Senior Backend Engineer (Java)

Placements24; Bloemfontein; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical aid

Life insurance

Retirement fund

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Our client, a leading financial services institution, in Bloemfontein, seeks a highly experienced Senior Backend Engineer (Java) to design, develop, and maintain scalable backend systems powering critical financial applications. You will mentor junior engineers and drive architectural decisions, with a focus on enterprise Java, microservices, and cloud-based deployments.

The role requires strong Spring expertise, relational databases, and experience with RESTful services, plus familiarity with

Qualifications

• 6+ years of backend development experience with a focus on Java.
• Strong experience with Spring Framework and microservices architecture.
• Experience with relational databases and ORM (Hibernate/JPA).
• Exposure to cloud platforms and containerization (AWS/Azure/GCP, Docker).

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain robust backend services using Java and Spring Boot.
• Build and maintain microservices with efficient inter-service communication.
• Develop RESTful APIs and integrate with third-party services.
• Collaborate with frontend, QA, and product teams to deliver high-quality software.
• Contribute to architectural discussions and best practices.

Skills

Java

Spring Framework

Microservices

SQL

ORM Hibernate/JPA

REST APIs

Git

Docker

Cloud Platforms

Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Hibernate/JPA

Kafka

RabbitMQ

AWS

Azure

GCP

Docker

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a leading financial services institution, is seeking a highly experienced Senior Backend Engineer specializing in Java to join their sophisticated technology team. This role is based in Bloemfontein and will involve designing, developing, and maintaining robust, scalable, and high-performance backend systems that power critical financial applications. You will play a key role in architectural decisions, code quality, and mentoring junior engineers. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of enterprise-level Java development, microservices architecture, and experience with relational databases and cloud environments. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to a company that is at the forefront of financial technology innovation, working on complex and impactful projects. The role is situated in our Bloemfontein offices.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement robust and scalable backend services using Java and relevant frameworks (e.g., Spring Boot).
• Build and maintain microservices architecture, ensuring efficient inter-service communication.
• Develop RESTful APIs and integrate with third-party services.
• Work with relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, Oracle) for data storage and retrieval, including schema design and optimization.
• Write clean, efficient, well-documented, and thoroughly tested code.
• Collaborate closely with frontend developers, QA engineers, and product managers to deliver high-quality software solutions.
• Participate in code reviews, providing constructive feedback and ensuring adherence to coding standards.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues in production and development environments.
• Contribute to architectural discussions and technology selection decisions.
• Optimize application performance and ensure system scalability and reliability.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum of 6 years of professional backend development experience, with a strong focus on Java.
• Extensive experience with the Spring Framework (Spring Boot, Spring MVC, Spring Data).
• Solid understanding of microservices architecture principles and design patterns.
• Proficiency in working with relational databases (SQL) and ORM frameworks (e.g., Hibernate, JPA).
• Experience with messaging queues (e.g., Kafka, RabbitMQ) is a plus.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and containerization (Docker) is desirable.
• Proficiency in using version control systems, such as Git.
• Strong understanding of data structures, algorithms, and object-oriented design.
• Excellent problem-solving, debugging, and analytical skills.
• Strong communication and teamwork abilities.

Benefits

Our client offers a highly competitive salary, performance-based bonuses, and a comprehensive benefits package including medical aid, life insurance, and a generous retirement fund. Opportunities for professional development, including training and certifications, are readily available. Working in Bloemfontein offers a stable work environment within a major financial institution. The company values employee growth and provides clear career progression paths for senior talent. Join a team that is committed to excellence and innovation in financial technology.