Backend /Platform Engineer (Senior or strong mid-level) - Rosebank

Hewitt Colenbrander Recruitment; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Hewitt Colenbrander Recruitment seeks a technical profilé to drive backend, data architecture, and frontend optimizations in a demanding environment. You will handle enterprise C#/.NET development, SQL Server data modelling, and integration pipelines while leveraging Azure services and modern frontend tech.

The role emphasizes autonomy, product alignment, and modern development practices, including AI-assisted workflows and observability.

Qualifications

• Extensive commercial experience with C# and .NET in large codebases.
• Proficient SQL Server design, data modelling and EF Core migrations.
• Data ingestion, reconciliation, and automated reporting via SQL and scripting (Python/TypeScript).
• RBAC and RLS implemented at API layer for strong access control.
• Azure-focused ops including App Services, CI/CD, Key Vault, and Service Bus.
• Frontend experience with React and TypeScript for complex client-side flows.
• Mobile-friendly web apps and performance tuning for constrained devices.

Responsibilities

• Full-Stack approach across APIs, databases, and frontend architectures.
• Autonomy and proactive project leadership with minimal supervision.
• Align technical solutions with product strategy and market needs.
• Integrate AI-assisted tools to optimize development workflows and quality.
• Work with data analytics stacks and server-side streaming patterns where needed.
• Familiarity with observability and end-to-end testing tools is valued.

Skills

C# & .NET

SQL Server

EF Core

Python

TypeScript

RBAC

RLS

Azure

CI/CD

React

Tools

Azure App Services

Azure Pipelines

Key Vault

EF Core

ClickHouse/BigQuery/Snowflake/Redshift

Service Bus

React

PWAs

Cypress/Playwright

Job description

Technical Profile & Core Competencies

Backend & Data Architecture

• Enterprise .NET Development: Extensive commercial experience with C# and .NET, managing complex business logic within large, established codebases.
• Relational Database Design: Proficient in SQL Server and relational data modelling, including advanced schema design, optimization, and Entity Framework (EF) Core migration management.
• Data Integration & Automation: Skilled in writing SQL alongside scripting languages (Python or TypeScript) to handle data ingestion, reconciliation pipelines, and automated reporting.
• Access Control: Proven track record of implementing robust security architectures, specifically Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and Row-Level Security (RLS) at the API layer.

Cloud & Distributed Systems

• Azure Production Environments: Hands-on experience deploying and managing infrastructure via Azure App Services, containerized environments, Azure Pipelines (CI/CD), and Key Vault.
• Asynchronous Architecture: Expertise in building and maintaining background services and message consumers utilizing Azure Service Bus for scheduled jobs, reminders, and event-driven processing.

Frontend & Performance Optimization

• Modern Frontend Web: Commercial experience with React and TypeScript, specifically managing complex client-side state and multi-step workflows.
• Performance-Constrained Engineering: Proven ability to build mobile-first web applications optimized for resource-constrained environments, including low-end Android devices and restricted browsers.

Engineering Mindset & Adaptability

• Legacy Codebase Inheritance: Demonstrated ability to successfully adopt, navigate, and optimize existing, complex codebases written by other developers.

Duties

1. Full-Stack Mentality: Demonstrates a holistic approach to development, with a willingness to work seamlessly across APIs, databases, and front-end architectures rather than specializing in a single layer.
2. Autonomy & Proactivity: High level of self-direction, with a proven track record of taking initiative and driving projects forward independently.
3. Product-Centric Outlook: Possesses a genuine curiosity about the overarching product strategy and market dynamics, ensuring technical solutions align with broader business goals.
4. Modern Development Practices: Integrates AI-assisted development tools into daily workflows to optimize efficiency and code quality.
5. Data & Analytics (Preferred but Learnable): Experience with ClickHouse or alternative columnar analytics databases (BigQuery, Snowflake, Redshift). Proficient in authoring complex aggregation reports.
6. AI & LLM Integration (Critical for Role 1): Hands-on experience integrating LLM APIs, implementing tool-calling functionalities, or building Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers.
7. Advanced Front-End & Streaming: Proficiency with Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), service workers, and push notifications, alongside experience implementing streaming UI patterns like Server-Sent Events (SSE) and incremental rendering.
8. Observability & Testing: Familiarity with structured observability frameworks (e.g., OpenTelemetry) and modern end-to-end testing tools such as Cypress or Playwright.
9. Domain Expertise: Prior exposure to captive portals, hotspots, Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs), or ISP platforms (highly valued but treated as a bonus rather than a strict filtering criterion).