ESG and Green Jobs: New Hiring Standards for Web3 Companies

Hi! I'm Charles

Today I want to discuss an interesting topic with everyone—the emerging trends of ESG and green jobs in Web3 recruitment.

Last week at ETHGlobal Tokyo, I observed an intriguing phenomenon: almost all technical leads from major projects specifically asked candidates about their understanding of sustainable development during interviews. This is unlike a decade ago when blockchain first gained popularity and purely pursued technical parameters.

Honestly, this change reminds me of what a foreigner told me at Token2049 last year: "Charles, one of the differences in running Web3 projects in China is that you must adopt a green economy mindset."

While waiting for my flight at Hong Kong Airport on Wednesday night, it suddenly occurred to me—perhaps we could break this topic down into several dimensions:

1. Why ESG has become a new hiring criterion
2. What kind of talent companies are actually looking for
3. What this means for job seekers

ESG Rising Logic

Let me start with a relatable analogy: imagine you're queuing at a coffee shop and faced with two options—either pay an extra 10 yuan for coffee in an eco-friendly cup or stick with disposable cups. This mirrors the ESG choices companies face today.

This is especially true in the Web3 space: Solana's high energy consumption issues have raised countless concerns about its environmental impact, while Layer2 solutions like StarkNet have become favorites among tech enthusiasts.

While working in San Francisco last year, I noticed an interesting trend: almost all funding terms for top projects explicitly required teams to demonstrate environmental impact assessments of their operational models.

By the way, this trend is accelerating. From my observations:

• Last year, demand for ESG-related roles in Web3 companies surged by 300%
• Investors have started treating ESG as a prerequisite for project approvals
• Government scrutiny on Web3 companies' environmental compliance is tightening

Hmm... Speaking of which, I must mention: Ethereum Foundation's recently released "Sustainability Whitepaper" explicitly proposes incorporating carbon emission metrics into network consensus mechanisms.

The Talent Companies Truly Want

Many mistakenly believe ESG is just conceptual packaging. In reality, employers seek talent capable of solving practical problems.

For example: while interviewing a technical lead for a DeFi project, I noticed—the candidate's standout experience wasn't writing smart contract code but designing an optimized ZK-Rollup solution that reduced transaction costs by 70% while lowering carbon emissions.

Such talent is increasingly sought after. Based on data I've seen at MyJob Enterprise:

• Ethical AI Engineers earn 25% more on average than regular AI engineers
• Demand for Green Blockchain Architects grew by 200% over the past six months
• The emerging role of NFT Sustainability Consultants commands an average annual salary of $350K

But honestly, not everyone can easily transition into these roles. What I've observed is:

The Solana ecosystem is undergoing a major talent reshuffle—team members unable to provide energy-efficient solutions are gradually being sidelined.

While sipping coffee on Bangkok streets Friday afternoon, I had an epiphany: companies' ESG hiring criteria resemble coffee shops' sustainability policies—superficially about glass/paper cup rules, but fundamentally aimed at transforming industry consumption habits.

Job Seekers' Strategies

Recently, a young engineer sought my career advice. Technically brilliant but lacking ESG experience, he kept getting screened out during resume reviews.

So we discussed potential transitions:

1. Find breakthroughs within technology itself

For example, researching energy-efficient gas optimization methods in Solidity code

Understanding carbon footprint calculations, green energy policies, etc.

Start with small open-source projects, like adding EIP-4844 support to reduce gas fees for DeFi protocols

A mentor I met while working in Tokyo shared this insight: "Doing Sustainability in Web3 is like planting trees in deserts—short-term gains are invisible but the environmental impact is profound."

Interestingly, on MyJob's platform, we've noticed:

• Ethereum Layer2 Developer roles are growing fastest
• NFT Carbon Footprint Auditors have become newly high-paying positions
• DApp Energy Optimization Specialists are preferred over traditional blockchain developers

By the way, next week I'll attend a CelestiaEVM workshop in San Francisco—this topic could significantly influence future career directions.

Growth Path & Salary Insights

Let me share some real data (based on 18-month observations):

Ethereum Sustainability Engineer

• Entry-level: $80k-$120k (varies by project valuation and location)
• Mid-level: $150k-$220k (requires actual energy-saving project experience)
• Senior-level: $280k-$400k (leading teams to achieve major carbon reduction solutions)

Solana Environmental Protocol Researcher

• Entry-level: $70k-$110k (often includes remote work)
• Mid-level: $130k-$190k (requires Rust proficiency)
• Senior-level: $250k-$350k (requires open-source contribution records)

Compared to traditional roles:

• Average Ethereum Developer Salary: $100k-$170k
• Average Solana Developer Salary: $95k-$160k

This gap keeps widening. Data from a Tokyo VC shows: Ethical Blockchain Specialists are valued over 3x higher than regular blockchain experts.

Riding Paris metro Thursday night, it struck me: ESG, like blockchain itself, has duality—it's both a corporate social responsibility requirement and a driver for technological advancement.

Industry Pain Points & MyJob Advantages

A key point job seekers often overlook: Governance's importance in ESG.

Real-world example: last year, a tech-savvy candidate sought my referral—their resume brimmed with complex smart contract implementations but lacked teamwork experience. When asked "How do you balance innovation with community sustainability?" during interviews, they were stumped.

The DAO Governance Analyst role suits those balancing theory and practice—requiring both technical skills and community operation insights.

Honestly, what delights us most at MyJob:

• Ethical AI role applications grew 400%
• Sustainability-focused NFT designer demand doubled
• ZK-Rollup developer salaries rose over 50%

Fun fact—many don't realize MyJob practices Sustainable Talent Matching—our algorithms optimize to reduce recruitment carbon footprints.

MyJob.one">MyJob.one recently launched a "Green Talent Certification System"—potentially a recruitment watershed.