Backend Engineer – Rust & C++ (Distributed Systems & Databases)

Backend Engineer – Rust & C++ (Distributed Systems & Databases)

About the Opportunity

We’re supporting a fast-moving startup that’s building advanced data products with a strong focus on speed, scalability, and reliability. They’re looking for a Backend Engineer who can dive deep into database internals and distributed systems, shaping the next generation of their platform. If you’re passionate about performance-critical code and shipping features in an early-stage environment with lots of autonomy — this one’s for you.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and optimise backend components in Rust and/or C++
• Work on core database and storage engine internals (query execution, on-disk formats, caching, WAL, compaction, etc.)
• Collaborate with product and infrastructure teams to deliver high-performance, scalable data systems
• Contribute to architectural decisions for distributed systems and backend infrastructure
• Balance speed and quality in a highly agile, low-process environment

What We’re Looking For

• 5+ years of professional experience in backend systems or infrastructure engineering
• Strong proficiency in Rust or C++ with a focus on correctness, performance, and memory safety
• Deep understanding of database/storage internals (e.g. LSM trees, B-trees, predicate pushdown, buffer pools, page caches)
• Experience with distributed systems design and data pipelines
• Comfortable navigating ambiguous requirements in a fast-moving startup environment

Bonus Experience (Not Required)

• Exposure to Go or Swift in production systems
• Familiarity with infrastructure-as-code and cloud-native deployments
• Experience with frontend technologies (TypeScript, Svelte, React, etc.) for occasional full stack collaboration