Senior Software Engineer, Rust

Senior Software Engineer · Senior · Full Time · Remote

United States or Canada (remote) · RemoteUSD 164k – 200k17mo ago
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Role

What you'll do.

Apollo GraphQL is seeking a Senior Software Engineer specializing in Rust to join their GraphOS team, focusing on building and maintaining high-performance, secure GraphQL runtime infrastructure. The ideal candidate will develop fault-tolerant systems, debug complex issues, and contribute to the evolution of Apollo's critical platform infrastructure.

Responsibilities

  • Infrastructure Development: Build, test, and maintain fault-tolerant GraphQL runtime platforms primarily using idiomatic Rust, ensuring high performance, security, and reliability.
  • Customer Support and Escalation: Triage, debug, and resolve critical issues for enterprise customers running large-scale GraphQL deployments processing trillions of requests monthly.
  • System Design: Design scalable, observable systems that integrate seamlessly into diverse customer infrastructure stacks, leveraging research and real-world feedback.
  • Technical Leadership: Lead architectural discussions, drive cross-team initiatives, and mentor teammates in writing idiomatic Rust code.
  • Documentation and Design: Develop comprehensive technical designs and documentation addressing cost efficiency, security, and observability.
  • Operational Reliability: Participate in on-call rotations to ensure the reliability of mission-critical GraphQL systems.

Qualifications

What we look for.

Technical

  • Rust Programming

    Strong experience with Rust, capable of writing performant and maintainable code

  • Systems Engineering

    Expertise in stateless/fault-tolerant systems, event-driven patterns, and distributed computing paradigms

  • Debugging Skills

    Advanced troubleshooting and diagnostic capabilities for complex system issues

Education

  • Computer Science

    Bachelor's or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related technical field

Experience

  • Systems Infrastructure

    Proven track record in building and maintaining large-scale, distributed systems

  • Cross-Team Collaboration

    Demonstrated ability to work effectively across multiple engineering teams and domains

Skills

Required

  • Rust

    Advanced proficiency in Rust programming language

  • Systems Engineering

    Deep understanding of distributed systems architecture

  • Debugging

    Expert-level troubleshooting and problem-solving skills

Preferred

  • GraphQL Experience

    Nice to have

    Prior work with GraphQL or large-scale runtime systems

  • High-Incident Environment

    Nice to have

    Experience managing and resolving complex system escalations

Tech stack

Languages

Rust

Frameworks

GraphQL

Tools

Distributed Systems Tools

Other

API Development

Compensation

Pay and benefits.

Base·USD 164,000 – 200,000

Benefits

  • Medical Insurance

    Choice of 3 Anthem Blue Cross medical plans (for US employees)

  • Dental and Vision Coverage

    Provided by Sun Life Financial

  • Equity

    Stock option compensation package

  • Remote Work

    Fully remote position across US and Canada

Process

Interview steps.

  1. 01

    Initial Screening

    Phone or video call with recruiting team to assess background and fit

  2. 02

    Technical Assessment

    Rust and systems engineering skills evaluation, potentially including coding challenges

  3. 03

    Technical Interviews

    Multiple rounds of interviews with senior engineering team, focusing on systems design and problem-solving

  4. 04

    Final Interview

    Meeting with hiring manager to discuss team dynamics and long-term potential

Full posting

Original listing.

Are you passionate about building secure, high-performance, and reliable infrastructure? Do you thrive on diagnosing and solving hard problems in systems that meet the needs of the most demanding GraphQL workloads in the world? If so, we'd love to talk to you about joining us in operating and evolving next-generation GraphQL runtime infrastructure.

The GraphOS organization owns the critical tier of Apollo's platform — the underlying engine central to making GraphOS a highly performant, secure, governed, and reliable self-service GraphQL platform. As a key member of the GraphOS NA team, you'll be at the heart of this mission, owning the Router and enabling engineering teams to ship faster and deliver richer experiences than ever before.

What you'll do

  • Build, test, and maintain fault-tolerant infrastructure for GraphQL runtime platforms, primarily in idiomatic Rust, ensuring security, performance, and reliability.

  • Triage, debug, and resolve escalations from enterprise customers running some of the largest GraphQL deployments in the world — hundreds of subgraphs processing trillions of requests per month.

  • Operate and improve durable, stable public APIs used by the world's most demanding GraphQL workloads.

  • Engage directly with users — whether community members or enterprise customers — to understand their needs, debug issues, and bring insights back to influence the platform's evolution.

  • Design scalable, observable systems that integrate seamlessly into diverse customer infrastructure stacks, leveraging self-initiated research and real-world feedback.

  • Collaborate with engineers across teams using supportive communication and constructive code reviews to deliver cohesive solutions.

  • Mentor and guide teammates in architecting and writing idiomatic Rust code, while considering the end-to-end impact of changes and ensuring alignment with cross-domain concerns.

  • Lead architectural discussions and cross-team initiatives, driving impactful changes as a technical leader or coaching others to step into leadership roles.

  • Develop comprehensive technical designs and documentation that address cost efficiency, security, and observability.

  • Participate in on-call rotations as a core part of the role, ensuring the reliability of mission-critical systems.

Who you are — Minimum requirements

  • You have experience with Rust and enjoy writing performant, maintainable code.

  • You have expertise in systems engineering, including knowledge of stateless/fault-tolerant systems, event-driven patterns, and distributed paradigms.

  • You have strong debugging instincts and are energized by hands-on operational work, not just feature development.

  • You excel at cross-team collaboration and have a "rising tide lifts all boats" mentality, positively influencing others across the organization.

  • You're passionate about GraphQL, modern developer tooling, and contributing to industry-leading innovations.

  • You have a growth mindset and actively seek opportunities to learn and stay current with industry trends.

Nice to have

  • Experience with GraphQL or large-scale runtime systems.

  • Experience navigating high-escalation or high-incident environments.

At Apollo, we strive to provide competitive, market-informed compensation whilst ensuring consistency within the team in each country. We make hiring decisions based on your skills, experience, and our overall assessment of what we learned during the hiring process. \

In addition to the U.S. base salary range, we also provide equity and benefits. Apollo offers all U.S. employees a choice of 3 Anthem Blue Cross medical plans and California residents can also choose from an additional 2 Kaiser medical plans. Dental and Vision benefits are provided by Sun Life Financial.


Location: This is a remote position that can be done from anywhere in the US or Canada.


Equal Opportunity: Apollo is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace dedicated to pursuing and hiring a talented and diverse workforce.


Privacy: California residents applying for positions at Apollo can see our privacy policy here.


E-Verify: Apollo is an E-Verify employer and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. For more information please visit E-Verify.


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