Senior Backend Engineer (Node.js)

Placements24; Paarl; Hybrid; ZAR 960,000 - 1,440,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Medical aid

Provident fund

Professional development

Performance bonuses

Hybrid work arrangement

Job summary

Placements24 in Paarl, Western Cape, seeks a Senior Backend Engineer focused on Node.js to design, develop and maintain server-side APIs and databases. You will mentor juniors, contribute to architecture, and drive backend best practices in a collaborative, agile environment.

Expect a hands-on role building scalable services with Express.js or NestJS, RESTful APIs, and cloud deployments, with a hybrid work setup and competitive compensation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of professional experience in backend development.
• Proven expertise in Node.js and frameworks (Express.js, NestJS).
• Strong experience with SQL and NoSQL databases and RESTful APIs.
• Experience with microservices architecture and cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Familiarity with Git and testing frameworks (Mocha, Jest).
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable server-side applications using Node.js and frameworks like Express.js or NestJS.
• Develop and manage robust RESTful APIs and microservices.
• Design and optimize database schemas for relational and NoSQL databases.
• Collaborate with frontend developers to integrate server-side logic.
• Implement security and data protection measures.
• Write clean, well-documented, testable code and review peers' work.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to architectural decisions.

Skills

Node.js

Express.js

NestJS

RESTful APIs

Microservices

Cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP)

Git

Mocha/Jest

Problem solving

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field

Tools

PostgreSQL/MySQL

MongoDB

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a dynamic and innovative technology firm located in Paarl, Western Cape, ZA, is seeking a highly experienced Senior Backend Engineer with a strong focus on Node.js development. This role is crucial for designing, developing, and maintaining the server-side logic, databases, and APIs that power our client's robust applications. You will be part of an agile team, working collaboratively with frontend developers, product managers, and QA engineers to deliver high-quality software solutions. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of backend architectures, database design, API development, and performance optimization. As a senior member, you will also mentor junior engineers, contribute to architectural decisions, and drive best practices in backend development. We are looking for a proactive, problem-solving individual who is passionate about building scalable and reliable systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable and efficient server-side applications using Node.js and frameworks like Express.js or NestJS.
• Develop and manage robust RESTful APIs and microservices.
• Design and optimize database schemas and queries for relational (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) and NoSQL databases (e.g., MongoDB).
• Collaborate with frontend developers to integrate user-facing elements with server-side logic.
• Implement security and data protection measures.
• Write clean, maintainable, well-documented, and testable code.
• Optimize applications for performance, scalability, and reliability.
• Participate in code reviews, providing constructive feedback and ensuring code quality.
• Troubleshoot, debug, and upgrade existing backend systems.
• Mentor junior backend engineers and contribute to technical decision-making.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of professional experience in backend development.
• Proven expertise in Node.js and associated frameworks (Express.js, NestJS, etc.).
• Strong experience with database design and management, both SQL (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) and NoSQL (e.g., MongoDB).
• Proficiency in building and consuming RESTful APIs.
• Experience with microservices architecture is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud .
• Experience with version control systems, particularly Git .
• Understanding of testing frameworks (e.g., Mocha, Jest) and methodologies.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and debugging skills.
• Strong communication and teamwork abilities.

Benefits

Our client offers a competitive salary, comprehensive medical aid, a provident fund, opportunities for professional development and training, performance bonuses, and a flexible hybrid work arrangement.