Full Stack Developer

Orion Labs; Cape Town; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid Cape Town office

Learning budget

Job summary

Orion Labs in Cape Town is seeking a talented Full Stack Developer to join our team. You will work on complex enterprise-scale projects, building modern web applications from the ground up. The ideal candidate is comfortable across the stack, from database design to front-end implementation, and passionate about clean, maintainable code.

We offer a hybrid work arrangement in Cape Town, competitive compensation, learning budgets, and opportunities to grow with great clients worldwide.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of professional full-stack web development experience.
• Strong proficiency in JavaScript/TypeScript and modern ES6+ features.
• Experience with React and Next.js for building modern web apps.
• Backend experience with Node.js and REST APIs.
• Relational DB knowledge with PostgreSQL.
• Experience with Payload CMS or similar headless CMS is a plus.
• Proficient Git workflows and Scrum teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain full-stack web applications using React, Next.js, Node.js, and PostgreSQL.
• Build responsive UI with Tailwind CSS and modern front-end libraries.
• Develop robust RESTful APIs and back-end services in Node.js.
• Model relational databases and optimize queries (PostgreSQL).
• Implement authentication and authorization with OAuth/JWT; ensure security best practices.
• Work with Payload CMS and Directus to manage content models and APIs.
• Write clean, well-documented code and participate in code reviews.
• Collaborate across design, PM, and dev teams; contribute to architecture decisions.
• Maintain CI/CD pipelines and deploy to cloud platforms (AWS/Azure).

Skills

JavaScript/TypeScript

React

Next.js

Node.js

PostgreSQL

REST APIs

Payload CMS

Git

Scrum

Tailwind CSS

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field

Tools

Payload CMS

Git

Docker

Job description

About Us

Orion Labs is a small, fast-growing consulting company building modern software and infrastructure for clients around the world. We’re collaborative and hands-on with dynamic technologies. You’ll join a supportive team with real ownership, lots of room to learn, and clear opportunities to grow your career while doing meaningful work for great clients.

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Full Stack Developer

Full-time Cape Town (hybrid)

About Us

Orion Labs is a small, fast-growing consulting company building modern software and infrastructure for clients around the world. We’re collaborative and hands-on with dynamic technologies. You’ll join a supportive team with real ownership, lots of room to learn, and clear opportunities to grow your career while doing meaningful work for great clients.

Job Description

We are seeking a talented Full Stack Developer to join our team. You will work on complex enterprise-scale projects, building modern web applications from the ground up. The ideal candidate is comfortable working across the entire stack, from database design to front-end implementation, and is passionate about writing clean, maintainable code.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain full-stack web applications using React, Next.js, Node.js, and PostgreSQL.
• Build responsive and intuitive user interfaces with modern front-end frameworks and libraries such as Tailwind CSS and Shadcn UI.
• Develop robust RESTful APIs and back-end services using Node.js.
• Design and optimize relational database schemas and queries (PostgreSQL/Supabase).
• Implement authentication, authorization, and security best practices (OAuth, JWT, session management).
• Design, implement, and maintain content models, APIs, and integrations using headless CMS platforms, primarily Payload CMS and Directus.
• Write clean, maintainable, and well-documented code following industry best practices.
• Collaborate with designers, project managers, and other developers to deliver high-quality solutions.
• Participate in code reviews and contribute to team knowledge sharing.
• Troubleshoot and debug applications across the full stack.
• Practice test-driven development (TDD) and implement automated testing (unit, integration, end-to-end).
• Set up and maintain CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions) for deployments across AWS, Azure, and Oracle Cloud.
• Deploy and operate modern web apps on varius cloud platforms such as AWS, Railway and Vercel.
• Integrate and manage Supabase (PostgreSQL) where applicable.
• Stay up-to-date with emerging technologies and industry trends.
• Contribute to technical documentation and architecture decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in full-stack web development.
• Strong proficiency in JavaScript/TypeScript and modern ES6+ features.
• Extensive experience with React and Next.js for building modern web applications.
• Solid experience with Node.js for back-end development.
• Strong knowledge of PostgreSQL or other relational databases.
• Experience with RESTful API design and development.
• Hands-on experience building production applications with Payload CMS.
• Proficiency with Git version control and collaborative development workflows.
• Proven experience working in agile teams using Scrum (sprints, standups, retrospectives, and backlog refinement).
• Understanding of responsive design principles and CSS frameworks (Tailwind CSS, etc.).
• Knowledge of authentication/authorization mechanisms (JWT, OAuth, etc.).
• Familiarity with cloud platforms, particularly AWS.
• Experience with containerization (Docker) is a plus.
• Understanding of CI/CD pipelines and deployment processes.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.

Technical Stack

• Front-end: React, Next.js, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS
• Back-end: Node.js, Express.js, TypeScript
• Database: PostgreSQL, Supabase
• CMS / Content: Payload CMS (primary), Directus, Strapi (nice to have)
• Cloud: AWS, Azure, Oracle Cloud
• DevOps: Docker, CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions), Infrastructure as Code
• Hosting/Platform: Vercel
• Tools: Git, Slack, Trello/ClickUp, VS Code

Benefits

We offer competitive compensation, hybrid working with a few days per week in our Cape Town office, flexible hours, a learning and certification budget, and a supportive, low-ego team that values work–life balance and growth.

Inclusive Hiring

We hire for skill, potential, and values. In South Africa’s diverse context, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and aim to provide a fair, inclusive process. If you have the skills and drive, we’d love to hear from you.