Staff Rust SDK Engineer

About LiveKit

LiveKit is building the infrastructure layer for the agentic era of computing. Our platform gives developers everything they need to build, test, deploy, scale, and observe AI agents in production. Founded in 2021, LiveKit powers voice and agentic AI applications for OpenAI, Salesforce, Spotify, Meta, and tens of thousands of other developers, collectively facilitating billions of calls each year.

About This Role

We're looking for a passionate Senior / Staff Rust engineer to help build both the LiveKit Rust SDK and the high-performance Rust core modules that power our real-time client SDKs across multiple platforms. You'll be joining a small, world-class engineering team focused on pushing the boundaries of real-time communication performance, reliability, and developer experience.

In this role, you'll play a key part in shaping the Rust developer experience for LiveKit, while also building the shared systems that other SDKs (Swift, Kotlin, TypeScript, Unity, Node, Flutter, C/C++, and more) depend on. You'll have the opportunity to work across deep systems layers and developer-facing abstractions, contributing to open-source software used by teams building real-time apps worldwide.

What makes this role unique is its dual focus: you'll build a robust, idiomatic Rust SDK while also designing core modules that serve as the performance-critical foundation for LiveKit's cross-platform ecosystem. Your work will directly influence how developers integrate real-time audio, video, and data streaming into their applications — from embedded systems to large-scale production apps.

As a Staff engineer, you'll help define architectural direction across SDKs and drive technical alignment across teams.

You'll Thrive Here If You:

• obsess over crafting code that is fast, reliable, and practical for the problem
• are known as the go-to person for tackling tough technical problems
• move quickly and ship high-quality systems with strong ownership
• can clearly explain complex technical concepts to other engineers
• are a fast learner, frequently picking up new languages and tools

We love seeing how you think. If you've contributed to our ecosystem or similar low-level Rust projects, feel free to point us toward your PRs or Issues.

What You'll Do

• Design, build, and maintain the LiveKit Rust SDK and the shared Rust core modules that power LiveKit's multi-platform client ecosystem
• Lead by example — guide and mentor engineers with less Rust experience, promote shared code and engineering best practices, and foster a culture of high-quality, maintainable, and testable Rust code
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams (client SDKs, agents, cloud teams, PMs) to ensure smooth integration, shared standards, and consistent developer experience
• Own the testing, CI/CD, and release processes for Rust projects, ensuring reliability and stability across environments
• Profile and optimize performance in real-time, low-latency systems to push the boundaries of what's possible in LiveKit's SDKs
• Contribute to SDK architecture and design decisions, shaping the long-term technical direction for both the Rust SDK and cross-platform SDK interoperability

Who You Are

• Strong expertise in Rust with experience delivering production-quality libraries or SDKs
• Collaborative and communicative, comfortable working across multiple teams and platforms
• Experience developing SDKs or libraries for multi-platform clients (mobile, web, or embedded)
• Understanding of testing, CI/CD, and release best practices in modern Rust ecosystems

Nice to Have

• You've worked with LiveKit technologies
• Experience with real-time systems, networking, and performance optimization
• Familiarity with WebRTC or related technologies

Our Commitment to You

• An opportunity to build something truly impactful to the world
• Contribute to open source alongside world-class engineers
• Competitive salary and equity package
• Health, dental, and vision benefits
• Flexible vacation policy

_LiveKit is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of any characteristic protected by applicable law. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact recruiting@livekit.io.

_Compensation Range: $200K - $300K