Backend Engineer (HFT / Low-Latency Systems)

pod network is rethinking blockchain performance from first principles. If you've pushed systems to nanosecond-level determinism and want to apply that mindset to a global decentralized exchange layer, this role is for you.

About the Role:

We're looking for engineers with high-frequency trading (HFT) or ultra-low-latency systems experience to help architect and optimize our execution and matching infrastructure. You'll work on the core runtime and networking stack that powers sub-millisecond order propagation and deterministic settlement across a distributed validator network.

What You'll Do:

• Design and implement latency-critical components of the pod L1 and order book engine.

• Optimize network pipelines, serialization, and state access for deterministic performance.

• Contribute to new protocol primitives for timestamped execution and atomic batch auctions.

• Collaborate with researchers on incentive design and cross-domain settlement models.

Qualifications:

• Experience building or optimizing HFT systems, exchange matching engines, or low-latency trading infra.

• Strong systems background (Rust, C++, or Go).

• Deep understanding of concurrency, networking, and performance profiling.

• (Bonus) Experience with blockchains, consensus, or distributed systems.

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary.

• High-impact role in an ambitious, fast-moving startup.

• Travel opportunities and thought leadership visibility in the crypto community.

About pod:

We are an ambitious, early-stage Web3 startup building a revolutionary new layer-1 protocol designed to bring Web2-like experience to Web3 systems. Our team is creating a chainless, blockless, leaderless protocol that challenges the conventional notion of consensus. Read more about pod network here.

We're backed by a16z crypto, 1kx, BBF, and Lemniscap-and we're looking for exceptional engineers to help us shape the future of decentralized systems.