At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and ship innovative features in Rust for a modular data platform.
- Company: Join Monospace Inc, a venture-backed data platform with a passionate community.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, equity participation, and flexible remote work hours.
- Other info: Be part of a small, high-ownership team that values innovation and quality.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on a widely used product while collaborating with a talented team.
- Qualifications: 3+ years of backend engineering experience, especially in Rust, with strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
We're hiring a Senior Software Engineer (Rust) to build and evolve the core Directus/Monospace product – a modular, self-hosted data platform. This role is primarily product engineering: shipping features, improving the developer experience, and expanding platform capabilities while keeping the system fast, correct, and maintainable. You’ll collaborate closely with engineering and product partners to turn real user needs into pragmatic, production‑grade features.
What You'll Do
- Design and ship product features and platform capabilities in Rust that directly improve the Directus/Monospace developer experience.
- Translate product needs into clear technical plans: clarify requirements, propose UX/API shapes, and iterate with product managers, front‑end engineers and design partners.
- A mature mindset capable of handling ambiguity through pragmatic solutions.
- Build maintainable service and domain architecture that supports rapid iteration: clean boundaries, strong test coverage, and thoughtful abstractions.
- Own features end‑to‑end: design docs, implementation, reviews, testing, rollout, and post‑release iteration based on real user feedback.
- Collaborate in a remote‑first team with a strong bias toward clear written communication and asynchronous work.
- Raise engineering standards through code quality, reviews, documentation, and pragmatic technical decision‑making.
- Help improve team execution through feedback, pairing, and technical excellence.
What We're Looking For
- Significant backend engineering experience, with meaningful production experience in Rust (typically 3+ years).
- Strong fundamentals in systems engineering: concurrency, memory/performance trade‑offs, distributed systems concepts, and API design.
- Demonstrated ability to design and evolve architectures that are resilient and maintainable over time.
- Ability to communicate clearly about trade‑offs and propose pragmatic solutions.
- Experience working in distributed, remote‑first teams (or a strong preference for that style of collaboration).
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
Nice to Have
- Experience with data‑intensive systems (databases, streaming pipelines, search, caching layers, or storage engines).
- Experience with APIs and developer platforms (public‑facing or internal platform tooling).
- Familiarity with performance profiling and optimization in Rust.
- Exposure to building “product‑led” platform features: turning ambiguous product needs into shippable technical plans.
What We Offer
- High‑impact work on a widely used, developer‑focused product used by teams running in production (self‑hosted and cloud SaaS hosted).
- A remote‑first environment with flexible working hours.
- A small, high‑ownership team where you can influence architecture and direction.
- Competitive compensation and equity participation.
Application Process
Our interview loop is collaborative and focused on real senior engineering skills (not “LeetCode‑only” interviewing). The process typically includes:
- [30 min] Intro + role/team context + initial fit/values conversation
- [60 min] Rust technical interview (architecture + practical coding)
- [60 min] Product‑led engineering / technical thinking session
- [~30 min] Final conversation to cover open questions and ensure mutual fit
Company Overview
Monospace Inc is a venture‑backed Data Platform with a passionate community and millions of users worldwide. Modern and completely modular, our core product is comprised of a connection toolkit for developers, and an intuitive no‑code app for non‑technical users. With the ability to be installed next to any new or existing SQL database, Monospace instantly provides end‑to‑end data democratization. Monospace provides the data foundation for internal data tools and omni‑channel digital experiences at some of the world’s most forward‑looking companies, including AT&T, Bose, HTC, Prada, TripAdvisor, and the United States Navy. We're obsessed with meticulously honing the perfect data platform. Our product‑led growth strategy keeps us focused on creating a premium offering, prioritising innovative solutions over feature bloat, and code quality over technical debt.
Our team and ecosystem are growing at a rapid pace, but we still enjoy the benefits of being a smaller, more “tactical” team. Our organization is filled with do‑ers where most wear a few hats, and work with relative autonomy.
Senior Rust Backend Engineer — Remote + Equity employer: Directus
Monospace Inc is an exceptional employer for Senior Rust Backend Engineers, offering a remote-first work environment that prioritises flexibility and high-impact contributions to a widely used data platform. With a strong focus on collaboration, clear communication, and employee ownership, team members have the opportunity to influence architecture and direction while enjoying competitive compensation and equity participation. The company fosters a culture of continuous learning and growth, making it an ideal place for engineers looking to make meaningful contributions in a dynamic and innovative setting.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Rust Backend Engineer — Remote + Equity
✨Tip Number 1
Get your networking game on! Reach out to folks in the industry, especially those who work at Monospace or similar companies. A friendly chat can lead to referrals and insider tips that might just give you the edge.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you've got a GitHub or portfolio showcasing your Rust projects, make sure to highlight them. Real-world examples of your work can speak volumes about your capabilities.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those interviews by brushing up on your Rust knowledge and system design principles. Think about how you can translate product needs into technical solutions, as that's what they'll be looking for!
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Rust Backend Engineer — Remote + Equity
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Senior Rust Backend Engineer role. Highlight your experience with Rust and backend engineering, and show us how your skills align with our product needs.
Showcase Your Projects:Include examples of your past work that demonstrate your ability to design and ship features in Rust. We love seeing real-world applications of your skills, so don’t hold back on sharing your achievements!
Communicate Clearly:Since we value clear written communication, ensure your application is well-structured and free of jargon. Use straightforward language to explain your technical experience and how you can contribute to our team.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows us you’re keen to join our remote-first team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Directus
✨Know Your Rust Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your Rust skills before the interview. Be ready to discuss your past projects and how you've tackled challenges in Rust, especially around concurrency and performance trade-offs. This will show that you have the significant backend engineering experience they’re looking for.
✨Prepare for Technical Discussions
Since the interview includes a technical session focused on architecture and practical coding, practice explaining your thought process clearly. Use examples from your previous work to illustrate how you’ve designed and evolved resilient architectures. This will demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively about trade-offs and solutions.
✨Understand Product-Led Engineering
Familiarise yourself with the concept of product-led engineering. Think about how you can turn ambiguous product needs into shippable technical plans. Be prepared to discuss how you’ve collaborated with product managers and front-end engineers in the past to deliver features that enhance the developer experience.
✨Embrace Remote Collaboration
Since this role is remote-first, highlight your experience working in distributed teams. Share specific examples of how you’ve communicated effectively in asynchronous environments. This will show that you can thrive in their collaborative culture and contribute positively to team execution.
