AI Automation Engineer

Pty; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Pty in Johannesburg is seeking an AI Automation Engineer to design and deliver an AI-native Payments Operating System. You will combine AI engineering with payments domain expertise to automate critical processes and ensure scalable, auditable solutions.

The role requires hands-on experience with production-grade AI automation, LLM orchestration, and multi-agent systems; you will work with Spring AI/Python orchestration and n8n-like workflow engines to build robust platforms.

Qualifications

• Design and deploy production-grade AI automation workflows.
• Deep knowledge of LLM orchestration and multi-agent systems.
• Experience with Python-based orchestration and workflow engines.

Responsibilities

• Build and deploy agentic workflows for reconciliations, audit, and analytics.
• Integrate internal and external systems via APIs.
• Reduce manual effort by identifying automation opportunities across Payments operations.
• Maintain human oversight and approval controls where required.
• Ensure all workflows are production-ready, auditable, and compliant.

Skills

production-grade AI automation

LLM orchestration

multi-agent systems

Spring AI/Python orchestration

workflow engines (n8n)

Tools

n8n or equivalent

Job description

AI Automation Engineer

Johannesburg, South Africa

We are building anext-generation AI Payments Engineering Teamto design and deliver anAI-native Payments Operating System.

This team will combine AIengineering, payments domain expertise, and production automationtotransform high-effort, high-risk financial operations into scalable,intelligent, and auditable systems.

The team will focus onautomating critical Payments processes such as Least cost routing,reconciliations, audit, Incident automation, etc.

The mission is to deliverefficiency with control integrity—not just automation speed. This team shouldhave the ability to build, test, deploy, and maintain (solution and platform)the entire solution.

Requirements

Core Focus

Design and deployproduction-gradeAI automation workflowsthat drive immediate operational impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and deployagenticworkflowsfor:
  • Reconciliations
  • Audit & reportingpreparation
  • Financial analytics
  • Claude / Anthropic APIs
  • MCP or similar multi-agentcoordination layers
• Integrateinternal andexternal systemsvia:
  • APIs
  • Reporting systems
• Reduce manual effort by identifyingautomation opportunities across Payments operations
• Maintainhuman oversightand approval controlswhere required
• Ensure all workflows areproduction-ready,auditable, and compliant

AI Governance & Risk Management

• Classify all automation byrisktier before development
• Ensure each solution includes:
  • Named Process Owner
  • Documented data flows
  • Access controls
  • Full audit logging
• Design automation thatpreservescontrol integrity in regulated environments

Platform & Capability Building

• Developreusableframeworks, templates, and workflows
• Createdocumentation andstandardsto scale adoption
• Builddashboards andmetricsto measure:
  • Cost reduction
  • ROI
• Train Payments teams onAI-enabledworkflows and tools

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Work closely with:
  • Payments Backend teams
  • Infrastructure & platformteams
  • Compliance & audit teams
  • AI Center of Excellence
• Translate business and financerequirements intotechnical solutions and roadmaps
• Communicate effectivelywithtechnical and non-technical stakeholders

What the Team Brings

Technical Expertise

• Hands-on experiencedeployingproduction-grade AI/agentic systems
• Strong understanding of:
  • LLM orchestration
  • Multi-agent systems
  • AI failure modes in high-stakesenvironments
• Proficiency in:
  • Spring AI/Python-basedorchestration
  • Workflow engines (n8n orequivalent)

Systems & Architecture Thinking

• Strong architectural thinkingforscalable, future-ready platforms

Ways of Working

• Operates effectively infast-paced,ambiguous environments
• Strong ownership mindset with abias for execution

Ability to bridge businessand engineering domains