Role highlights
Full Time
Permanent
Senior
Remote
This Senior Rust Developer role requires advanced proficiency in Rust programming with a proven history of delivering production-quality code. The candidate must have substantial experience contributing to or leading open-source projects, particularly those involving workflow execution engines or scientific computing frameworks. Expertise in developing and maintaining Rust crates focused on lexing, parsing, validating, linting, formatting, testing, and executing domain-specific languages is essential. Strong skills in API design and specification development, including familiarity with OpenAPI/Swagger for comprehensive documentation, are critical. The position involves enhancing the Sprocket open-source workflow execution engine and contributing to the evolution of the Workflow Description Language (WDL) and Task Execution Schema (TES), requiring the ability to propose and shepherd specification changes through formal ratification processes. Collaboration with standards bodies and the open-source community is expected. Experience with GitHub for project management and collaboration is necessary. Additional desirable skills include familiarity with Kubernetes or cloud/HPC environments, prior involvement with standards organizations such as GA4GH, and experience using Rust crates like utoipa for OpenAPI/Swagger documentation. The role is remote, requiring overlap with US Central Time, and focuses on advancing computational biology by enabling scalable, open-source workflow solutions for large-scale scientific computations. This position offers the opportunity to influence open standards and contribute to impactful scientific technology used globally.
About the role
Senior Rust Developer at Toptal
Role Summary
- Advance computational biology by developing scalable, open-source workflow execution engines
- Empower scientists to efficiently deploy and manage large-scale computations
General Information
- Location: Remote (GMT-8 to GMT+5 time zones; not open to China, Australia, or similar time zones)
- Required overlap: 3–4 hours with US Central Time (Chicago/Texas)
- Contract length: 6 months (potential for extension)
Project Information
- Project: Sprocket, an open workflow execution engine written in Rust
- Enables scientists to write simple workflow descriptions using the Workflow Description Language (WDL)
Responsibilities
- Contribute to the development and enhancement of the Sprocket workflow execution engine and related Rust crates (e.g., wdl, sprocket, crankshaft)
- Improve and extend the Workflow Description Language (WDL) specification, including proposing, drafting, and shepherding changes through ratification
- Collaborate on the evolution of the Task Execution Schema (TES), including interaction with standards bodies and the open-source community
- Develop and maintain reference implementations, ensuring comprehensive API documentation (OpenAPI/Swagger)
- Regularly communicate progress and coordinate with the internal computational biology team
Requirements
- Senior-level proficiency in Rust with a strong track record of shipping production code
- Experience contributing to or leading open-source projects
- Familiarity with workflow engines, scientific computing, or large-scale computation
- Ability to work with Rust crates for lexing, parsing, validating, linting, formatting, testing, and executing domain-specific languages
- Strong skills in API design and specification development
- Experience using GitHub for project planning and collaboration
Nice to Have
- Experience developing or improving specifications using OpenAPI (Swagger)
- Familiarity with the Workflow Description Language (WDL) and Task Execution Schema (TES)
- Experience with Kubernetes or cloud/HPC environments
- Prior involvement with standards bodies (e.g., GA4GH)
- Experience with Rust crates such as utoipa for OpenAPI/Swagger documentation
Benefits
- Full-time and long-term role
- Opportunity to work on impactful, open-source technology used by scientists worldwide
- Influence the direction of open standards in scientific workflow execution
How to Apply
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