Search Software Engineer

takealot.com; United States; Remote; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote working

Mentorship programme

Birthday leave

Staff discount

Job summary

Takealot Group is seeking a Software Engineer (Search) to maintain and evolve our search stack for a 24/7 e-commerce platform. You will design, implement, and optimize search features using technologies such as Elasticsearch/Solr/Algolia and Python, while contributing to architecture decisions and production readiness.

The role emphasizes automation, collaboration with cross-functional teams, and ongoing learning in a fast-growing tech environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience in CS/Engineering.
• 5–10 years in a software development role.
• Experience with search technologies (Elasticsearch, Solr, Algolia, OpenSearch, etc.).
• Proficient in Python; exposure to RESTful APIs and SQL databases.
• Experience with Linux and building production-grade software.

Responsibilities

• Design and build solutions to assist business users and improve customer experience.
• Architect and design solutions with the team.
• Develop high-quality production code for complex, large-scale systems.
• Improve testing practices and maintain automation tests.
• Collaborate on architecture proposals and align across the organization.
• Respond to production issues and incident alerts as needed.
• Engage in knowledge sharing through blogs, talks, and workshops.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Effective communication

Learning agility

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced Diploma in CS/Engineering

Tools

Elasticsearch

Solr

Algolia

OpenSearch

Docker

Kubernetes

Python

Linux

SQL

React

AWS/GCP/Azure

Job description

Takealot.com , South Africa’s leading online retailer, is looking for a highly talented Software Engineer (Search) to join our team.

Think you’ve been challenged before? Think again!

• Scale : Over 4 million happy shoppers shop online on takealot.com. Show them what you can do.
• Learn : We work with the best of the best. Code alongside industry leaders and up-skill in record time.
• Grow : Expand your career in the fast-growing Takealot Group: takealot.com, TFS and Mr D. We like to promote from within: Here’s your chance.

Who’s who in the tech space

This position reports to the Engineering Manager

Your mission, should you choose to accept it:

As a Software Engineer, you will be someone whose expertise directly translates into developing robust software in the e-commerce domain. You will have the opportunity to implement best practices to improve existing software and participate in the development of new features. While we don’t promote after-hours work as part of the regular workday, we run a 24/7 business with the need to keep systems up and running. Software Engineers are expected to provide after-hours support on a rotational basis to resolve critical system issues if needed.

The role is focused on maintaining our search stack. Experiencewithanykindofsearchtechnology(Solr,Algolia,etc.)isrelevant.

• Design and build solutions to assist our business users and improve customer experience
• Architect and design solutions with your team
• Develop code, making major improvements to non-functional areas
• Develop high-quality production code for work of high complexity and scale
• Utilize and improve functional and non-functional testing practices
• Champion, challenge, and iterate on best practices within engineering
• Design solutions for complex problems with difficult decision trade-offs, typically system or domain-wide
• Participate in and collaborate on architecture proposals across engineering
• Support alignment of architecture across the organisation
• Respond to and resolve bugs in production for systems in your division
• Respond to alerts and support incident response within your division
• Investigate and drive the resolution of issues that impact multiple teams
• Support, challenge existing, and define new engineering processes and directives
• Review and contribute fixes and content to internal documentation
• React to technology trends, identifying risks and opportunities for your division’s technologies, systems, and domains
• Share knowledge through blog posts, tech talks, and workshops across engineering
• Contribute to discussions and decisions in the division
• Challenge others to always produce work of the highest quality
• REST and RPC API implementation and maintenance (using Python)
• Develop and maintain automation tests
• Liaise with various internal stakeholders to discuss project requirements, progress, etc.

The skills we need:

• Solutions-oriented, can-do attitude, and high energy
• Strong analytical and critical thinking, using data to inform decisions
• Ability to dis-aggregate and structure solutions to ambiguous problems
• Solid quantitative skills
• Capability to present ideas succinctly, in writing and verbally
• Versatile and with the appetite to learn by doing

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or an Advanced Diploma in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent practical experience)
• 5 to 10 years in a software development role
• Experience with search technologies (Elasticsearch, Vertex AI Search, Solr, Algolia, OpenSearch, Meilisearch, Typesense or any other major third party provider)
• A thorough understanding of computer science fundamentals, including object-oriented design, data structures, and algorithms
• Experience in writing robust, efficient production code
• Proficient in a strongly typed open source language such as Python
• Exposure to RESTful APIs and web services
• Experience with SQL database systems
• Experience with development in a Linux environment

Experience in the following will be advantageous:

• Familiarity with microservices architecture
• Experience working in an Agile environment
• MySQL, PostgreSQL, MS SQL
• Memcached, Redis
• Message Brokers, Queues, and PubSub systems (e.g., Kafka and RabbitMQ)
• Containerisation (e.g., Docker)
• Orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes)
• GitHub, Travis CI, Jenkins
• AWS, GCP, Azure
• JavaScript, React, jQuery

Let’s talk about life @ Takealot Group

• The power is in your hands : We offer a market-related Total Remuneration Package that allows full flexibility according to your needs. Go on, be the master of your own destiny.
• No doors : We aren’t fans of stuffy offices or siloed work environments. See someone you like, high-five, collab, and make something great.
• Remote working : Enjoy the flexibility of working from home while having the option for in-office interactions. Takealot.com provides a fully remote setup with the choice to visit the office to relish in those water cooler moments when desired.
• Mentorship programme : We aren’t kidding when we say the people with the best people win. Now’s your chance to be one of the best by learning from the best.
• Naspers Tech Community & Online Learning : Share ideas and grow with global industry leaders who are all just a Slack message away. Love to learn? Up-skill with free access to courses on MyAcademy, Udacity, Coursera, and more.
• Good times : Get to know the other extraordinary minds at takealot.com during regular social events and out-of-office activities (think hikes, think mini golf, think good times).
• Staff discount: Takealotmore subscriptions and millions of products across 28 departments. What more could you ask for?
• Birthday leave : Cake Day all the way. Enjoy your day off - you deserve it.
• Right tools, right job : Mac or Linux, two monitors or one. Whatever your preference, you’ll work on the latest tech, off the latest tech.
• Help when you need it most : Confidential counselling, legal support, and financial guidance, anytime, anywhere.
• Tech stack (for days): ReactJS, Python, Scala, Kotlin, Swift, Google Cloud, Kafka, Redis, Kubernetes, and all things machine learning. If you build it, they will come.
• Free parking: No more 5km fun runs to your desk (unless you want to).

Takealot Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants from previously disadvantaged groups and people with disabilities will be given preference.