Experienced Backend Software Engineer

Zappi; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading SaaS provider in Cape Town is seeking a Software Engineer. You will work with cross-functional teams to deliver end-to-end solutions, enhancing platform experience while thriving in an agile environment. Ideal candidates have 4+ years of experience and demonstrate the ability to add value to a team. This role offers flexible working conditions and a supportive culture that values continuous improvement.

Benefits

Unlimited holidays

Company-paid mental health days

Private medical healthcare cover

Free coffee, lunches, and snacks

Well-being benefits such as free yoga

Qualifications

• More than 4 years of experience in engineering.
• Ability to demonstrate value addition in a team setting.
• Right to work in the advertised location or remote.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate closely with customers and stakeholders.
• Contribute to the product delivery lifecycle.
• Build scalable and user-friendly features.

Skills

Demonstrated senior engineer characteristics

Ability to learn new technologies

Value addition to a team

Job description

Zappi is a fast growing SaaS platform helping Fortune 500 companies pre-test new ideas and creative content before production. From new products, media campaigns, names, logos, packaging or flavours, Zappi allows companies to shelve bad ideas and improve on good ones. We bring together top expertise in applied statistics, data science, visualization, UX and engineering to create a platform that allows non-expert users to make high-stakes decisions easily and confidently. We believe it’s possible to run a profitable business while also having a positive impact on the environment and our communities

What we value

We believe in hiring people that want a chance to do their best work. We believe driven engineers operate best in high-trust, small, cross-functional teams who work together with the rest of the business to bring value to our customers.

We believe great engineering happens in great teams that value improvement, curiosity and continuous learning. We align as a business on the challenges we need to solve and trust teams solve them in the best possible way.

We value experimentation, failing fast and being bold. We practice continuous delivery and fast iteration. We hate politics, gate-keeping, unfairness and toxic behaviour. We believe in transparency, even when it’s unflattering. We believe in honesty, even when it’s uncomfortable. We treat failure as a learning opportunity. We believe in ethical and responsible business practices and having a positive impact on the environment and our communities.

What you will be working on

As a product engineer, you’ll be part of a cross-functional team comprising engineers, product managers, designers, and QA specialists. Your work will involve :

• Collaborating closely with customers and stakeholders to understand their needs and deliver valuable solutions.
• Contributing to the full end-to-end product delivery lifecycle — from ideation and design, through development, testing, deployment, and iteration.
• Building scalable, maintainable, and user-friendly features that enhance our platform experience.
• Working in an environment that embraces continuous integration, fast iteration, and frequent deployments.

What you will need

• You will need to be able to demonstrate characteristics of a senior / experienced engineer (this is generally more than 4 years experience)
• You are able to demonstrate how you add value to a team as a senior engineer, and what you expect from a high performing team
• You have transferable technical experience. We don’t need deep expertise in our tech stack if you can demonstrate your ability to learn new technologies
• You have the right to work in the location advertised or in any of our supported remote working countries

The Process

We understand that you may be involved in many interview processes, so we don’t expect our candidates to complete any take home exercises. If you apply for this role, you can expect the following :

• HR screening call A short 15 minute call with our hiring manager to check how suitable you are for the role and cover any administrative points.
• Manager Interview A 1 hour interview with a engineering manager to discuss your background, experience and motivations for the role. This will be a free flowing discussion, guided by our manager and will cover various areas of your experience.
• Technical Interview - This will usually last 2-2.5 hours and will take place with a small group of our engineers. This includes some quiet time to work though some exercises, then time to dive into your answers. We are not looking for perfect answers to all questions, what matters is your thought process and how you came to the answers. Expect to get stuck into in-depth technical discussions. There will also be time to learn about how we work, and what you will be working on.
• Cultural Interview - This is a 1 hour informal session, usually spent with your future team. This is a chance for you to learn more about what it's like working for Zappi and to hear more about what you will be working on. If you are based near one of our offices, we offer the option to come into the office for these so you can get a real feel for your working life with us!
• Unlimited holidays – we want well rested and motivated teams so encourage people to take plenty of time off. We don’t cap your allowance, but do set a minimum of at least 20 days per year plus national holidays
• Three company-paid mental health days of rest every year (these are pre-scheduled, so the entire company can take the same days off regularly to reset)
• Thoughtfully designed offices to support both individual work and collaboration without interrupting others
• Private medical healthcare cover
• Medical Aid
• Group risk, life & disability contributions
• Wellbeing benefits such as free yoga and access to trained therapists / counsellors
• Paid 24h secure parking in Cape Town
• Free coffee, lunches and in-office snacks
• Tailored personal development through training allowances, coaching, mentorship and career frameworks

We’ve been recognized as one of the hottest martech companies in 2022 by Business Insider and named Best Place to Work by Quirk’s Media for our engaging and inclusive workplace culture. We’re committed to both people and the planet.

Our belief in inclusion means we’re building an organisation of diverse individuals and helping brands eliminate cultural presumptions in their research. Read our Diversity Manifesto here.

We are a values and behaviours driven business and believe that Trust, Truth, Ownership, Ambition and Humility describe Zappi employees on our best day. This is how we strive to show up for our customers, for each other and for our communities.

Earning B Corp certification assures us we’re on the right track and have structures in place to become the business we want to be.

Our commitment to minimise our impact on the environment means being honest with ourselves and transparent with you—about everything from carbon emissions to tree-planting initiatives. We achieved our goal of becoming Net Zero in 2021!

• Winner of Comparably's Award for Best Company for Women 2022
• Winner of Comparably's Award for Best Company Work-Life Balance 2022
• Winner of Comparably's Award for Best Company Compensation 2022
• Winner of Comparably's Award for Best CEO for Women 2022
• Winner of Comparably's Award for Best Company for Diversity 2022
• Winner of Comparably's Award for Best Company Culture 2022
• Winner of Comparably's Award for Best CEO 2022
• Winner of Comparably's Award for Best Happiness 2022
• Winner of Comparably's Award for Best Leadership Teams 2023
• Winner of Comparably's Award for Best CEOs for Diversity 2023
• Winner of Comparably's Award for Best Engineering Teams 2023
• Winner of Comparably's Award for Best Company Outlook 2023
• Winner of Newsweek’s Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces in the UK 2022 & 2023
• Recognised by Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators 2023
• Winner of Best Marketing Insights Platform in the MarTech Breakthrough Awards 2023 & 2024

Zappi is an equal opportunity employer; our diversity is a major strength. We are committed to providing equal opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.

We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce fosters innovation, creativity, and success. Our hiring decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, and abilities, ensuring fairness and equity throughout our recruitment process. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply. Join our team and contribute to an inclusive environment where everyone's unique perspectives and talents are valued and respected.

Zappi is a leading consumer insights platform that connects brands with consumers. Through AI-powered software that delivers connected insights, Zappi empowers brands to make faster, smarter, and consumer-driven decisions by leveraging real-time, continuous consumer feedback.

Trusted by over 350 brands worldwide, Zappi helps create successful products, develop impactful ads, and build winning brands by keeping the voice of the consumer at the heart of every decision.

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Software Engineer • Cape Town, South Africa, ZA