Backend Engineer, Core Engine

Design the engine that computes and pays out every reward on Merkl: abstractions, indexing, and distribution at scale, in TypeScript and Go.

Since July 2023, we have distributed $1.8B+ to 5M+ wallets across 60+ chains, for 1000+ companies including Coinbase, PayPal, Robinhood, Kraken, MetaMask, and Uniswap. We are independent, and the global leader in our category.

We're looking for a Backend Engineer to help build the next phase of Merkl.

Team

Merkl is a small team of 20 people. If you join the team, you will not only learn with and from us but also be deeply involved in product design and the research we are conducting.

Missions & responsibilities

As a Backend Engineer on the core engine, you will design the system at the heart of Merkl: the engine that reads onchain activity, computes what every holder is owed, and pays it out. It has distributed $1.8B+ to date, and every new asset, protocol or chain we support makes it more general.

The work is mostly abstraction design. Each new client brings a new way of holding or earning value, and your job is to model it so the engine extends cleanly instead of special-casing it. You will also scale the indexing infrastructure that tracks positions and events across dozens of EVM and non-EVM chains, in real time.

Every line of this code handles real money, so we expect a high level of rigor: you care about correctness, test thoroughly, and think through edge cases before you ship. You'll work across a broad stack, mainly TypeScript and Go, and you'll enjoy picking up new languages and ecosystems as Merkl expands to new chains.

Specifically, your responsibilities will include:

• Designing the engine's core abstractions, so each new asset, protocol or chain extends the system instead of special-casing it.
• Owning new integrations end to end, from scoping with the client to production, as the way the engine meets new use cases.
• Building and scaling Merkl's indexing infrastructure so it tracks positions and events reliably across every chain we support.
• Continuously improving the engine's performance, scalability and reliability.
• Designing onchain and offchain risk monitoring tools to keep the system correct and robust.
• Shaping Merkl's technical roadmap and product evolution.

What we offer

By joining the Merkl team, you will be part of one of the most innovative and fast-growing teams in onchain finance. We offer the opportunity to work with an ambitious team, shipping quickly and making an impact in the industry. For full-time positions, we provide:

• A highly stimulating intellectual environment: You'll collaborate with some of the best researchers and engineers in onchain finance, on systems that move real money for Coinbase, Robinhood, and PayPal. Our stack is solid web2 engineering (TypeScript, Go, Postgres, Kubernetes) applied to financial infrastructure.
• An AI-native way of working: AI coding agents, whichever one you prefer, and our own MCP servers are part of everyone's daily workflow. You get the best tools, and the time they save goes into understanding more of the system, not only shipping more code.
• Growth and future opportunities: Be part of an independent, rapidly scaling company, working on the infrastructure that shapes the future of finance.
• Competitive salary: We offer a competitive compensation package with flexible working hours, ensuring a healthy work-life balance.
• Equipment stipend: We provide you with the tools and devices you need to optimize your work environment and fit your working style.
• Team retreats: Every year, you'll have the chance to join the team on retreats to reflect on our journey, plan for the future, and bond while having fun in exciting locations.

You are

You're a strong engineer who loves hard, well-defined problems. We're looking for someone who is:

• Very strong at logic and abstraction: You see the general structure behind a set of special cases, and you enjoy modeling it cleanly.
• A fast learner and problem-solver: You are intellectually curious, can quickly grasp new technologies and concepts, and have a knack for finding solutions to complex technical issues.
• Curious with a deep technical mindset: You thrive on understanding how things work at a fundamental level, from a lending protocol to a tokenized fund. You enjoy digging into the details to solve complex problems and optimize systems.
• Collaborative: You work well in a small, agile team where everyone's contributions are valued.
• Ownership-focused: You take responsibility for your tasks and see projects through to completion.
• Excited about the future of finance: You w