Graduate Research & Development Engineer: Innovation

A Bit About You; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 240,000 - 360,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Reimbursable communications allowance

Half-day off on birthday

Hybrid working

Home office setup

Alumni Buddy

Job summary

Clickatell in Cape Town invites graduates to join a 2027 Graduate Research & Development Engineer program. The role runs from 1 February 2027 to 30 November 2027 and requires candidates based in Cape Town for in-person collaboration.

You will work on creative problem solving, technology trends, and product development while gaining mentorship and hands-on experience in SaaS innovation.

Qualifications

• Recent graduate with a degree in a relevant field (Technology, Computer Science, Business, Innovation, etc.).
• Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
• Creative and forward-thinking mindset.
• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities.

Responsibilities

• Learn how to approach complex challenges with innovative solutions and explore new ideas.
• Stay on the cutting edge of technology and understand AI, ML, blockchain trends.
• Gain insights into the product development lifecycle from ideation to prototyping and testing.
• Conduct market research to identify opportunities and ensure competitiveness.

Skills

Creative problem solving

Critical thinking

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Technology/CS/Business/Innovation

Job description

We Are Innovators & Category Creators

Foundedin Cape Town, South Africa, in 2000, Clickatell made history as the first company to connect businesses on the internet with consumers on mobile phones via SMS, using just four lines of code. Today, it powers AI-driven chat commerce experiences for leading enterprises across banking, retail, travel, telecoms, healthcare and more, trusted by global brands including Fiserv, Ria, Discovery,Absa,GoTyme, Standard bank,FlySafair, Clientèle,Pickn Pay, Walmart, MTN, Telkom, Toyota, Europcar, and thousands of additional businesses across the US, Europe, and the Global South markets.

Over 25 years, Clickatell has continued to innovate and introduced a series of industry firsts, including the world’s first tokenized payments in WhatsApp; KYC-compliant chat banking; best-in-class conversational commerce utility use cases; and the launch of Chat-2-Pay in partnership with Visa. Its award‑winning, enterprise‑grade AI‑powered Chat Commerce Platform enables leading consumer brands to interact and transact with customers in the same chat interface they use every day to run their lives.

Purpose

Are you a recent graduate with a passion for innovation, a curious mind, and a desire to shape the future of the Software as a Service (SaaS) industry? If you're ready to be at the forefront of technological advancements and drive innovation in a dynamic environment, our Graduate Research & Development Engineer: Innovation might be the perfect opportunity for you to kickstart your career. This graduate program runs from1 February 2027 to 30 November 2027and is open to candidates who arecurrently based in Cape Town, as in‑person collaboration and participation will form part of the experience.

We Do The Right Things

Responsibilities of the Role

What You'll Learn and Do:

• Creative Problem Solving:Learn how to approach complex challenges with innovative solutions.You'llbe encouraged to think creatively, challenge conventions, and find novel ways to address industry‑specific problems.

• Technology Trends:Stay on thecutting edgeof technology. Explore emerging trends like AI, machine learning, blockchain, and more, and understand how these innovations can be applied to enhance our SaaS offerings.

• Product Development:Gain insights into the entire product development lifecycle.You'llbe involved in concept ideation, prototyping, testing, and implementation of new features and products.

• Market Research:Understand customer needs and market dynamics. Conduct research toidentifyopportunities for innovation, ensuring that our solutionsremaincompetitive and meet evolving demands.

Why Join Us:

• Innovation Culture:Be part of a culture that values and rewards innovation. We encourage and support employees to explorenew ideasand turn them into reality.

• Mentorship:Benefit from the guidance of industry leaders and experts who are passionate about nurturing the next generation of innovators.

• Career Growth:Our program is designed to propel you into a fulfilling career in innovation and technology.We provide opportunities for advancement and skill development.

• Impact:Your work will have a direct impact on our SaaS offerings and the industries we serve.You'llhelp shape the future of technology solutions.

Ifyou'reexcited about the prospect of being an innovator in the SaaS industry and believe you have what it takes,thenwe’dlike to hear from you.

WeAreOnALearning Journey

Requirementsof the Role

• Recent graduate with a degree in a relevant field (Technology, Computer Science, Business, Innovation, etc.)

• Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills

• A creative and forward-thinking mindset

• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities

• An eagerness to learn and adapt tonew technologies

A Bit About You

Behavioral competency requirements of a Highflyer:

• Team Player: Self-directed and dedicated team player who positively engages with the team to solve.

• OptimizingProcesses: Optimallyutilizesthe tools and resources available to maximizes output. Conducts day‑to‑day operations using best practice to achieve effectiveness and accuracy. Continuously reviews and makes recommendations for process improvements.

• Expert Thinker: Equipped with specialist knowledge and makes recommendations that are practical,smartand ready to implement. Remainsup‑to‑datein the industry and offers technical advice, and support to own team and others.

• Effective Problem‑Solver: Resourceful, persistent, and creative when solving problems. Able to be analytical and follow a logical process to make decisions. Finds the balance between a good and quick decision through experience and knowledge. Able to present and explain thinking and the resulting decision.

• Connecting Collaboratively: Actively connects to bring cohesion and deliver excellence. Sees the value in working closely with different specialities and teams to ensure all operations are aligned to meet the requiredobjectives.

• Maximizing Awareness: Recognizes emotions and how it affectsbehaviorand relationships. Self‑aware andpicks up onemotional cues in situations. Self‑manages and empowered to show initiative, follow through on commitments, and work well in a team. Listens, reflects, and responds effectively to constructive criticism.

• Enabling Strategy: Implements the action plansin order toproduce practical outputs while considering the implication, and consequences for the organization and our customers.

• Action Orientated Mindset: Know‑how to skilfully approach technical activities to deliver value. Eager to deliver new or improved solutions to drive the organization forward. Focused on what needs to be done and ensures follow‑through on all commitments.

• Embracing Change: Invites change and stays focused andresilient, andchooses responses that are positive when feeling uncertain. Remains flexible, adaptable, and open to opportunities to be innovative. Uses failure as an opportunity to learn and grows. Thinks ahead,anticipates, and acts.

• Driving Delivery: Goal‑oriented and monitors processes and systems to ensure tracking towards goals despite challenging and stressful situations. Setshigh standardsfor quality and performance and provides metrics to show improvements as well as real‑time variance for effective tracking.

Why You Should Join

Perks of the Role

• Reimbursable communications allowance for internet and mobile phone bills

• Half‑day off on your birthday

• Hybrid working with access to office hubs asnecessary.

• Home office set‑up with laptop,monitorand other related items.

• Alumni Buddy for support through navigating the world of work.

Stronger Together

At Clickatell, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging is at the core of who we are - from how we build our product platforms to how we build our workforce. We believe that we are stronger together and byleveragingthe power of diversity and inclusion, weare able togenerate innovative ideas to revolutionize the way the world uses chat technology. We create common ground - Our platform is for all, and so is our workplace. Everyone is welcome atClickatelland our employees feel psychologically safe and empowered to show up with their authentic selves at work.