Lead Backend Engineer

ITRADE STEM; Miami (FL); Remote; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A well-funded Web3 fintech startup is seeking experienced backend engineers to develop real-time APIs and backend systems for crypto trading and decentralized financial services. This remote-first position offers the chance to work with cutting-edge technologies and a collaborative team culture. If you're ready to shape the future of finance with a focus on security and innovation, we want to hear from you.

Benefits

Top-of-market salary + possible equity + crypto bonuses

Remote-first, async-friendly culture with flexible hours

Influence over architecture and roadmap

Qualifications

• 5+ years in backend engineering focused on financial systems.
• Proficient in TypeScript and frameworks like NestJS.
• Experience with event-driven architecture and Kafka.

Responsibilities

• Architect and maintain real-time APIs powering crypto trading and DeFi analytics.
• Build scalable microservices and manage streaming pipelines with Kafka.
• Collaborate with frontend engineers and data scientists to ship features.

Skills

TypeScript

Node.js

Kafka

gRPC

WebSockets

Blockchain fundamentals

Tools

NestJS

QuestDB

ClickHouse

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

At ITRADE Innovations, we help create jobs and support the future of industries in space, technology, energy, and manufacturing. We do this by creating programs that help develop skills and support sustainable growth. Join us on our mission to Redefine STEM!

Our client is a well-funded Web3 fintech startup redefining the future of real-time financial infrastructure. Our platform bridges traditional finance and decentralized systems, enabling seamless, secure, and transparent access to blockchain-powered financial services. They're not just building APIs - they're creating the data rails for the decentralized economy, supporting everything from real-time transaction monitoring to decentralized asset management. With deep backing from top VCs and a founding team of fintech and blockchain veterans, we're scaling fast - and we're looking for core engineers to shape what comes next.

What You'll Do

· Architect, develop, and maintain real-time APIs and backend systems powering crypto trading, DeFi analytics, and digital asset tracking.

· Build scalable microservices with NestJS and gRPC, and design APIs used by developers, trading platforms, and financial institutions.

· Manage streaming pipelines with Kafka to process high-throughput event data from blockchains and financial markets.

· Implement WebSocket-based services using Bun to push live updates (price feeds, wallet events, smart contract logs).

· Store and optimize time-series data using QuestDB for hot access and ClickHouse for long-term analytics and compliance reporting.

· Secure and orchestrate APIs through APISIX, with features like rate limiting, authentication, and request transformation.

· Contribute to infrastructure scalability, observability, and resilience in a mission-critical, high-uptime environment.

· Collaborate with smart contract developers, frontend engineers, and data scientists to ship features end-to-end.

The Tech Stack

You'll be working with bleeding-edge tools purpose-built for real-time finance:

· NestJS - Modular TypeScript backend framework

· gRPC + Protobuf - Blazing fast internal service communication

· Kafka - Event streaming for blockchain and financial data ingestion

· Bun - Ultra-fast runtime for high-frequency WebSocket communication

· QuestDB - Low-latency time-series database for recent data

· ClickHouse - Scalable analytics database for long-term storage

· APISIX - Cloud-native API Gateway

What We're Looking For

· 5+ years in backend engineering, ideally with a focus on financial systems or high-throughput platforms

· Strong proficiency in TypeScript, Node.js, and frameworks like NestJS

· Experience with event-driven architecture and tools like Kafka

· Comfort working with gRPC, Protocol Buffers, and microservices

· Knowledge of blockchain fundamentals, smart contracts, or Web3 APIs (e.g., Ethers.js, Web3.js) is a big plus

· Solid experience with WebSockets and real-time messaging systems

· Proven ability to design and optimize time-series data solutions

· Familiarity with cloud-native infrastructure (Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines)

· Security-first mindset - especially around financial and cryptographic systems

· Self-starter attitude, with the ability to thrive in a fast-moving startup environment

What They Offer

· Top-of-market salary + possible equity + crypto bonuses

· Remote-first, async-friendly culture with flexible hours

· The chance to work on the cutting edge of finance and Web3

· A technical leadership role with influence over architecture and roadmap

· Collaborative, transparent team culture with real ownership

Join the Future of Finance

If you're passionate about building real-time, decentralized financial infrastructure with an elite engineering team, we'd love to meet you.