Senior Backend Engineer - Microservices, Cloud & Equity

Placements24; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement fund

Performance-based bonuses

Job summary

Placements24 in Soweto, Gauteng, seeks a Senior Backend Engineer with deep expertise in Node.js and Express.js to develop and maintain robust server-side logic and APIs powering digital products. Design scalable architectures, ensure data security, and optimize performance within a collaborative team.

The ideal candidate will have 5+ years of backend experience, strong RESTful API design skills, and proficiency with relational and NoSQL databases, Docker, and cloud platforms.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of professional backend development experience.
• Proven expertise in Node.js and the Express.js framework.
• Strong experience designing and implementing RESTful APIs.
• Solid understanding of relational (PostgreSQL, MySQL) and NoSQL (MongoDB) databases.
• Experience with microservices architecture and cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Familiarity with Docker and Git.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable backend services and APIs using Node.js and Express.js.
• Write clean, well-documented, and testable code following best practices.
• Collaborate with frontend developers, product managers, and other stakeholders to deliver new features.
• Optimize application performance, ensuring high availability and low latency.
• Manage and interact with databases (PostgreSQL, MongoDB) for efficient querying.
• Implement robust security measures and data protection protocols.
• Participate in code reviews and provide constructive feedback.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex production issues.
• Contribute to architectural discussions and technical decision-making.

Skills

Node.js

Express.js

REST APIs

PostgreSQL

MongoDB

Docker

Cloud platforms

Git

Microservices

Performance tuning

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/SE

Tools

Postman

Jenkins

Job description

Our client, a dynamic and innovative technology company with a strong operational base in Soweto, Gauteng, is seeking a Senior Backend Engineer with deep expertise in Node.js and Express. This role is essential for developing and maintaining the robust server‑side logic and APIs that power our client’s suite of digital products. You will be instrumental in designing scalable architectures, ensuring data security, and optimizing backend performance. We are looking for a highly motivated and skilled engineer who is passionate about building efficient, reliable, and maintainable backend systems. This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to a growing tech presence in Gauteng and work within a collaborative and forward‑thinking team.

About the Role

Our client, a dynamic and innovative technology company with a strong operational base in Soweto, Gauteng, is seeking a Senior Backend Engineer with deep expertise in Node.js and Express. This role is essential for developing and maintaining the robust server‑side logic and APIs that power our client’s suite of digital products. You will be instrumental in designing scalable architectures, ensuring data security, and optimizing backend performance. We are looking for a highly motivated and skilled engineer who is passionate about building efficient, reliable, and maintainable backend systems. This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to a growing tech presence in Gauteng and work within a collaborative and forward‑thinking team.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable and efficient backend services and APIs using Node.js and Express.js.
• Write clean, well‑documented, and testable code following best practices.
• Collaborate with frontend developers, product managers, and other stakeholders to deliver new features and functionalities.
• Optimize application performance, ensuring high availability and low latency.
• Manage and interact with databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MongoDB), ensuring data integrity and efficient querying.
• Implement robust security measures and data protection protocols.
• Participate actively in code reviews, providing constructive feedback.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues in production environments.
• Contribute to architectural discussions and technical decision‑making processes.
• Stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in backend development.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of professional backend development experience.
• Proven expertise in Node.js and the Express.js framework.
• Strong experience designing and implementing RESTful APIs.
• Solid understanding of database technologies, both relational (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) and NoSQL (e.g., MongoDB).
• Experience with microservices architecture is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and containerization (Docker).
• Proficiency in version control systems, particularly Git.
• Strong problem‑solving, analytical, and debugging skills.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.
• Ability to work effectively within a team based in Soweto.

Benefits

Our client offers a competitive salary, comprehensive health insurance, a retirement fund, and performance‑based bonuses. We believe in nurturing talent and provide opportunities for professional development through training, workshops, and access to online learning platforms. The role is based in our office in Soweto, providing a vibrant and collaborative workspace. Employees benefit from career advancement opportunities within a growing company, regular team‑building events, and the chance to work on impactful projects that contribute to the local tech ecosystem in Gauteng.