Senior Backend Engineer (Generalist)

techchaintalent; New York (NY); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Ellipsis Labs in New York is seeking a Senior Backend Engineer (Generalist) to enhance the backend infrastructure and systems. Candidates should have 5-10+ years of experience, exceptional CS fundamentals, and system design skills.

The role focuses on high-performance system implementation, project ownership, and navigating startup dynamics. Ideal candidates will also be familiar with Rust or have an interest in blockchain technology.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience building and maintaining production-grade software systems.
• Very strong CS fundamentals and system design skills.
• Senior-to-staff-level seniority with project leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain core backend infrastructure and systems across the platform.
• Design and implement high-performance, reliable systems.
• Own initiatives from design to launch, collaborating with teams.
• Adapt to fast-changing requirements in a startup environment.

Skills

Rust

C++

C

Golang

Python

TypeScript

System Design

CS Fundamentals

Job description

Senior Backend Engineer (Generalist)
Ellipsis Labs

About Ellipsis Labs

Ellipsis Labs is a profitable, venture-backed New York-based startup building differentiated products and infrastructure in decentralized finance. The company is the developer of Phoenix, the leading order book spot exchange on the Solana blockchain, and a top 10 DEX (decentralized exchange) with >$70B in volume since inception in 2023. Additionally, we are one of the most active and prominent on-chain market makers in crypto.

About the Role

Ellipsis Labs seeks a Senior Backend Engineer (Generalist) to join the engineering team. Unlike the Risk Engineering role, this position is focused on general backend infrastructure and systems work across the platform. The team is looking for a strong generalist engineer who brings excellent CS fundamentals and system design skills, without requiring a specific quant or trading background.

We are looking for a senior-to-staff-level engineer (5–10+ years of experience) who can architect systems end-to-end, lead complex projects independently, and has a track record of building robust, high-performance backend systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and maintain core backend infrastructure and systems across the Ellipsis Labs platform.
• Design and implement high-performance, reliable systems in a fast-paced startup environment.
• Own initiatives from design through launch and ongoing reliability, collaborating closely with engineering and leadership.
• Adapt to fast-changing requirements and shipping cycles in a startup context.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience building and maintaining production-grade software systems (preferably in Rust, C++, C, Golang, Python, TypeScript).
• Very strong CS fundamentals and system design skills (primary evaluation criterion).
• Senior-to-staff-level seniority: ability to lead projects, architect systems end-to-end, and operate independently on complex work.
• Job stability with consistent tenure (no frequent job hopping).

Bonus Skills

• Low-level programming experience (C, C++, Rust) building low-level systems (strong plus).
• Experience with blockchain technology, specifically Solana.
• Proficiency in Rust or interest in building in Rust.
• Interest in DeFi and trading systems (curiosity valued, not required).
• TradFi or crypto experience is a plus but not required.