Principal Platform Architect — AI-Driven & Scalable

Catch; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Catch is seeking a Principal Engineer to be the technical authority for its software platform. You will shape the architectural direction, work across several squads, and contribute code where it matters, reporting to the Head of Tech. Location: Johannesburg, four days per week in the Sandton office.

Permanent, full-time role with high accountability. You’ll lead platform evolution, set standards, and ensure coherence across teams, championing TDD and a strong code-review culture while guiding

Qualifications

• 8+ years of software development experience with architecture across teams.
• 5+ years hands-on Java in production environments.
• Experience aligning architecture with business strategy.
• Proficiency in CI/CD, automated testing, and deployment workflows (GitHub).
• Hands-on experience with AI-assisted engineering approaches.
• Salesforce/Apex experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical direction and architecture across squads with guardrails.
• Define platform standards and decide stack and evolution pace.
• Ensure coherence of architecture as teams scale and patterns re‑apply.
• Review designs and defend technical decisions under pressure.
• Promote test‑driven development and code review culture.
• Partner with Head of Tech to translate business goals into technical roadmaps.

Skills

Java

CI/CD pipelines

TDD

AI-assisted engineering

Architecture governance

Education

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

Tools

GitHub Actions

Salesforce Apex

Job description

Catch is seeking a Principal Engineer to be the technical authority for its software platform. You will shape the architectural direction, work across several squads, and contribute code where it matters, reporting to the Head of Tech. Location: Johannesburg, four days per week in the Sandton office.

Permanent, full-time role with high accountability. You’ll lead platform evolution, set standards, and ensure coherence across teams, championing TDD and a strong code-review culture while guiding