Senior Backend Engineer

Placements24; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical aid

Provident fund

Bonuses

Training & conferences

Annual leave

Job summary

Placements24 in Cape Town is seeking a senior backend engineer to design, develop, and maintain server-side logic, databases, and APIs for our innovative applications.

You will collaborate with frontend teams and product managers to deliver robust, scalable solutions, mentor juniors, and contribute to architectural discussions to ensure performant, secure backend systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field or equivalent work experience.
• 5+ years of professional backend experience.
• Proficiency in at least one major backend language (Python, Java, Node.js, Go, C#).
• Strong experience with relational databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL) and/or NoSQL (MongoDB, Cassandra).
• Experience designing and developing RESTful APIs.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and microservices is a plus.
• Knowledge of Git version control.
• Understanding of testing and CI/CD best practices.
• Excellent problem-solving and teamwork abilities.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain backend systems with reusable code.
• Develop and integrate APIs for various applications and services.
• Manage database solutions ensuring data integrity and performance.
• Collaborate with frontend developers to connect client-side and server-side logic.
• Write unit, integration, and end-to-end tests to ensure quality.
• Optimize applications for speed and scalability.
• Troubleshoot, debug, and upgrade existing systems.
• Participate in code reviews and provide constructive feedback.
• Contribute to architectural discussions and technical decisions.
• Mentor junior engineers and share knowledge within the team.

Skills

Python

Java

Node.js

Go

C#

Relational databases

NoSQL databases

RESTful APIs

Git

CI/CD

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

PostgreSQL

MySQL

MongoDB

Cassandra

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Backend Engineer to join their dynamic team in Cape Town. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in designing, developing, and maintaining the server-side logic, databases, and APIs that power our innovative applications. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of backend technologies, a passion for writing clean and efficient code, and a proven ability to tackle complex technical challenges. You will work collaboratively with frontend engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders to deliver robust and scalable solutions. This role requires strong problem-solving skills, a commitment to best practices, and the ability to mentor junior team members. We are looking for a proactive individual who can contribute to architectural discussions and drive technical excellence within the team, ensuring our backend systems are performant, secure, and maintainable.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain efficient, reusable, and reliable code for backend systems
• Develop and integrate APIs for various applications and services
• Implement and manage database solutions, ensuring data integrity and performance
• Collaborate with frontend developers to integrate user-facing elements with server-side logic
• Write unit, integration, and end-to-end tests to ensure code quality and application stability
• Optimize applications for maximum speed and scalability
• Troubleshoot, debug, and upgrade existing systems
• Participate in code reviews, providing constructive feedback to peers
• Contribute to architectural design discussions and technical decision-making
• Mentor junior engineers and share knowledge within the team

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent work experience
• 5+ years of professional experience in backend development
• Proficiency in at least one major backend programming language (e.g., Python, Java, Node.js, Go, C#)
• Strong experience with relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) and/or NoSQL databases (e.g., MongoDB, Cassandra)
• Experience designing and developing RESTful APIs
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and microservices architecture is a plus
• Knowledge of version control systems (e.g., Git)
• Understanding of software development best practices, including testing and CI/CD
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills
• Strong communication and teamwork abilities

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Medical aid, provident fund, and performance-based bonuses
• Exciting and challenging projects that have a significant impact
• Collaborative and supportive work environment in the vibrant city of Cape Town
• Professional development opportunities, including training and conference attendance
• Generous annual leave
• Significant potential for career growth and advancement within a rapidly expanding company
• Join a team of talented professionals dedicated to innovation and excellence