Senior Backend Engineer

Job Description

Senior Backend Engineer

Location: US or Europe (Must have solid overlap with EST)

Remote | Full-time

Compensation: $150K - $200K

Our client is an industry-leading DeFi organization building the next generation of trading infrastructure. Operating as the largest builder-code product on a major decentralized exchange protocol, the company has processed over $65B in cumulative trading volume and generated eight-figure revenue over the past year. With a user base exceeding 400,000 registered traders, the platform is at the forefront of democratizing access to global financial markets across crypto, equities, and commodities.

The organization operates as a lean, highly technical team of individual contributors who prioritize autonomy, ownership, and rapid execution. This environment is designed for a Senior Backend Engineer who thrives in 0-to-1 environments and is capable of building ambitious systems from the ground up. This role is central to scaling trading interfaces that manage billions of dollars in daily volume while maintaining high-speed, intuitive user experiences.

Key Responsibilities

• System Architecture: Own and drive architectural decisions for the client’s backend systems to ensure scalability and reliability.
• Data Pipelines: Build and operate high-performance, real-time data pipelines for order book updates, trade executions, and market events.
• API Management: Design and maintain the API layer (utilizing GraphQL and WebSockets) to serve high-traffic web and mobile clients.
• Database Optimization: Work extensively with ClickHouse, PostgreSQL, and Redis to manage and query high-volume trading data efficiently.
• Performance Monitoring: Instrument services with comprehensive metrics and alerting systems; participate in on-call rotations to ensure 24/7 system availability.
• Technical Troubleshooting: Debug complex latency issues, memory management problems, and system reliability concerns under heavy load.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with frontend and mobile engineers to ensure analytical data is served effectively via API.

Interview Process

1. Initial Interview: Discussion with the Founder / CEO.
2. Technical Assessment: First-round technical interview.
3. Deep Dive: Second-round technical interview.
4. Final Review: Final interview with the leadership team.

Requirements

• Experience: 5+ years of production backend engineering experience, preferably with a strong command of TypeScript.
• Real-Time Systems: Proven expertise in WebSockets, event streaming, and pub/sub architectures.
• Data Proficiency: Deep familiarity with PostgreSQL and Redis; experience with ClickHouse or similar columnar databases is highly preferred.
• Scale: A track record of operating high-availability services at significant scale.
• Domain Knowledge: A solid understanding of core trading concepts, including orders, fills, order books, positions, and execution logic.
• Technical Rigor: Strong debugging skills with experience in performance profiling, slow query optimization, and resolving memory leaks.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Experience with Kafka or comparable streaming systems.
• Professional background in fintech, trading platforms, or low-latency applications.
• Familiarity with DeFi protocols or on-chain data structures.

Benefits

• Compensation: A competitive salary ranging from $150,000 to $200,000 USD, plus equity.
• Remote Setup: A dedicated stipend for an ideal remote workspace, including laptop, peripherals, and necessary gear.
• Global Collaboration: Multiple in-person team offsites and coworking sessions hosted worldwide.
• Flexibility: A flexible vacation policy that genuinely encourages time off for recovery and inspiration.
• Professional Growth: A dedicated learning and development budget to support continuous mastery of the craft.

Due to the high volume of applications we anticipate, we regret that we are unable to provide individual feedback to all candidates. If you do not hear back from us within 4 weeks of your application, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion. We genuinely appreciate your interest and wish you the best in your job search.

Commitment to Equality and Accessibility:

At MLabs, we are committed to offer equal opportunities to all candidates. We ensure no discrimination, accessible job adverts, and providing information in accessible formats. Our goal is to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace with equal opportunities for all. If you need any reasonable adjustments during any part of the hiring process or you would like to see the job-advert in an accessible format please let us know at the earliest opportunity by emailing [email protected].

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