on the world, who relishes the pressure and privilege of working with high caliber colleagues, and who actively seeks feedback to keep leveling up. We want someone who will run towards, not away from, solving the company’s hardest problems. Our work culture is intense and isn’t for everyone. But if you want to build the future alongside others who excel in their disciplines and expect the same from you, there’s no better place to be. While many roles at Coinbase are remote-first, we are not remote-only. In-person participation is required throughout the year. Team and company-wide offsites are held multiple times annually to foster collaboration, connection, and alignment. Attendance is expected and fully supported. Coinbase’s Special Investigations Team prides itself on being on the front lines of the financial revolution, protecting Coinbase from emerging novel threats. On the Special Investigations team, they will take on high-risk escalations and proactive research into potential threat actors. The role will also include corporate diligence and OSINT gathering, with a focus on Latin American sources. The investigator will help support high risk urgent cases, special projects, develop, refine and automate new and existing tools. A defining trait of any successful investigator is inquisitiveness - someone who questions premises and never takes things at face value, while always fact-checking their own intuition. Ideally, our prospective candidate should be a crypto-forward individual with a drive to see beyond the curve, strong knowledge of various networking protocols and an artful touch of OSINT expertise. What you’ll be doing (ie. job duties): Handle high-risk escalations to discover findings beyond initial flags; Conduct proactive research, including ad hoc due diligence; Study threat actors, their environments and modus operandi; Remain current with industry developments including blockchain trends, network protocols, threat actor landscape, and applicable regulation; Feedback loop research findings to improve investigative tools and compliance controls; Respond to assistance requests from fellow Investigators; Handle highly sensitive cases with respective urgency and discretion; Master evolving investigative tools for blockchain analytics, social media platforms with emphasis on identity research, data extraction and analysis; Create new investigative techniques and teach them to the Investigations team; Other duties and responsibilities as required or assigned. What we look for in you (ie. job requirements): A well-organized self-starter who is able to constantly learn and work autonomously; Ability to handle highly sensitive information; Excellent writing, analytical and communication prowess; Strong understanding of Latin American financial systems and money laundering typologies; Working knowledge of financial services regulations concerning money laundering and sanctions; OSINT expertise and investigative mindset (Latam-focused expertise is a big plus); Deep knowledge of social media platforms, corporate diligence sources and other tools for identity research; Knowledge of blockchains and various network protocols; Fluency in Spanish Demonstrates the ability to responsibly use generative AI tools and copilots (e.g., LibreChat, Gemini, Glean) in daily workflows, continuously learn as tools evolve, and apply human-in-the-loop pract ... (truncated, view full listing at source)