AI Systems Architect | Lead Distributed Platforms | Hybrid

Placements24; Polokwane; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Training and conference attendance

Career progression opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Software Architect in Polokwane, Limpopo to lead the design and evolution of core technology platforms. This senior role demands expertise in scalability, distributed systems, and architectural strategy to shape technical direction across multiple teams.

You will define standards, drive technology choices, and mentor engineers while collaborating with product management and stakeholders to deliver robust, high-performance software solutions.

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in software development with a focus on architecture.
• Proven track record designing and implementing large-scale distributed systems.
• Deep understanding of microservices, event-driven architecture, design principles, and data structures.
• Proficiency in Java, Python, C++, Go, and Node.js.
• Strong experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills.
• Exceptional communication, leadership, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Experience in AI/ML development environments is highly desirable.
• Ability to influence and guide technical decisions across multiple teams.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the overall software architecture for products and platforms.
• Develop and maintain architectural standards, guidelines, and best practices.
• Evaluate and select technologies to meet project and business needs.
• Lead design of distributed systems, microservices, and data pipelines.
• Collaborate with product management, engineering leads, and stakeholders to translate requirements into technical solutions.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineering teams.
• Conduct architectural reviews and ensure adherence to standards.
• Identify and mitigate technical risks and ensure long-term maintainability.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and drive adoption of modern practices.
• Champion innovation across the engineering organization.

Skills

Architectural design

Distributed systems

Leadership & mentoring

Communication with stakeholders

Problem solving

Education

Master's or Ph.D. in CS/Software Engineering

Tools

Java

Python

C++

Go

Node.js

Docker

Kubernetes

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Software Architect in Polokwane, Limpopo to lead the design and evolution of core technology platforms. This senior role demands expertise in scalability, distributed systems, and architectural strategy to shape technical direction across multiple teams.

You will define standards, drive technology choices, and mentor engineers while collaborating with product management and stakeholders to deliver robust, high-performance software solutions.