As a backend engineer on Kraken's Core Backend team, I contributed to the successful launch of the exchange's first tax reporting service — enabling users to securely download IRS-compliant tax forms. The project required close coordination across backend, DevOps, database, cloud, and security teams, as well as external tax vendors.
Highlights
- Implemented backend service logic in Rust (Actix web framework) for generating and serving user tax documents with structured logging and robust error handling.
- Built a Rust library to parse encrypted customer PII from legacy PHP systems, collaborating directly with the CTO on encryption schemes; the library was reused by senior developers on other projects.
- Implemented PGP encryption for data exchange with external tax vendors, including checksum verification and key management using rpgp and command-line PGP.
- Programmed secure data flow and PostgreSQL schema (sqlx) for storing and serving PII; contributed to design decisions on database tables and encryption schemes.
- Configured Prometheus/Grafana metrics and alerts tracking CPU, memory, and download counts; monitored rollout serving ~4,000 users in the first weeks.
- Collaborated with DevOps and Cloud engineers on S3 (AWS SDK), networking, secrets, Vault integration, and GitLab CI/CD pipelines; proactively initiated cross-team communication to unblock deployment.
- Opened a security review on a suspected timing vulnerability that, while proving correct, led to improved documentation and recognition from senior engineers.
Technology
- Rust (Actix web)
- PostgreSQL (sqlx)
- PGP encryption (rpgp)
- AWS S3 (AWS SDK)
- Prometheus / Grafana
- Terraform / HashiCorp Vault
- GitLab CI/CD
- Docker