Senior Rust Engineer — Production Backend Systems Remote
toptal
Job Description
Headquarters: Remote
URL: https://www.toptal.com/
About the Role
We're looking for Senior Rust Engineers to take real ownership of a high-performance, production backend. You'll be working on mission-critical systems where performance, security, and reliability aren't nice-to-haves — they're the job. Whether the work is hardening core services for a cybersecurity product or extending a Rust-based backend that powers a cross-platform application, this role is for someone who can navigate complex, unfamiliar codebases quickly and start shipping production-ready code fast.
What You'll Do
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Build, optimize, and maintain high-performance backend services in Rust
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Take ownership of core backend architecture, including remediating vulnerabilities and improving CI/CD workflows
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Interface with PostgreSQL for complex data management, persistence, and schema-oriented design
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Design and work with schema-oriented service patterns (e.g., gRPC) where applicable
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Deploy and maintain services on AWS
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Jump into an existing, unfamiliar codebase and reach full productivity within the first 1–2 weeks
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Submit clean, high-quality code that holds up to rigorous review and peer scrutiny
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Take increasing ownership of backend direction as the system evolves or transitions from a legacy team
What You Bring
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Expert-level or extensive senior-level experience with Rust in a production environment
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Strong experience with PostgreSQL and SQL database design
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Strong experience with AWS for hosting and deployment
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Proven track record on large-scale, mission-critical, or high-stakes systems where performance and reliability matter
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Experience working as a senior individual contributor on evolving production systems
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Ability to explain complex architectural decisions and take full ownership of submitted code
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Comfortable working independently and ramping quickly on unfamiliar codebases
Nice to Have
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Familiarity with GitHub-based development workflows
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Experience with gRPC or Avro-based schema design
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Exposure to Flutter-based product environments (web, mobile, or desktop)
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Comfort using AI-assisted coding tools (e.g., Claude) without sacrificing code quality
RATE: $35-$45/hr.