Remote Lead Backend Engineer

Placements24; South Africa; Remote; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health insurance

Generous vacation policy

Growth opportunities including courses

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Backend Engineer to join their fully remote South Africa engineering team. You will steer architectural decisions, design scalable services, and mentor a group of backend developers across the globe.

The role requires 7+ years in backend development with hands-on experience in Python, Node.js, Java, or Go, plus strong database design (PostgreSQL/MySQL, MongoDB/Redis) and RESTful APIs. Excellent leadership and communication are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of backend development, with at least 2 years in a lead or senior role.
• Expertise in one or more backend languages such as Python, Node.js, Java, Go, or Ruby.
• Strong experience with relational and NoSQL databases and RESTful APIs.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and maintenance of scalable backend services and APIs.
• Architect data models and database solutions.
• Mentor backend engineers and enforce coding standards.
• Collaborate with frontend, product, and stakeholders to deliver features.
• Write high-quality, well-tested code and conduct reviews.
• Optimize performance and troubleshoot issues in production.
• Contribute to architectural decisions and technology roadmap.

Skills

Python (Django/Flask)

Node.js

Java (Spring Boot)

Go

Ruby

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

PostgreSQL

MySQL

MongoDB

Redis

RESTful APIs

Microservices

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

About the Role

Our client is actively seeking a talented and experienced Lead Backend Engineer to join their fully remote engineering team. This is a fantastic opportunity to shape the architectural direction of our client's core platform and lead a team of skilled backend developers. You will play a crucial role in designing, building, and scaling high-performance backend systems that power innovative applications. As a remote-first position, this role offers exceptional flexibility and the chance to collaborate with a diverse, globally distributed team. We are looking for a technical leader with a passion for clean code, robust architecture, and mentoring others to excel in their craft.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and maintenance of scalable, reliable, and secure backend services and APIs.
• Architect and implement robust data models and database solutions.
• Mentor and guide a team of backend engineers, fostering best practices and code quality.
• Collaborate with front-end developers, product managers, and other stakeholders to define and deliver new features.
• Write high-quality, well-tested, and maintainable code using modern backend languages and frameworks.
• Conduct thorough code reviews, providing constructive feedback to team members.
• Optimize application performance and identify areas for improvement.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues in production environments.
• Contribute to architectural decisions and technology roadmap planning.
• Stay abreast of the latest backend technologies and industry trends.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 7+ years of experience in backend development, with at least 2 years in a lead or senior role.
• Expertise in one or more backend languages such as Python (Django/Flask), Node.js, Java (Spring Boot), Go, or Ruby.
• Strong experience designing and working with relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) and/or NoSQL databases (e.g., MongoDB, Redis).
• Proven experience designing and consuming RESTful APIs.
• Familiarity with microservices architecture and related patterns.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and related services.
• Understanding of testing methodologies and frameworks.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fully remote, collaborative team environment.

Benefits

Our client offers a competitive salary, comprehensive health insurance, a generous vacation policy, and opportunities for professional growth and development, including conference attendance and training budgets.

This is a fully remote position, allowing you to work from anywhere in South Africa. You'll be part of a supportive and innovative team, working on exciting projects with cutting-edge technologies. We value work-life balance and provide the resources needed to succeed in a remote setting. Enjoy the freedom and flexibility of a remote role with a company that invests in its employees' careers.