Senior AI Software Engineer - Midrand / Hybrid - R900K PA

E-Merge; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 810,000 - 990,000; Full time

Job summary

E-Merge is seeking a Senior AI Software Engineer to design, build, and scale production-grade AI-enabled software systems. You will work with engineering leadership, platform teams, and security stakeholders to deliver reliable, observable software at enterprise scale in a hybrid Midrand setting.

Responsibilities span backend services, API design, and end-to-end delivery of AI-enabled applications, with a focus on security, observability, and CI/CD practices.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of hands-on software engineering experience, at Senior/Staff/Principal level.
• Shipping production systems that other engineers rely on.
• Deep proficiency in one or more modern backend languages and AI integrations.
• Experience with security, observability, and CI/CD practices.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain scalable backend services and AI-enabled apps.
• Develop secure, observable, and production-ready distributed systems.
• Contribute across architecture, implementation, code review, testing, and ops readiness.
• Design and evolve APIs, integrations, and message-driven workflows.
• Collaborate with platform, infra, security, and engineering teams for reliability.
• Drive engineering best practices: CI/CD, testing automation, observability, security, releases.
• Mentor engineers and participate in technical design discussions.
• Translate complex AI decisions into clear documentation for stakeholders.
• Support continuous improvement in quality, reliability, and delivery processes.

Skills

Python

TypeScript / Node.js

Java

Go

AI/ML platform integration

LLM application development

Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)

Vector databases

Kubernetes / Docker

Cloud platforms (AWS preferred)

Terraform / Infrastructure-as-Code

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

AWS

Terraform

Job description

We are looking for a highly experienced Senior AI Software Engineer to help design, build, and scale production-grade AI-enabled software systems within a modern engineering environment.

This role is suited to a senior individual contributor who thrives in deeply technical environments and is passionate about engineering quality, platform reliability, distributed systems, and pragmatic AI integration. You will work closely with engineering leadership, platform teams, and security stakeholders to deliver resilient, observable, and secure software systems that operate at enterprise scale.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, build, and maintain scalable backend services and AI-enabled applications.
• Develop secure, observable, and production-ready distributed systems.
• Contribute hands-on across architecture, implementation, code review, testing, and operational readiness.
• Design and evolve APIs, service integrations, and message-driven workflows.
• Collaborate with platform, infrastructure, security, and engineering teams to deliver reliable software solutions.
• Drive engineering best practices across:
  • CI/CD
  • Testing automation
  • Observability
  • Security engineering
  • Release governance
• Participate in technical design discussions and provide mentorship to engineering teams.
• Translate complex technical and AI engineering decisions into clear technical documentation for engineering, security, and audit stakeholders.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives across engineering quality, reliability, and delivery processes.

Essential Engineering Experience:

• 8+ years of hands-on software engineering experience, including experience operating at Senior, Staff, or Principal Engineer level.
• Proven experience shipping production systems that other engineers and teams depend on.
• Deep proficiency in at least one modern backend language such as:
  • Python
  • TypeScript / Node.js
  • Java
  • Go
  • AI/ML platform integration
  • LLM application development
  • Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
  • Vector databases
  • Kubernetes / Docker
  • Cloud platforms (AWS preferred)
  • Terraform / Infrastructure-as-Code

Reference Number for this position is GZ61340 which is a contract position based in Midrand / Hybrid offering a cost to company salary of R900k per annum negotiable on experience and ability.