Founding Engineer - Platform

About Uniflow

Uniflow is building an AI-native business operating system—a complete platform for enterprise software that combines deterministic execution with governed AI. We're a seed-stage startup with a working compiler, runtime, and reference implementations. The concept is proven; the scale-out needs you.

The Role

As Founding Engineer - Platform, you will build the next-generation core runtime in Rust. This is the foundational layer that executes business logic, manages entity lifecycles, and ensures correctness at enterprise scale.

You'll own the performance envelope, the state-machine execution model, and the migration path from our current C# implementation to a zero-GC, sub-millisecond Rust runtime. Your work directly determines whether Uniflow can handle the throughput and latency requirements of mission-critical enterprise systems.

What You'll Own

Runtime correctness + performance envelope — Design and implement the Rust runtime architecture that guarantees deterministic execution with predictable, enterprise-grade performance under load.
Lifecycle and state-machine execution model — Port and optimize the hierarchical state machine (HSM) execution engine that drives all entity behavior, transitions, guards, and side effects.
Query engine for business data at scale — Build a high-performance query engine that supports complex business queries across large entity graphs with consistent, predictable latency.

What You'll Do

First 90 Days

Understand the current C# runtime architecture, entity model, and state machine semantics
Design the Rust runtime architecture with clear interfaces and migration boundaries
Implement core entity lifecycle primitives in Rust with property-based tests for correctness
Establish benchmarks and performance baselines for critical paths

First Year

Complete the Rust runtime with full HSM execution, persistence integration, and query capabilities
Achieve <1ms p99 latency for entity transitions under realistic load
Implement incremental migration tooling so C# and Rust components can coexist during transition
Define and enforce correctness invariants across the runtime boundary

Requirements

Must Have

5+ years building production systems in a systems language (Rust, C++, or C)
Strong Rust experience — ownership model, async runtime (Tokio), unsafe boundaries
Distributed systems fundamentals — consistency models, failure modes, state replication
Experience with state machines or workflow engines in production
Track record of performance optimization at the systems level (profiling, memory layout, cache behavior)

Nice to Have

Experience with C# / .NET (helpful for understanding the current codebase)
Background in compilers, interpreters, or language runtimes
Familiarity with enterprise software patterns (ERP, CRM, workflow systems)
Contributions to open-source systems projects

Engineering Principles

We value:

RFCs for big decisions — Architectural choices are documented and reviewed
Correctness > cleverness — We optimize for maintainability and verifiability
Determinism + observability as defaults — Every execution path is traceable and reproducible

Why Uniflow

Own the platform — Build a complete business operating system from the ground up. Your architecture decisions will power enterprise software for decades.
Hard problems, real stakes — Entity state machines, distributed persistence, enterprise-grade performance. This is mission-critical software where correctness isn't optional.
Founding team impact — Shape the platform's direction, culture, and technical trajectory. Early equity participation reflects your role in building the company.

Compensation

Salary: Competitive, based on experience
Equity: Meaningful founding-team equity package
Benefits: Health, dental, vision (Canada)
Location: Hybrid in Toronto (2-3 days/week in-office)

How to Apply

Send your resume and a brief note on why this role interests you to careers@uniflow.tech or apply through our website at uniflow.tech.

Include any relevant:

Links to systems projects you've built or contributed to
Writing (blog posts, RFCs, design docs) that demonstrates your thinking
Performance work you're proud of (before/after, methodology)

Uniflow is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members.