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- 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 trading systems knowledge required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ 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: WorkInCryptoGlobal
Contact Detail:
WorkInCryptoGlobal Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding Engineer - Rust Backend in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, attend meetups, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your Rust projects or any relevant work you've done. This is your chance to demonstrate your expertise in building high-performance backend systems and make a lasting impression.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on distributed systems and performance optimisation. Practice coding challenges and system design questions that are relevant to trading systems. We want you to feel confident and ready to tackle any question thrown your way!
✨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 mission to redefine global markets.
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Engineer - Rust Backend in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Rust Skills: Make sure to highlight your experience with Rust in your application. We want to see how you've used it in real-world projects, especially in high-performance environments like trading systems.
Tailor Your Application: Don’t just send a generic CV and cover letter. Tailor your application to reflect how your skills and experiences align with our mission to redefine global markets. Show us why you’re the perfect fit for our team!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. We appreciate straightforward communication, so make sure your key achievements and experiences stand out without unnecessary fluff.
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 don’t miss any important updates from our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at WorkInCryptoGlobal
✨Know Your Rust Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your Rust skills before the interview. Be prepared to discuss your past projects and how you've used Rust in production environments. They’ll want to see your fluency and commitment to using it full-time, so have examples ready that showcase your expertise.
✨Understand Distributed Systems
Since this role involves designing and building distributed backend systems, it's crucial to demonstrate your understanding of concurrency, fault-tolerance, and performance optimisation. Prepare to discuss specific challenges you've faced in these areas and how you overcame them.
✨Familiarise Yourself with Trading Systems
Given the focus on trading systems, make sure you know the ins and outs of real-time financial platforms. Brush up on concepts like order execution, pricing services, and APIs. Being able to speak knowledgeably about these topics will show that you're a great fit for their mission.
✨Show Your Ownership Mindset
This startup is looking for engineers who thrive in fast-paced environments with a bias for ownership and delivery. Be ready to share examples of how you've taken initiative in previous roles, whether it was leading a project or making key decisions that impacted the outcome.