Senior Backend Developer - Fully Remote

Placements24; LegKraal Gate; Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Professional development

Conferences & certifications

Flexible hours

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Backend Developer to join a fully remote engineering team across South Africa. You will architect and implement scalable backend systems powering critical business operations and mentor junior developers.

You’ll design microservices, implement APIs (REST/gRPC), work with PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, and deploy via CI/CD. The role emphasizes cloud platforms, Docker/Kubernetes, testing, and strong collaboration in a remote-first culture.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional backend experience.
• Designing and building scalable microservices architectures.
• Expertise in one or more backend languages (Python, Go, Java, Node.js).
• Deep understanding of PostgreSQL/MySQL/MongoDB databases and data modeling.
• Experience with RESTful and gRPC APIs and cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Proficient with Docker/Kubernetes and CI/CD pipelines.
• Strong testing practices and code quality focus.
• Excellent communication for remote collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and deploy scalable backend services and APIs.
• Lead architectural design discussions and roadmap decisions.
• Develop robust data models and database solutions.
• Implement and manage CI/CD pipelines for automated deployments.
• Optimize performance and resource utilization.
• Write unit, integration, and end-to-end tests.
• Mentor junior engineers and guide best practices.
• Collaborate with frontend, PMs, and stakeholders.
• Troubleshoot production issues and ensure reliability.
• Champion security and DevOps practices.

Skills

Backend development

Microservices

APIs design

Cloud platforms

Containerization

Version control

Testing

Problem solving

Remote collaboration

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

PostgreSQL

MySQL

MongoDB

Git

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a leading SaaS provider renowned for its innovative enterprise solutions, is seeking an experienced Senior Backend Developer to join their distributed, fully remote engineering team. This is a unique opportunity to architect and implement scalable, high-performance backend systems that power critical business operations for clients worldwide. As a remote-first organization, we offer unparalleled flexibility and autonomy, allowing you to work from anywhere within **South Africa**. You will play a vital role in mentoring junior developers, driving technical strategy, and contributing to the continuous evolution of our robust platform. If you are passionate about building complex, mission-critical systems and thrive in a collaborative, remote environment, this role is for you.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and deploy scalable, reliable, and secure backend services and APIs using modern programming languages (e.g., Python, Go, Java).
• Lead architectural design discussions and contribute to technology roadmap decisions.
• Develop and maintain robust data models and database solutions (SQL and NoSQL).
• Implement and manage CI/CD pipelines for efficient and automated deployments.
• Optimize application performance, scalability, and resource utilization.
• Write comprehensive unit, integration, and end-to-end tests to ensure high code quality.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior and mid-level backend engineers.
• Collaborate effectively with frontend developers, product managers, and other stakeholders.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues in production environments.
• Champion best practices in software development, security, and DevOps.

Requirements

• 5+ years of professional experience in backend software development.
• Proven expertise in designing and building scalable microservices architectures.
• Strong proficiency in one or more backend languages such as Python, Go, Java, or Node.js.
• Deep understanding of database technologies (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB) and database design principles.
• Extensive experience with API design (RESTful, gRPC) and development.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Proficiency in version control systems, especially Git.
• Strong understanding of software testing principles and methodologies.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and debugging skills.
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills, essential for a **remote** team.

Benefits

• Highly competitive annual salary of R .
• Fully remote position, offering flexibility to work from anywhere in South Africa .
• Comprehensive health insurance, retirement plan, and other benefits.
• Generous opportunities for professional development, including conferences and certifications.
• Chance to work on challenging projects with cutting-edge technologies.
• Collaborative and supportive engineering culture that values innovation.
• Significant impact on product development and company growth.
• Flexible working hours conducive to a remote lifestyle.