How We Helped on of the top Perp Exchange Hire Elite Rust & Quant Engineers in Just 14 Days Copy

The Challenge

Backpack only hires the top 1% of engineers — no exceptions.

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Great Leaders like Armani Ferrante insist on surrounding themselves with exceptional talent (he genuinely gives off Steve Jobs energy).

Multiple recruitment firms had already tried and failed to meet that bar. The combination of Rust expertise, quant trading experience, and a crypto-native mindset was almost impossible to find  let alone close quickly.

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Backpack needed a partner who could:

• Access hidden, off-market talent globally
  
• Evaluate technical precision and cultural fit under pressure
  
• Deliver results at startup speed

That’s where WorkInCrypto stepped in.

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Our Approach

1. Rapid Calibration (Day 1)

We kicked off with a technical deep dive alongside Backpack’s leadership team to map the full scope  HFT architecture, data pipelines, latency thresholds, and team culture.
This alignment meant every candidate we touched was already 80% there.

2. Data-Driven Headhunting (Days 2–8)

We mapped over 350+ engineers globally from elite trading and blockchain backgrounds.
After manual screening and AI-assisted scoring, only 31 candidates passed the bar  all pre-vetted on Rust proficiency, trading logic, and systems design.

3. Precision Shortlist (Day 10)

By day 10, we delivered a shortlist of 8 world-class engineers, each capable of leading or contributing to HFT-grade infrastructure.
Our vetting included:

• Live technical conversations on code ownership, throughput optimization, and risk logic
  
• Assessment of communication and collaboration fit within a fast-moving startup
  
  

4. Offer Acceptance (Day 14)

Backpack made offers to a Tech Leader (Quant Trading) and multiple Quant Engineers all within 14 days of engagement.No other firm had come close to matching that speed, accuracy, or quality.

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Results

 ✅ Time-to-hire: < 14 days from project kickoff to signed offers
✅ Search scope: Global (Europe, APAC, Remote-first)
✅ Retention: 100% — all hires still with Backpack, scaling high-impact systems
✅ Efficiency: Reduced internal hiring load by 80%
✅ Track record: First external firm to meet Backpack’s top-1% engineering standard

Client Feedback

“We set the bar extremely high - top 1% only  and most firms just couldn’t deliver. Sam and the WorkInCrypto team did. Fast, precise, and genuinely elite candidates. It was clear they understood both the tech and the people behind it.”

Key Takeaway

Hiring the top 1% requires more than a database, it demands domain intelligence, surgical headhunting, and speed without compromise. That’s exactly what WorkInCrypto delivers.
When others fail, we fill  with precision.

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