Lead Software Engineer – Backend / Distributed Systems
Summary
Lead backend engineer designing high-performance, distributed Rust services with gRPC, async concurrency, and storage integration while mentoring teams and supporting global on-call rotations.
We are seeking a Lead Backend/Distributed Systems Engineer to design and operate high-performance services that integrate with distributed storage systems and run reliably at scale. You will lead by example across engineering and on-call support while collaborating with global teams—apply now to build resilient systems with us.
Responsibilities
- Design backend services that are high-performance, scalable, and reliable
- Build distributed-systems components that interact with storage systems under real-world constraints
- Lead system design for scalable, distributed, high-availability architectures
- Implement concurrency patterns using async programming and multithreading where appropriate
- Develop and evolve RPC-based services using gRPC or Apache Thrift
- Troubleshoot production issues through debugging and root-cause analysis
- Provide operational support and participate in an on-call rotation
- Collaborate across global teams and coordinate work within agreed core hours
Requirements
- 5+ years of hands-on Rust backend engineering experience
- Strong technical leadership skills to drive design and delivery across teams
- Proven project ownership experience for scalable, reliable backend services
- Solid distributed storage systems expertise beyond using off-the-shelf databases
- Advanced concurrent programming knowledge including async and multithreading models
- Strong RPC service experience using gRPC or Apache Thrift
- Strong data structures and algorithms skills for complex problem solving
- Strong debugging and production troubleshooting skills in live environments
- Flexible scheduling availability for occasional early/late meetings across time zones
- Upper-Intermediate English proficiency (B2, Upper-Intermediate)
Nice to have
- Go language proficiency for backend service development
- Linux expertise for production operations and troubleshooting
- Python experience to onboard quickly and deliver non-trivial features
- System design and analysis experience for distributed and high-availability services
- gRPC expertise including schema design and backward-compatible API evolution
Benefits
- International projects with top brands
- Work with global teams of highly skilled, diverse peers
- Healthcare benefits
- Employee financial programs
- Paid time off and sick leave
- Upskilling, reskilling and certification courses
- Unlimited access to the LinkedIn Learning library and 22,000+ courses
- Global career opportunities
- Volunteer and community involvement opportunities
- EPAM Employee Groups
- Award-winning culture recognized by Glassdoor, Newsweek and LinkedIn