Principal Distributed Systems Engineer

About the Role

Escrow-Tech is hiring a Principal Distributed Systems Engineer to help architect and own the systems behind a sovereign cloud and distributed edge compute network, including a compute workload exchange that manages concurrent resource bids, infrastructure constraints, billing records and distributed compute capacity

You will work across algorithmic optimisation, Python backend engineering, PostgreSQL security, cryptography, Kubernetes (k3s) and edge orchestration

Job Details

• Location: Hybrid, minimum 50% on-site in Lagos
• Job Type: Independent retainer (milestone-based deliverable contract)
• Job Field: Distributed Systems / Backend Engineering
• Duration: July 2026 - December 2026
• Reporting: Technical Partner Project Manager
• Potential: Long-term engagement post-launch

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement a multi-threaded Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) optimisation engine that evaluates compute resource bids against constraints such as power, thermal limits, SLA priorities, processor states and cooling capacity
• Build an append-only, tamper-evident transaction ledger using SHA-256 hash chaining to track resource allocation, billing events and energy-curtailment credits, with integrity verification and tamper-detection mechanisms
• Design and deploy advanced PostgreSQL Row-Level Security (RLS) policies to enforce strict multi-tenant data isolation at the database layer, supported by access-validation middleware and security testing
• Develop the orchestration backend that aggregates distributed edge compute nodes, identifies available capacity and coordinates workload distribution, encryption, execution and result return across the network
• During the final execution phase, work with the local development team in Lagos to deploy production-ready systems, conduct load testing and lead structured architectural handover sessions

Requirements

• Strong experience in distributed systems and high-throughput backend architecture
• Python backend engineering and performance-critical data pipelines experience
• Advanced PostgreSQL and multi-tenant database architecture experience
• Experience with Kubernetes, k3s, Docker and cloud infrastructure
• Experience with MILP and mathematical optimisation
• Experience in quantitative engineering, operational research or resource allocation
• Experience with cryptographic and tamper-evident data structures
• Knowledge of SHA-256 and data-integrity verification
• Experience with distributed edge and IoT orchestration
• Experience with MQTT and IoT data pipelines
• Technical documentation and architecture handover experience
• Experience in quantitative trading infrastructure, operational research platforms, high-throughput fintech systems or large-scale SaaS multi-tenancy is particularly relevant

Knowledge Transfer

Weekly 90-minute technical walkthroughs, comprehensive architecture manuals, API, solver and database documentation, in-person knowledge transfer during Lagos-based periods, and a formal final knowledge-transfer sign-off requiring the local team to independently build the systems from source

Key Milestones

• M1: MILP Solver (Python and C)
• M2: Immutable Billing Ledger (SHA-256)
• M3: PostgreSQL RLS (Multi-Tenant Isolation)
• M4: Edge Aggregator (k3s and Orchestration)
• M5: Production Deployment and Handover

How to Apply

Apply below via the JobClave with your updated Resume/CV. Please include a concise technical portfolio or representative examples of previous work in areas such as MILP/optimisation, distributed backend architecture or multi-tenant database security