Mid-Level Computer Systems Engineer

Datafin It Recruitment; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 500 000 - 700 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency is looking for a Mid-Level Computer Systems Engineer in Cape Town to drive advancements in data and signal processing. The role involves installing, maintaining, and optimizing complex systems. Candidates should have relevant technical qualifications and extensive experience in data center environments. This position offers a chance to work in a cutting-edge organization known for its innovation and collaborative culture.

Qualifications

• 7 years relevant experience with a National Diploma.
• 6 years with a BSc degree.
• 4 years with an MTech degree.
• 3 years with an Eng degree.
• 1 year with a PhD.

Responsibilities

• Install, implement, and maintain computing systems.
• Monitor the infrastructure in place.
• Contribute to infrastructure planning.
• Assist in performance tuning and reliability improvements.
• Apply automation and scripting.

Skills

Server installation

Monitoring and diagnostics

Hardware upgrades

Basic networking

Containerization

Education

National Diploma in Information Technology

BSc in relevant field

MTech in relevant field

Eng in relevant field

PhD in relevant field

Tools

HPE

Dell

Supermicro

Docker

Kubernetes

GitLab CI

Ansible

Terraform

Job description

Overview

IntroductionA Radio Astronomy companyDescriptionENVIRONMENT : JOIN a cutting-edge scientific and technology organisation driving advancements in large-scale data and signal processing.

The team is seeking a Mid-Level Computer Systems Engineer to support the development, integration, and maintenance of computer hardware and associated systems that underpin complex technical and operational objectives.

In this role, you'll help implement and maintain robust, secure, and high-performing infrastructure under the guidance of senior engineers.

You'll contribute to the ongoing delivery and optimisation of systems by deploying, monitoring, upgrading, troubleshooting, and restoring key components — applying sound Systems Engineering principles throughout.

Responsibilities

• Install, implement and maintain computing systems and infrastructure.
• Monitor the infrastructure in place.
• Contribute to infrastructure planning and system integration efforts.
• Assist in performance tuning and reliability improvements.
• Apply basic automation and scripting to improve operations.
• Support containerized environments and cloud infrastructure.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and contribute to documentation and knowledge sharing.

Requirements

Qualifications

• National Diploma in Information Technology, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Electronic Engineering, or a related field, with 7 years' relevant experience.
• BSc in the above fields, with 6 years' experience.
• MTech in the above fields, with 4 years' experience.
• Eng in the above fields, with 3 years' experience.
• PhD in the above fields, with 1 year's relevant experience.

Experience

• Practical experience working in data centres or server room environments.
• Proven experience with server installation, monitoring, diagnostics, and maintenance.
• Skilled in hardware upgrades, component replacement, and repairs.
• Hands‑on experience with Operating Systems and Infrastructure‑as‑a‑Service (IaaS) tools.
• Proficiency in asset management, including maintaining asset registers, system and architecture mapping, warranty tracking, and related documentation.
• Basic networking experience, including cabling, configuration, and fault isolation.
• Exposure to SANs and storage systems.
• Experience collaborating in international or cross‑functional teams, especially those focused on data platforms, networking, or systems engineering.

Knowledge

• Solid grasp of systems engineering principles, including performance optimisation and fault tolerance.
• Hands‑on experience with hardware monitoring, diagnostics, and break/fix repairs (HPE, Dell, Supermicro, etc.).
• Skilled in managing component and spare part inventories, tools, and workspaces for system assembly.
• Experience working with service levels (SLAs) and familiarity with frameworks such as SRE, ITIL, and COBIT.
• Proficient in remote infrastructure management and monitoring.
• Working knowledge of networking fundamentals and troubleshooting.
• Familiarity with containerisation tools (Docker, Podman), orchestration platforms (Kubernetes, Helm), and container runtime environments.
• Understanding of Infrastructure‑as‑Code (IaC) and CI / CD methodologies, using tools like GitLab CI, Ansible, and Terraform.
• Sound knowledge of IT security principles, including change management, access control, and physical / logical security.

Advantageous :

• Practical experience in infrastructure design and automation, distributed systems, observability, CI / CD, container orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes), DevOps / SRE practices, and cloud‑native technologies.

While we would really like to respond to every application, should you not be contacted for this position within 10 working days please consider your application unsuccessful.