Lead Developer, Mobile Applications

Sun World International; Stellenbosch; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 900 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading agriculture technology firm is seeking a Lead Developer, Mobile Applications to drive the design and development of mobile and web applications for agronomists and growers. You will own the development lifecycle and lead a team to build user-centered digital products. The ideal candidate should have 4–8 years of experience in mobile development using frameworks like React Native or Flutter and possess a strong background in UI/UX design.

Qualifications

• 4–8 years of experience in full-stack or mobile app development.
• Proven experience designing intuitive UIs and workflows.
• Strong understanding of offline-first app design.

Responsibilities

• Architect and build mobile applications for data collection.
• Collaborate with teams to define roadmap priorities.
• Conduct user interviews to understand workflows.

Skills

Mobile app development

User-centered design

Team leadership

API integration

Education

University degree in Computer Science

Master's degree

Tools

React Native

Flutter

Figma

REST APIs

AWS

Job description

Join to apply for the Lead Developer, Mobile Applications role at Sun World International. We are seeking a Lead Developer, Mobile Applications to drive the design, development, and delivery of our suite of mobile and web applications used by agronomists, breeders, and growers in the field.

You will lead a cross‑functional team and play a critical role in translating user needs into scalable, intuitive digital products.

This is a hands‑on leadership role that blends technical expertise, product thinking, and team mentorship.

You will own the end‑to‑end development lifecycle — from field‑user workflows and UX prototypes to deployment and iteration — ensuring our tools deliver real impact to agriculture professionals around the world.

Responsibilities

• Lead Engineering Efforts: Architect and build mobile applications (React Native/Flutter) used in‑field by agronomists and researchers for data collection, photo tagging, and offline sync.
• Product Ownership: Collaborate with product, design, and agronomy teams to define roadmap priorities and feature specifications.
• User‑Centered Design: Conduct user interviews and field tests to understand agronomist workflows; iterate with Figma wireframes and user feedback loops.
• Team Leadership: Mentor junior developers, UI/UX interns, manage sprint cycles, and enforce coding standards and agile practices.
• Data & API Integration: Integrate mobile apps with backend systems including geospatial data, plant phenotyping records, and operational dashboards.
• Quality & Deployment: Own release cycles, CI/CD setup, and ensure application stability across devices and field conditions (offline‑first design).
• Dashboard Development: Shape and build an admin UI/dashboard used for managing field teams, assigning tasks, and visualizing agronomic insights.

Requirements

University degree in Computer Science with specialization in UI/UX, front end development preferred.

Master's a plus.

4–8 years of experience in full‑stack or mobile app development (React Native, Flutter, or similar frameworks).

Proven experience designing intuitive UIs and workflows (Figma, user research, usability testing).

Strong understanding of offline‑first app design and mobile sync patterns.

Experience working with REST APIs, cloud infrastructure (e.g., Firebase, AWS), and geospatial data preferred.

Prior team leadership or tech lead experience preferred.

Background in ag‑tech, field research, or life sciences domains preferred.

Seniority Level: Mid‑Senior level.

Employment Type: Full‑time.

Job Function: Engineering and Information Technology.

Industry: Research.