Rust Developer / Junior Backend Developer (freelance)

PROJECT: We are building 4connection – a modern, feature-rich messenger combining group messaging, interest-based communities and serious dating/matching features. Think Telegram meets thoughtful matchmaking – with accessibility, youth protection and strong encryption built in from the start. The Rust backend handles message routing, user matching algorithms, group management, API and the web presence. This is a client-commissioned project with a clear product vision.

REQUIREMENTS: 1+ years of experience in C, C++ or another systems-level language. Understanding of memory management (stack vs. heap, pointers, ownership concepts). Basic knowledge of network programming (TCP/IP, WebSockets, HTTP). Interest in learning Rust – we will train you, supported by AI-assisted development with Claude. Clean, readable, maintainable code is non-negotiable. Experience with Git and Linux. Good English skills (reading and writing).

NICE TO HAVE: Any Rust experience (even personal projects). Experience with async programming (Tokio, epoll, io_uring). Experience with matching algorithms or recommendation systems. Knowledge of Firebase integration. Experience with accessibility standards or youth protection regulations.

RESPONSIBILITIES: Implementing the backend architecture under direct guidance of the technical lead. Building message routing, group management and user matching systems. Implementing interest-based and dating match algorithms. Building the persistence layer and REST/WebSocket API. Integrating with Firebase and third-party services. Collaborating closely with Android and iOS developers on API design. Writing testable, documented code that any equivalent specialist can take over immediately.

WE OFFER: Fully remote work. A small, focused core team of 4 developers – no corporate overhead. Direct collaboration with an experienced technical lead who mentors rather than manages. AI-assisted development with Claude as a fixed part of the workflow. The chance to shape a backend architecture from the ground up. Clients will be released as open source – you are building something visible. Fair compensation, long-term collaboration. Nextcloud and Redmine for collaboration – open-source tooling.

Tech Stack: Rust, Tokio, Axum/Actix-Web, Firebase, Linux, Git, Redmine, Nextcloud