Port Elizabeth: Senior Software Engineer posted by Performit Personnel

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will be a technical leader within the development team, responsible not only for delivering high-quality software but also for shaping technical direction, architectural decisions, and engineering standards. You will work with a high degree of autonomy, own complex problem spaces end-to-end, and play a key role in mentoring engineers and driving continuous improvement across the engineering function. This role bridges deep hands-on development with technical leadership and strategic influence, ensuring that solutions are scalable, secure, maintainable, and aligned with business objectives.

Minimum Requirements:

• Tertiary qualification (Diploma/Degree) in IT Software Development, Computer Science or equivalent
• 6+ years experience as a Software Engineer

Technical Expertise (Hard Skills)
Advanced proficiency in C# with a strong track record of delivering production-grade systems.
Strong expertise in relational databases (SQL), data modelling, and ORM technologies, including performance optimisation.
Deep, practical understanding of data structures, algorithms, and system design principles.
Proven experience designing and maintaining distributed systems, APIs, and service-oriented or microservices architectures.
Strong hands-on experience with Agile development methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) and modern DevOps practices (CI/CD).
Expert-level use of Git and collaborative development workflows (code reviews, branching strategies).
Solid experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and containerisation/orchestration technologies (Docker, Kubernetes).
Working knowledge of application security principles, secure coding practices, and system hardening.
Exposure to or practical experience integrating AI/ML capabilities is advantageous.

Professional Attributes (Soft Skills)
Exceptional problem-solving ability, with a structured and analytical approach to complex technical challenges.
Strong technical judgement and decision-making skills, able to operate effectively with ambiguity and incomplete information.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence, align, and build trust across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Demonstrated leadership presence, accountability, and ownership mindset.
High adaptability and commitment to continuous learning in a fast-changing technical environment.
Strong time management and prioritisation skills, balancing hands-on delivery with leadership responsibilities.
High emotional intelligence, empathy, and professionalism, contributing to a healthy, collaborative team culture.

Key Responsibilities

1. Software Development & Architecture

• Lead the design, development, testing, deployment, and ongoing evolution of complex, scalable software systems across the full software development lifecycle.
• Own and drive architectural decisions for new systems and significant enhancements, including back-end services, APIs, and distributed/microservices-based solutions.
• Produce high-quality, performant, secure, and maintainable code, setting the benchmark for engineering best practices and coding standards.
• Evaluate trade-offs between technical approaches, balancing scalability, performance, cost, and delivery timelines.
• Proactively identify and address technical debt, performance bottlenecks, and reliability concerns before they impact users or delivery.
• Perform deep root-cause analysis of complex production issues, leading resolution efforts and implementing preventative improvements.
• Ensure robust automated testing strategies are in place, including unit, integration, and end-to-end testing, to support long-term system quality.
• Create and maintain clear, high-quality technical documentation covering architecture, design decisions, and operational considerations.

2. Technical Leadership & Collaboration

• Act as a trusted technical partner to product managers, architects, and stakeholders, helping translate business requirements into well-designed technical solutions.
• Lead technical discussions, design reviews, and solution walkthroughs, clearly articulating complex concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Influence and contribute to engineering standards, tooling, and development processes across teams.
• Collaborate closely with users and stakeholders to deeply understand system behaviour, workflows, and problem areas, ensuring solutions deliver real business value.

3. Mentorship & Team Enablement

• Mentor and coach mid-level and junior engineers, providing technical guidance, constructive feedback, and career development support.
• Lead by example through strong engineering practices, code quality, and professional conduct.
• Assist in breaking down complex initiatives into well-defined, achievable tasks, improving team predictability and delivery confidence.
• Support onboarding and upskilling of team members, contributing to a culture of learning and engineering excellence.

4. Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Champion continuous improvement in system reliability, security, performance, and developer experience.
• Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and evolving best practices, assessing their relevance and practical application to the organisation.
• Contribute to DevOps maturity, including CI/CD pipelines, observability, monitoring, and operational readiness.