Lead Backend Engineer (Microservices)

Placements24; Kempton Park; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonuses

Medical benefits

Pension plan

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Backend Engineer to spearhead backend development in Gauteng. You will architect scalable microservices, mentor a team of engineers, and define coding standards while collaborating with product, DevOps, and frontend teams to deliver secure, high-performance solutions.

The role requires guiding technical strategy, ensuring resilience, and driving adoption of new technologies in a fintech environment. Candidates should have strong leadership and communication skills.

Qualifications

• Master's or Bachelor's in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field.
• 7+ years of backend development with a focus on microservices.
• Proficient in Java, Go, Python, or C#.
• Experience designing distributed systems and APIs (REST/gRPC).
• Strong understanding of Docker and Kubernetes; cloud experience (AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Solid knowledge of relational and NoSQL databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, Cassandra).

Responsibilities

• Lead design and development of scalable, secure microservices.
• Architect and implement backend solutions meeting performance requirements.
• Mentor and manage a team of backend engineers.
• Define and enforce coding standards, patterns, and best practices.
• Collaborate with frontend teams, product managers, and DevOps to deliver end-to-end solutions.
• Oversee integration of third-party services and APIs; drive adoption of new technologies.
• Conduct thorough code reviews and provide feedback; ensure security and compliance.

Skills

Distributed systems

Backend leadership

Code reviews

Team mentoring

Problem solving

Education

Master's or Bachelor's in CS/SE

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

AWS

Azure

GCP

PostgreSQL

Cassandra

REST APIs

gRPC

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a prominent financial technology firm, is seeking an experienced and visionary Lead Backend Engineer to spearhead their backend development initiatives in Tembisa, Gauteng. This leadership position involves architecting, developing, and maintaining highly scalable and performant microservices that form the backbone of our innovative financial platforms. You will play a crucial role in defining technical strategies, leading a team of talented engineers, and ensuring the resilience and security of our systems. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of distributed systems, a passion for clean code, and a proven ability to drive technical excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of scalable, resilient, and secure microservices using languages like Java, Go, or Python.


• Architect and implement robust backend solutions that meet stringent performance and reliability requirements.


• Mentor and manage a team of backend engineers, fostering their professional development and ensuring high productivity.


• Define and enforce coding standards, best practices, and design patterns for backend development.


• Collaborate closely with frontend teams, product managers, and DevOps engineers to deliver seamless end-to-end solutions.


• Oversee the integration of third-party services and APIs.


• Drive the adoption of new technologies and methodologies to enhance the backend ecosystem.


• Conduct thorough code reviews and provide constructive feedback to team members.


• Ensure the security and compliance of backend systems with industry regulations.


• Troubleshoot and resolve complex production issues, ensuring minimal downtime.

Requirements

• Master's or Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.


• Extensive experience (7+ years) in backend development, with a significant focus on microservices architecture.


• Demonstrated expertise in at least one modern backend language (Java, Go, Python, C#).


• Proven experience designing and building distributed systems and APIs (RESTful, gRPC).


• Strong understanding of containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes).


• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and related services.


• Proficiency in database technologies, including SQL and NoSQL databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, Cassandra).


• Solid understanding of system design, data structures, and algorithms.


• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills are critical for this role in Tembisa, Gauteng.


• Experience with message queuing systems (e.g., Kafka, RabbitMQ) is a plus.

Benefits

Our client provides a highly competitive remuneration package, including performance bonuses, comprehensive medical and retirement benefits, and generous leave allowances. We are committed to employee development, offering opportunities for advanced training, conference attendance, and career progression within a challenging and rewarding fintech environment. Employees in Tembisa, Gauteng will benefit from a supportive team culture and the chance to work on transformative financial technologies.