At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and build high-performance backend systems in Rust for a next-gen trading platform.
- Company: Early-stage startup redefining global market trading with top-tier investors backing.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity options, and the chance to shape the future of trading.
- Other info: Fast-paced environment with opportunities for ownership and career growth.
- Why this job: Join a small elite team and make a real impact on market infrastructure.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in backend systems, strong Rust experience, and knowledge of trading platforms.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
Location: London, UK (Onsite)
Type: Full-time | Permanent
Salary: Competitive + Equity
About the Client
My client is an early-stage, well-funded startup on a mission to redefine how global markets trade. Backed by top-tier investors, we’re building a high-performance, next-gen trading platform from the ground up – one that challenges legacy exchanges in both speed and transparency. With a founding team of experienced technologists and traders, we’re entering our next phase of growth and looking for engineers who thrive in zero-to-one environments.
The Role
As a Rust Backend Engineer, you’ll be one of the first technical hires shaping the system architecture and core infrastructure of our trading engine and exchange backend. You’ll design and build highly performant distributed systems that power real-time order execution, pricing, and settlement. This isn’t just a backend job — it’s a deep-systems engineering role where performance, fault-tolerance, and reliability are non-negotiable.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Designing and building distributed backend systems in Rust that are robust, scalable, and latency-optimized
- Developing core components of the trading engine, order books, pricing services, and APIs
- Ensuring systems meet strict performance and uptime requirements
- Contributing to infrastructure decisions around CI/CD, observability, and deployment
- Working closely with founding engineers, quant/dev teams, and product leadership to shape roadmap and technical direction
- Participating in code reviews, architecture discussions, and performance tuning
Requirements
- 5+ years building high-performance backend systems (Rust, Go, C++, etc.)
- Strong Rust experience in production environments (or demonstrated fluency and commitment to using it full-time)
- Prior experience working on trading systems, exchanges, or other real-time financial platforms (must-have)
- Deep understanding of distributed systems, concurrency, fault-tolerance, and performance optimization
- Experience building event-driven architectures, microservices, or pub/sub systems
- Comfortable working in fast-paced, high-stakes environments with a bias for ownership and delivery
- Based in London or willing to relocate (this is an onsite role)
Bonus Points
- Experience with WebSocket APIs, FIX, or other trading communication protocols
- Exposure to low-latency data pipelines or market data systems
- Knowledge of financial markets, asset classes, or crypto trading
- Experience in early-stage startups or greenfield projects
Why Join?
- Build from scratch: No legacy baggage, real technical ownership
- Work with a small, elite team of engineers and traders
- Equity upside in a company backed by top investors and already near 9-figure valuation
- Shape a product that could define the future of market infrastructure
- Flat structure, fast decisions, and real impact
If you're a systems-minded engineer who wants to build core infrastructure for the next generation of trading, we want to hear from you. Apply now or reach out directly to chat.
Founding Engineer - Rust Backend in London employer: Spearpoint Search
Join an innovative early-stage startup in London, where you'll have the unique opportunity to shape the future of trading systems as a Founding Engineer. With a focus on building high-performance backend systems in Rust, you'll work alongside a talented team of engineers and traders in a flat structure that encourages fast decision-making and real impact. Enjoy competitive salary packages, equity options, and the chance to contribute to a groundbreaking platform that aims to redefine global market trading.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding Engineer - Rust Backend in London
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Spearpoint Search or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Spearpoint Search.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Spearpoint Search.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Spearpoint Search that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Engineer - Rust Backend in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Spearpoint Search.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Spearpoint Search and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Spearpoint Search
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Spearpoint Search uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
