Senior Backend Developer, AI

Jobtailor; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor in Cape Town seeks a backend engineer to build and own scalable services using Java (Spring Boot) and Python, focused on reliability and real-time performance. You will integrate AI capabilities, work with AWS and containerized deployments, design clean APIs, and write tests to keep fast-moving systems stable while debugging production issues and taking ownership of every release.

You will collaborate with product teams, mentor peers, and shape architecture for low-latency,

Qualifications

• Strong experience with Java (Spring Boot) and Python backend systems.
• Experience building high-scale, low-latency distributed systems.
• Solid understanding of APIs, databases, caching, and event-driven systems (e.g., Kafka).
• Experience with cloud environments (AWS) and containerized deployments.
• Familiarity with LLM APIs, token usage, latency, and response handling.
• You are already using AI tools as part of your daily workflow.
• You know how to manage context, structure prompts, and get reliable outputs from AI systems.
• You don't trust AI blindly, you verify, refine, and take responsibility for every line shipped.

Responsibilities

• Build and own backend services using Java and Python designed for scale, reliability, and real-time use.
• Use AI tools to accelerate development, refactoring, and problem-solving.
• Turn product ideas into production-ready systems quickly, without compromising quality.
• Integrate AI capabilities into backend workflows where they add value.
• Act as the final filter for AI-generated code—identify flaws and inefficiencies before shipping.
• Design clean APIs, handle distributed system challenges, and ensure performance at scale.
• Write and validate tests to keep fast-moving systems stable.
• Debug production issues and take full ownership of reliability and performance.

Skills

Java (Spring Boot)

Python Backend Development

High-Scale Distributed Systems

APIs

Databases

Caching

Event-Driven Systems

Testing

Debugging

Tools

AWS

Docker

Kubernetes

Kafka

Job description

• Build and own backend services using Java, Spring Boot, and Python-designed for scale, reliability, and real-time use.


• Use AI tools (Amazon Q, Cursor, Copilot, Claude, GPT) to accelerate development, refactoring, and problem-solving.


• Turn product ideas into production-ready systems quickly, without compromising quality.


• Integrate AI capabilities (LLMs, RAG, vector search) into backend workflows where they add real value.


• Act as the final filter for AI-generated code-identify flaws, inefficiencies, and incorrect assumptions before they ship.


• Design clean APIs, handle distributed system challenges, and ensure performance at scale.


• Write and validate tests to keep fast-moving systems stable.


• Debug production issues and take full ownership of reliability and performance.

Requirements

• Strong experience with Java (Spring Boot) and Python backend systems.


• Experience building high-scale, low-latency distributed systems.


• Solid understanding of APIs, databases, caching, and event-driven systems (e.g., Kafka).


• Experience with cloud environments (AWS) and containerized deployments.


• Familiarity with LLM APIs, token usage, latency, and response handling.


• You are already using AI tools (Amazon Q, Cursor, Copilot, Claude, GPT) as part of your daily workflow.


• You know how to manage context, structure prompts, and get reliable outputs from AI systems.


• You don't trust AI blindly, you verify, refine, and take responsibility for every line shipped.

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in building and owning backend services using Java and Python, with a focus on scalability, reliability, and integration of AI capabilities. Proficient in designing APIs, managing distributed systems, and ensuring performance while leveraging AI tools for development efficiency.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Java (Spring Boot) Backend Development


• Python Backend Development


• High-Scale Distributed Systems


• Cloud Environments (AWS)


• AI Tool Integration (Amazon Q, Cursor, Copilot, Claude, GPT)

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Java


• Spring Boot


• Python


• APIs


• Databases


• Caching


• Event-Driven Systems


• Kafka


• Testing


• Debugging

Soft Skills

• Problem-Solving


• Attention to Detail


• Ownership

Industry Keywords

• Low-Latency Systems


• Real-Time Systems


• AI Capabilities


• LLM APIs


• Token Usage

Tools & Technologies

• AWS


• Containerized Deployments


• AI Tools