Backend Developer - Node.js / Typescript (m/f/x) (Hybrid)

ITONICS GmbH; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 300 000 - 700 000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking company as a Backend Engineer, where you will design and maintain high-performing backend systems that power innovative applications. You will work with cutting-edge technologies in a collaborative environment, contributing to a resilient microservices architecture on AWS. This role offers the opportunity to take ownership of your work, solve complex challenges, and influence technical decisions that impact users globally. With a culture that celebrates creativity and high performance, you'll thrive in a dynamic setting that prioritizes growth and learning opportunities while enjoying a competitive benefits package.

Benefits

Performance-related remuneration

Annual personal development budget

Corporate discounts

Team events

Flexible work environment

Qualifications

• 5+ years of backend engineering experience, ideally in SaaS environments.
• Proficient in Node.js and TypeScript, with strong AWS knowledge.
• Experience with RESTful and GraphQL APIs, and cloud infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement serverless architectures using AWS.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams in Agile environments.
• Maintain system performance and troubleshoot incidents.

Skills

Node.js

TypeScript

AWS

REST APIs

GraphQL

PostgreSQL

Microservices

Agile Methodologies

Communication Skills

Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Terraform

Bitbucket Pipelines

Docker

Job description

Your Contribution

As a Backend Engineer, you will play a central role in designing, implementing, and maintaining the scalable, secure, and high-performing backend systems that power our application landscape. Working closely with cross-functional teams, you’ll help build a resilient, serverless microservices architecture that integrates diverse data sources and services.

You will take ownership of your area, ensuring the quality, stability, and performance of both the code and architectural decisions you contribute to. You’ll apply your deep technical knowledge to solve complex problems, influence strategic technical decisions, and support the continuous evolution of our cloud infrastructure. Your work will directly contribute to the delivery of impactful features for users across the globe.

Your Day-to-Day Tasks

Architecture & Development
Design and implement a serverless, microservices-based architecture on AWS. Build secure and scalable backend services and APIs using Node.js and TypeScript. Integrate multiple data sources such as PostgreSQL, DynamoDB, ElasticSearch, S3, and various unstructured data sources via GraphQL and REST APIs. Contribute to all phases of the development lifecycle – from design through deployment and monitoring.

Collaboration & Agile Work
Work closely with cross-functional teams (frontend, product, QA, UX) in grooming, planning, code reviews, pair programming, and knowledge-sharing sessions. Translate business requirements into technical specifications and help prioritize and manage the backlog. Participate in daily standups and actively contribute to achieving your team’s sprint goals.

Cloud & DevOps (AWS Focus)
Work extensively with AWS services including Lambda, ECS, RDS, API Gateway, IAM, S3, and more. Support CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure provisioning with tools like Terraform and Bitbucket Pipelines (or GitHub Actions). Maintain system availability and performance using monitoring, metrics, and alerting tools. Troubleshoot and resolve incidents across environments and services, owning your work end-to-end.

Ownership & Continuous Learning
Take ownership of your systems and code – if something breaks, you’re there to help fix it. Proactively identify opportunities for technical improvement and scalability. Stay current with industry trends, tools, and technologies – especially in cloud-native development and AWS. Share learnings and foster a culture of engineering excellence within the team.

Your Skills & Qualifications

REQUIRED

• Experience:Minimum 5+ years of professional experience in backend engineering, ideally within SaaS or complex digital product environments.
• Node & TypeScript: Proficiency in Node.js and the NPM ecosystem. Experience writing clean, modular code in TypeScript, or a strong willingness to learn it quickly.
• Cloud Infrastructure (AWS): Hands-on experience with AWS, particularly Lambda, API Gateway, RDS, S3, IAM, and ECS. Demonstrated ability to build, scale, and maintain serverless infrastructure.
• Database & API Development:Solid knowledge of SQL (PostgreSQL preferred), OpenSearch, and data modeling. Proven experience building RESTful and/or GraphQL APIs that connect multiple data sources.
• Testing & Quality:Familiarity with writing unit and integration tests (e.g., using Jest). Understanding of CI/CD pipelines, version control, and deployment practices.
• Architecture & Design:Strong grasp of microservice architecture and backend design principles. Comfortable applying SOLID principles and designing for scalability and performance.
• Communication & Collaboration:Excellent communication skills in English (written and spoken). Proven ability to document technical work clearly and collaborate with international, cross-functional teams.
• Agile Practice: Experience working in Agile or Scrum teams, including participation in sprint planning, standups, and retrospectives.
• Senior Experience: Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills with the ability to advocate for design best practices. Exceptional sense of initiative, ownership, and accountability.

NICE TO HAVE

• Infrastructure-as-Code:Familiarity with tools like Terraform or CloudFormation to provision and manage cloud infrastructure.
• Containerization: Experience with Docker, and optionally container orchestration within ECS or similar platforms.
• Tooling & Scripting:Comfortable with Unix-based systems and scripting in Bash or similar environments.
• SaaS & Business Awareness:Understanding of SaaS metrics, subscription-based business models, or multi-tenant architecture.
• Monitoring & Optimization:Experience with observability tools, performance optimization, and using application metrics to diagnose and fix bottlenecks.
• Learning Mindset:Eagerness to stay up to date with the latest backend technologies, cloud advancements, and best practices.
• Global Collaboration:Cultural awareness and experience collaborating with remote, distributed teams in locations like Germany, Nepal, the USA, Paris, and South Africa.

OUR TECHNOLOGIES

• Frontend: TypeScript, JavaScript (ES6), Angular, D3.js, HTML5, Sass, CSS3
• State Management & Tooling: RxJS, NgRx, Nx
• Backend & Data Science:Node.js, GraphQL, REST APIs, Python

Why us?

At ITONICS, we’re driven by a Rockstar culture that thrives on talent, creativity, and a shared belief that “anything is possible.” We recognize and reward high performance, offering growth, learning opportunities, and a dynamic, supportive environment. Our team benefits from flexibility, diverse global perspectives, and cutting-edge tools, all while working on an agile SaaS platform that scales innovation for top clients worldwide. Enjoy meaningful work, robust benefits, and a culture where achievements are celebrated—both personal and professional. Join us to make an impact and grow your career.

We offer:

• Challenging and varied tasks in an innovative and growing company with a flat hierarchy, fast decision-making, and cutting-edge technologies.
• Attractive, performance-related remuneration and a competitive benefits package.
• Regular company and team events like local year-end & summer celebrations.
• Annual personal development budget for you to invest in your development via professional memberships, external certifications, conferences, and more.
• Save money with corporate discounts across brands like Adidas, LG, Bosch, Apple, and more.
• Be part of a highly motivated team that fosters active communication and knowledge sharing.