Backend Engineer (up to £130k)

Dex; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Dex is seeking a backend engineer to join a real-time intelligence platform handling petabyte-scale data pipelines. You will help build high-throughput systems in Rust, with Python integration at the API surface, and own architectural decisions across the ingestion-to-intelligence pipeline.

The role emphasizes zero-downtime migrations, data privacy, and delivering robust services under ambiguity, using LLM-assisted workflows to accelerate velocity.

Qualifications

• Proven experience designing, shipping, and operating high-throughput production systems.
• Experience with zero-downtime migrations and schema changes.
• Ability to make architectural calls under ambiguity while delivering pragmatically.

Responsibilities

• Architect and scale distributed stream processing engines, storage layers, and data pipelines for petabyte-scale data ingestion.
• Design core service boundaries and APIs across a Rust backend with Python integration at the API surface.
• Plan and execute zero-downtime migrations on live production systems while preserving data integrity.
• Own end-to-end technical decisions across the ingestion-to-intelligence pipeline balancing latency and privacy.
• Set backend architectural patterns, code review standards, and interfaces while leveraging LLM-assisted workflows.

Skills

Rust

Distributed systems

Architectural design

LLM-assisted workflows

Job description

This role is with one of Dex's trusted partner companies. We work closely with their teams to truly understand their culture, goals, and what they're looking for, so we can match you with the right opportunity and give you context about the role before you commit to a process.

Dex is an AI recruiter agent that helps you run your job search. Tell Dex your stack, seniority, and what you want to build. We will manage your applications and surface other opportunities that are a fit.

The role

Most real-time intelligence platforms demand millions in new hardware before processing a single byte. This company turns existing legacy camera and sensor infrastructure into a real-time operational intelligence layer entirely software-side and privacy-first, building out the architecture to support petabyte-scale stream ingestion and storage.

The work

• Architect and scale distributed stream processing engines, storage layers, and data pipelines built to ingest and index sensor data moving toward petabyte scale.
• Design core service boundaries and APIs across a high-performance Rust backend, integrating Python at the platform API surface.
• Plan and execute zero-downtime migrations and schema shifts on live production systems where data integrity and uptime are non-negotiable.
• Own end-to-end technical decisions across the ingestion-to-intelligence pipeline, balancing low-latency throughput against strict privacy guarantees.
• Set backend architectural patterns, code review standards, and interfaces while leveraging LLM-assisted workflows to accelerate team-wide velocity.

What You Bring

• Strong command of modern statically typed systems, particularly Rust or comparable systems languages, with the ability to ramp up across unfamiliar codebases rapidly.
• Proven track record designing, shipping, and operating high-throughput production systems under real operational constraints, including zero-downtime migrations.
• Demonstrated ability to make sound architectural calls under high ambiguity, balancing structural abstractions against pragmatic delivery when requirements shift.
• Practical fluency with LLM-assisted software engineering workflows, paired with the judgment to know when automated tooling helps and when human precision is required.

Why apply through Dex

Production-grade Rust roles working on genuine petabyte-scale streaming problems are exceptionally rare and often obscured behind vague backend descriptions. Dex connects you directly to the engineering team with zero cold outreach and gives you unvarnished technical context on the stack and architecture before you commit to an interview process.

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