Backend Rust Engineer

Since our beginnings in 2017, we've grown to be a leading change-maker in the digital asset space, renowned for our partnerships and innovation. 

Today, we rock with over 180 team members around the world. Our diverse team hails from 42 nationalities, with backgrounds ranging from DeFi natives to PhDs. Predominantly remote, we have hubs in London, Brussels and Singapore, and host regular online and offline hangouts to keep the crew tight.

We are trading on more than 80 exchanges, and working with a wide array of asset issuers. As a well-established market maker, our distinctive expertise led us to expand rapidly. Today, our services span market making, options trading, high-frequency trading, OTC, and DeFi trading desks.

But we’re more than a service provider. We’re an initiator. We're pioneers in adopting the Rust Development language for our algorithmic trading, and champions of its use in the industry. We support the growth of Web3 startups through our Accelerator Program. We upgrade ecosystems by injecting liquidity into promising DeFi, RWA, and NFT protocols. And we push the industry's progress with our research and governance initiatives. 

At Keyrock, we're not just envisioning the future of digital assets. We're actively building it.

Mission Statement

We are seeking a Rust or C++ Engineer with trading experience to join our Options High-Frequency Trading (HFT) team. Our technology stack is built on Rust, Node.js, and Python, and while Rust proficiency is preferred, we welcome strong C++/C engineers who are eager to learn and master Rust.

As part of the Options HFT engineering team, you will drive continuous improvements in trading infrastructure and system performance. You will join a small but rapidly growing business unit within Keyrock, where you will be able to make a big impact on the bottom line while collaborating in a global fully remote team. This role is open to candidates located in European or US time zones.

What You'll Do

• Develop and optimise low-latency options trading systems

• Collaborate with quants, traders, and engineers to enhance trading strategies

• Maintain and improve trading infrastructure, ensuring high performance and stability

• Design and implement efficient, scalable, and resilient trading solutions

• Troubleshoot and enhance exchange connectivity and execution speed

• Support functional and component testing for critical trading components

What We're Looking For

Technical Skills & Experience

• Strong experience in Rust and/or C++ (C background also considered)

• Prior experience in a trading environment (HFT, Market Making, Prop Trading, or similar)

• Eagerness to become an expert in Rust (if not already)

• Experience with PostgreSQL databases and protobuf-based protocols or similar.

• Exchange connectivity experience and/or FPGA technologies (strongly preferred)

• Experience in High-Frequency Options Trading and low-latency systems (nice to have)

Soft Skills & Competencies

• Ownership & Reliability – Take full responsibility for your work. Write high-quality, maintainable code, meet deadlines, and follow through on commitments. Anticipate and proactively address potential issues before they arise.

• Initiative & Problem-Solving – Approach challenges with a problem-solving entrepreneurial mindset. Make sound, independent judgments and take the initiative to drive solutions rather than waiting for instructions.

• Operational Diligence – Respond strategically to technical and operational challenges, ensuring robust and reliable trading infrastructure while instilling confidence in the team’s processes.

• Curiosity & Growth Mindset – Continuously seek to improve your technical skills and knowledge. Stay ahead of industry trends and take the initiative to practice and explore new technologies that excite you.

• Excellent Communication Skills with a team player mindset, collaborating within a fully remote global team.

• Knowledge of latency optimization through Speculative Execution Rollback (SER) is highly valued.

Our recruitment philosophy

We value self-awareness in our recruitment process. We seek people who understand themselves and their career goals. We're after those with the right skills and a conscious choice to join our field. The perfect fit? A technology enthusiast who’s driven, collaborative, and delivers solid, scalable outcomes.

Recruitment process

1. HR interview

2. Head of Engineering interview (technical)

3. Rust challenge

4. Head of BU interview

5. Meet the team chat

6. Offer

Our offer

• A competitive salary package, with various benefits depending on the method of engagement (employee or freelancer). 

• Autonomy in your time management thanks to flexible working hours and the opportunity to work remotely 

• The freedom to create your own entrepreneurial experience by being part of a team of people in search of excellence 

As an employer we are committed to build an inclusive, diverse and non-discriminating work environment. We welcome employees of all backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, creed and sexual orientation. We hire, reward and promote entirely based on merit and performance.

Due to the nature of our business and external requirements, we perform background checks on all potential employees, passing which is a prerequisite to join Keyrock.

As an employer we are committed to build an inclusive, diverse and non-discriminating work environment. We welcome employees of all backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, creed and sexual orientation. We hire, reward and promote entirely based on merit and performance