About
About Me
I write Rust where it matters most — kernel modules, cryptographic pipelines, financial protocols. From Linux DCO drivers to on-chain AMMs.
Full stack of hard problems — kernel-space networking with C interop, high-load backend services in Axum and Rocket, Solana DeFi, ZK proof systems. 5 years of production Rust, from no_std to REST APIs.
I don’t reach for abstractions until I understand what’s underneath them. That’s why my systems are fast, my backends are boring (in a good way), and my smart contracts don’t get drained.
Beyond code: building keyboards, diving (SSI Divemaster, 400+ dives), lifting weights, and listening to way too much Meshuggah and Humanity’s Last Breath. Obsessed with factory and automation videogames.
What I’ve Built
- High-performance backends: Solid and secure backend infrastructure serving tens of thousands concurrent users
- Linux Kernel Enhancements: Rust-based per-peer workqueue system achieving 13.4% performance gains for millions of users
- eBPF XDP Firewall: Pure Rust firewall with NIC-level packet filtering
- Solana DeFi Protocols: DEX and governance systems using Anchor framework
- Substrate Runtime: Cross-chain runtime supporting 4 EVM chains
Technical Expertise
Core Skills:
- Rust/C interop and FFI
- Kernel-space optimization
- Async runtime tuning (Tokio)
no_stdprogramming- Memory management & zero-copy patterns
- Idiomatic Rust patterns
Backend:
- Axum, Actix-web, Rocket
- PostgreSQL, Redis
- Docker, Kubernetes
- CI/CD pipelines
Blockchain:
- Solana (Anchor framework)
- Substrate/Polkadot
- Smart contract security
- DeFi protocol design
Work Experience
Provably — Rust Core Backend Engineer (Jan 2026 - Present)
- Refactored Rust/Axum backend architecture by decomposing controllers into service layers with unified error handling and authorization
- Built comprehensive test suite for core API modules, uncovering and fixing critical authorization bugs
- Designed and integrated new middleware system for zero-knowledge proof verification pipeline across customer data sources
Vpnable Limited — Rust Systems Engineer (Jul 2024 - Jan 2026)
- Architected per-peer workqueue system improving throughput by 13.4%
- Implemented kernel-space anti-censorship obfuscation with <0.1% overhead
Nyoka — Rust/Solana Blockchain Engineer (Oct 2024 - Sep 2025)
- Built token-based voting system for platform governance
- Architected smart contract infrastructure with PDAs
NXLog — Rust Core Backend Engineer (Dec 2022 - Jul 2024)
- Developed four key platform components using Rust
- Used Rocket and Axum for scalable web applications
Vpnable Limited — Rust Backend Engineer (Apr 2021 - Dec 2022)
- Optimized system performance by 30% through database
query optimization and efficient async operations. - Architected production backend services in
Rust (Actix Web, Diesel ORM, Tokio) for mobile applications.
Get in Touch
- CV: NikolaiShelekhov_Rust_Engineer_CV.pdf
- Email: [email protected]
- Telegram: @alloc33
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nshelehov
- GitHub: github.com/alloc33