Cape Town: Associate Product Engineer (CPT Hybrid) posted by DataFin Recruitment

ENVIRONMENT:

HELP build AI-powered solutions while scaling a competitive intelligence platform as the next Associate Product Engineer wanted to join the Cape Town team of a forward-thinking Marketing Consultancy. You will work directly with the Lead Product Engineer in London and be foundational to the technical team they are building, learning fast, shipping code, and helping create the next generation of tools for challenger brands. This isn’t a role for someone who wants to do “business as usual.” Clients come to them because they need breakthrough marketing strategies that cut through complexity, beat incumbents, and create disproportionate impact. Applicants will require Python proficiency, experience working with APIs from OpenAI, Anthropic, or similar, building prompts, handling responses, and integrating LLMs into workflows & be skilled in SQL able to design schemas, and know your way around relational databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL) or NoSQL solutions.

DUTIES:

• Build AI agent prototypes – Work alongside the Lead Product Engineer to develop and validate AI-powered solutions that solve real strategy, creative, and media challenges.
• Scale the platform – Contribute to a competitive intelligence platform. Writing clean code, building features, and improving architecture as they grow.
• Work with LLMs programmatically – Build integrations and workflows that leverage language models to automate insights, generate intelligence, and power agent prototypes.
• Manage and query databases – Design schemas, write efficient queries, and ensure data infrastructure supports fast, reliable platform performance.
• Ship fast, learn faster – Move quickly from concept to prototype, test assumptions, gather feedback, and iterate based on what works.
• Collaborate across disciplines – Work with strategists, creatives, and the broader team to understand problems deeply and build solutions that create real impact.
• Grow with the team – As the first Product Engineer in Cape Town, you’ll help shape the technical culture and processes as they scale.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Python proficiency. You’re comfortable writing clean, maintainable Python code and can pick up new libraries quickly.
• Programmatic LLM access. You’ve worked with APIs from OpenAI, Anthropic, or similar, building prompts, handling responses, and integrating LLMs into workflows.
• Database familiarity. You understand SQL, can design schemas, and know your way around relational databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL) or NoSQL solutions.
• A contextual builder mindset. You don’t just code, you think about the problem, understand the user, and build solutions that actually solve challenges.
• Self-starter energy. You thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment where ambiguity is opportunity.
• Comfort with feedback. You take direction well, iterate based on input, and constantly refine your work.

Advantageous

• Working in Advertising/Marketing agencies, start-ups, or consultancies.
• Full Stack Development (GCP, React, Next.js, or similar).
• Data visualization or analytics tools.
• API integrations and webhooks.