Backend Engineer at Spruce

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement secure, high-performance systems code using Rust, with a focus on minimizing memory usage, optimizing code structure, and reducing dependency trees.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive unit tests, integration tests, and benchmarking frameworks to ensure code reliability and performance across platforms.
• Write and maintain technical documentation, including API references, architecture diagrams, and implementation guides, to support team collaboration and future development.
• Adhere to strict version control practices, such as branching strategies, code reviews, and commit message conventions, to ensure codebase stability and traceability.
• Collaborate with cryptographers to implement cryptographic protocols, including zero-knowledge proofs, while ensuring compliance with security standards and best practices.
• Conduct security audits and work with external firms to evaluate cryptographic implementations, identifying and mitigating risks such as timing attacks or memory leaks.
• Utilize advanced tools like fuzzers and test vectors to validate the correctness and security of cryptographic code, ensuring it meets production-grade requirements.
• Refactor and improve existing codebases by leveraging Rust's features like macros, traits, and enums to reduce redundancy and enhance maintainability.

Job Requirements

• Proficiency in Rust programming language, with experience in writing efficient, secure, and maintainable code for production environments.
• Strong understanding of cryptographic concepts and APIs, including digital signatures, encryption/decryption, and zero-knowledge proof protocols, with a focus on low-level implementation details.
• Experience with cross-platform development, including compiling and optimizing code for backend servers, mobile devices, and WebAssembly (WASM) environments.
• Knowledge of software testing methodologies, including unit testing, integration testing, and benchmarking, to ensure code quality and performance.
• Ability to work with security auditing firms and understand their evaluation processes for cryptographic implementations, ensuring alignment with industry standards.
• Experience with version control systems like Git, including best practices for branching, merging, and code review processes.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail, with a focus on minimizing security risks such as timing attacks and memory leaks in cryptographic code.
• Excellent communication skills to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including cryptographers, security auditors, and product managers.
• Experience with automated testing tools, including fuzzers and test vectors, to validate the correctness and security of cryptographic implementations.
• Ability to write clear and concise technical documentation to support code maintenance, team onboarding, and compliance with security standards.