Johannesburg: Backend Developer

As a Backend Developer, you will be the architect of our application’s “brain.” You will design, build, and maintain the server-side logic, ensure high performance and responsiveness to requests from the frontend, and manage the complex data orchestration that powers our platform. In 2026, this role specifically requires a “security-first” mindset and experience with distributed, cloud-native environments. What you’ll do: System Architecture: Design and implement scalable, resilient backend services using microservices or modular monolithic patterns. API Excellence: Build and document robust RESTful, GraphQL, or gRPC APIs that serve as seamless interfaces for web and mobile clients. Data Management: Design optimized database schemas (SQL/NoSQL), manage data pipelines, and implement efficient caching strategies (e.g., Redis). Security & Compliance: Implement zero-trust security protocols, including OAuth2, JWT, and data encryption at rest and in transit. Performance Optimization: Use observability tools (Prometheus, Grafana) to identify bottlenecks and optimize code for low-latency execution. Cloud & DevOps: Containerize applications using Docker/Kubernetes and manage CI/CD pipelines to ensure continuous, automated delivery.li> AI Integration: Work with AI/ML teams to integrate LLM endpoints and manage the data flows required for generative AI features. Your Expertise: Languages: Proficiency in at least one: Go, Java (Spring Boot), Python (FastAPI/Django), or Node.js. Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, or Cassandra; experience with vector databases is a plus. Infrastructure: Experience with AWS/Azure/GCP, Docker, and Kubernetes. Communication: Deep understanding of message brokers like Kafka or RabbitMQ for event-driven architecture. Quality: Strong focus on unit, integration, and end-to-end testing (TDD/BDD). Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or equivalent practical experience. 3 years (Mid) or 6 years (Senior) of professional experience in backend development. A portfolio or GitHub history demonstrating clean, maintainable, and well-documented code. Soft Skills Analytical Thinking: Ability to decompose complex business requirements into technical tasks. Collaboration: Working closely with Frontend Developers to define API contracts and Product Managers to scope features. Mentorship: (For Senior roles) Guiding junior developers through code reviews and architectural discussions.