Backend Rust Engineer - Options Trading

Keyrock; Gauteng; Remote; ZAR 300 000 - 400 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading trading technology firm in South Africa is seeking a Backend Rust Engineer to join their fully remote Options Business Unit. In this role, you'll improve their low-latency options trading system and tackle complex trading challenges. Candidates should possess at least 5 years of experience in low-latency systems and strong skills in Rust or C/C++. We offer flexible working hours and a competitive salary package within a diverse and inclusive team.

Benefits

Competitive salary package

Flexible working hours

Remote work options

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in low-latency or data-heavy trading systems.
• Strong experience with Rust and/or C/C++.
• Proficiency with unit and integration testing.

Responsibilities

• Design scalable system architecture and APIs.
• Develop low-latency and options trading features.
• Manage operational aspects of infrastructure and deployments.

Skills

Rust

C/C++

Low-latency systems

PostgreSQL

Problem-solving

Communication

Job description

Backend Rust Engineer - Options Trading

Keyrock, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

We are seeking a Rust or C++ Engineer with extensive high-frequency trading systems experience to join our Options Business Unit's fully remote engineering team.

You will be building and improving our low-latency options trading system and solving high-impact business problems.

Candidates are expected to thrive in a globally distributed, asynchronous environment and work within either Asian or European time zones.

Key Responsibilities

You will be responsible for entire lifecycle ownership from gathering initial requirements to deployment, including:

• Designing scalable system architecture and simple, extendable APIs.
• Developing low-latency and / or options trading features.
• Working collaboratively in a wide, remote team.
• Iteratively balancing business requirements with long‑term technical vision.
• Managing operational aspects of infrastructure and deployments.

Required Skills & Experience

• 5+ years of experience in low-latency or data-heavy trading systems.
• Strong experience with Rust and / or C / C++.
• Willingness to become an expert in Rust if not already.
• Proficiency with unit and integration testing or equivalent functional testing approaches.
• Knowledge or keen interest in options trading.
• Experience with exchange connectivity and / or FPGA technologies is a plus.
• Experience with PostgreSQL databases and protobuf-based protocols is considered essential.

Competences & Personality

• Problem‑solving and pragmatic approach to system design and implementation.
• Entrepreneurial, big‑picture architectural thinking with attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills and a team‑player mindset in a fully remote global team.

Recruitment Process

• Initial HR interview
• Interview with the heads of the Options business unit
• Technical challenge (home-work type)
• Challenge debrief and discussion of your solution
• Offer

Our Offer

• A competitive salary package with various benefits (employee or freelancer).
• Autonomy in time management with flexible working hours and remote work.
• The freedom to shape your own entrepreneurial experience as part of an excellence‑driven team.

We are committed to building an inclusive, diverse, and non-discriminating work environment.

We welcome employees of all backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, creed and sexual orientation, and promote entirely based on merit and performance.

Due to the nature of our business and external requirements, background checks are performed on all potential employees.

Successful completion of the checks is a prerequisite to join Keyrock.