Thanks to Mike Gurski at Bell Security Solutions, The Tor project has funding for one or two developers from now through the end of 2006. We'd like to take this opportunity to improve Tor's stability and usability on Windows, but if you are really skilled in C development in general, we'd also love to have you.
You must be self-motivated and able to work independently, and due to the nature of the funding, you must be a student or grad student (or something close) at a University in Ontario. (We don't want you to drop out, so you would be a student and also working part-time on Tor.)
You need strong skills in one or more of the following:
- Windows network programming in C, including the ability to get Windows XP to
- Secure software development in C.
- Building usable interfaces (on Windows or cross-platform) with your favorite language/toolkit.
Bonus if you have:
- A code sample -- something good and clean to demonstrate that you know what you're doing, ideally from an existing project.
- Experience with the free software development model, including interaction and coordination via email and IRC.
- Network security and/or crypto clue.
- OpenSSL experience (extra bonus if you've used it on Windows).
- Familiarity with Linux, OS X, BSD, etc.
- Interest in privacy and freedom around the world.
- Interest in giving talks about Tor around Canada, and helping to educate the world about the importance of privacy.
- A professor or advisor who is interested too.
Working on Tor is rewarding because:
- You can work your own hours in your own locations. As long as you get the job done, we don't care about the process.
- We only write free (open source) software, and we don't patent anything. The tools you make won't be locked down or rot on a shelf.
- You will work with a world-class team of anonymity experts and developers on what is already the largest and most active strong anonymity network ever.
- The work you do could contribute to academic publications -- Tor development raises many open questions and interesting problems in the field of
You will be paid by the University of Toronto, but you'll be working directly with Roger Dingledine, the Tor project leader. We can work out actual tasks and timeframes (pay by hours, pay by task, etc) on an individual basis depending on what makes you most comfortable. See the volunteer page for some examples of tasks you could help with, but we need help with pretty much everything.
We're ready to start paying as soon as we find the right people. Contact Roger if you're interested. One way to proceed is to get somebody who knows Roger to recommend you (send mail if you aren't sure who that is in your area). Another way is just to dive in, help out, and catch our attention. Lastly, we're also willing to consider people based on related work that you can demonstrate.
If you're really good and you want to work on something else for Tor (and you're a student in Ontario), let us know and we'll try to work something out too.