David, I don't think the toxic references is that big of a deal. As long as you get into an interview, you can explain the nature of the conflict and your motivation. Many check references before scheduling an on-site, so I'd be open about this with the recruiter so that they take your former peer statements with a grain of salt.

The important thing about talking to the recruiter about the conflict (or even a past screwup) is to make it look professional (like an outage post-mortem) and don't spiral into emotions, avoid blaming people, be more analytical. All you say about the former employer and coworkers is what you might be saying about your next team later. So try to stay unbiased and objective.

For example: "The conflict happened because of my position on rapid build-up of the technical debt, longevity and security risks in the environment, and the fact that the management failed to pay sufficient attention to these problems. They considered the risk worth taking, but didn't really consult the engineering to validate that assumption. This kind of steering made some team members cut more corners than I would deem acceptable, and, after having 0 success addressing my concerns with my colleagues and super directly, I decided to escalate to the management. This caused some stirrup, a few people went defensive, but sadly the whole motion got stuck in meetings and yielded no improvements. It took a few months before they decided to let me go, which I now think is the best for me and for the company. I think today I still believe in my assessment, and I would stand by my decisions, I just wish the management was a bit more open to objective critique and more proactive at communication. You are more than welcome to contact my references and ask them about their vision of the conflict, however, expect that some of my former peers might still be a bit bitter about it, and it may take some effort to see the whole picture objectively."

Re, finding positions quickly. If you are willing to do a lateral move, try one of the start-ups, outsourcing companies or consulting firms.

Small start-ups don't have 50-person HR departments and therefore make decisions quickly.

The outsourcing and consulting companies have high attrition rates, and churn employees constantly. With present work visas conundrum they need front men to put onsite, which may work to your advantage.

Bottom line - I'd make a 1-2 years switch to rebuild your reputation and confidence, and then invest time into looking for a different position that you really like, do networking, arrange informational interviews, etc. when you don't have to worry about the next paycheck.

Remember that it is best to look for the next car when your current car is still running. It is hard to find a decent position when you are "OMG I need a job now" mode, so probably take "good enough" for now, and then focus on nailing the "perfect" one.

Good luck!