Backend Engineer (up to £130k)

Dex; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Dex is seeking an experienced backend engineer to own the core data flow from sensor ingestion to the intelligence platform. You will architect stream processing, storage layers, and service boundaries in Rust with Python interfaces, navigating high-stakes migrations with zero downtime and strict privacy guarantees.

The role emphasizes designing scalable, low-latency systems, making architectural calls amid ambiguity, and leveraging LLM-assisted workflows to accelerate delivery across a

Qualifications

• Strong experience in Rust or similar systems languages.
• Proven ability to design high-throughput production systems.
• Experience with zero-downtime migrations and data integrity.
• Ability to make architectural calls under ambiguity with privacy considerations.

Responsibilities

• Architect and scale distributed stream processing engines, storage layers, and data pipelines toward petabyte scale.
• Design core service boundaries and APIs across a Rust backend, with Python interfaces.
• Plan and execute zero-downtime migrations on live production systems with strict uptime requirements.
• Own end-to-end decisions across ingestion-to-intelligence pipelines while balancing latency and privacy.

Skills

Rust

High-throughput systems

Zero-downtime migrations

Architecture decisions

Python interfaces

Tools

Python

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.

You will own the core data flow from sensor edge ingestion straight through to the intelligence platform, architecting stream processing, storage systems, and service boundaries in Rust with Python interfaces. This is not glue code or standard CRUD endpoints; it is high-throughput systems engineering where you navigate unfamiliar domains, execute zero-downtime migrations, and make high-stakes tradeoffs without waiting for a complete map.

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.

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