A new Coinbase job posting is looking for someone who have “remote wilderness first aid” and “tactical driving skills, applied with a chauffeur’s approach,” among other unexpected requirements for the crypto sector. The ideal candidate will exude a cheerful attitude and be able to pivot quickly.
According to a new LinkedIn job posting, Coinbase is seeking two bodyguards—also known as “executive protection specialists” in corporate speak—to help secure the company’s top executives.
The positions pay roughly $95,000 per year plus equity and benefits and require the applicant to secure venues for visiting executives while remaining calm under duress. They can’t, however, become too friendly. The hiring manager must “maintain clear professional boundaries” and maximise executives’ privacy, according to the job description, which was uncovered by the New York Post.
Medical training beyond First Aid is also required, as is “extensive OCONUS operational experience,” which is military lingo for working outside the United States.
While some of the wording in the job advertising reads like something out of an action movie, executive security in the crypto realm is no laughing matter. In the crypto industry, billionaires like Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse have long travelled with bodyguards to shield them from assaults or kidnappers—rare but not unheard of.
Security exercises are also conducted by companies like Coinbase, in which CEOs are taught how to employ code phrases and other methods in the event that they are kidnapped. A former military figure who served as a top Coinbase security officer claimed in a 2018 interview that his biggest fear was thieves who didn’t understand how crypto worked and thought executives could easily hand up enormous sums of Bitcoin.
Given that most crypto events take place at posh resorts or hotels, it’s unclear why the new Coinbase positions require tactical driving abilities or wilderness first aid.
Coinbase declined to comment on the job posting, including whether the ideal candidate should have James Bond, Jack Ryan, or Jason Bourne-like characteristics. A firm employee who did not want to be identified said only that he is an admirer of Bond star Roger Moore.
Coinbase Global, Inc., also known as Coinbase, is a cryptocurrency trading platform based in the United States. Coinbase is a decentralised firm, with all staff working remotely and no physical headquarters. By trading volume, it is the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the United States.
