Senior Backend (Full Stack) Software Engineer

ATS Client; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

ATS Client in Cape Town is seeking a Senior Backend Engineer to lead the design and evolution of core backend systems. You will architect scalable .NET Core and .NET Framework services, design high-performance SQL Server solutions, and mentor engineers while upholding strong engineering standards.

Collaborating with Vue.js frontend teams, you will drive toward full-stack ownership and end-to-end solution design, with a hands-on approach to reliability and performance.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional software development experience.
• Experience with .NET Core / C# and RESTful APIs.
• Designing distributed, enterprise-grade systems.
• Strong SQL Server design, indexing, and performance tuning.
• CI/CD pipeline implementation using Azure DevOps or similar.
• Knowledge of clean architecture and SOLID principles.
• Experience mentoring engineers and conducting technical reviews.
• Excellent communication of architectural decisions and trade-offs.

Responsibilities

• Architect and implement scalable backend services using .NET (C#).
• Lead system design decisions for scalability, reliability, and maintainability.
• Optimise SQL Server databases and data access layers.
• Guide integration design between backend services and front-end Vue.js applications.
• Drive improvements in code quality, testing standards, and DevOps practices.
• Lead and participate in code reviews and architectural discussions.
• Mentor intermediate and junior engineers.
• Proactively identify technical risks and propose mitigation strategies.
• Collaborate across distributed teams and influence technical direction.
• Communicate progress, risks, and dependencies proactively.

Skills

.NET Core / C#

RESTful Web APIs

Distributed systems

SQL Server

CI/CD pipelines

Clean architecture

Mentoring

Communication

Architectural leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field

Tools

Azure DevOps

Job description

Job Description

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Backend Engineer with 10+ years of professional software development experience to lead the design, development, and evolution of our core backend systems.

You will architect and maintain scalable .NET Core and .NET Framework services, design high-performance SQL Server solutions, and contribute to ETL pipelines and reporting processes. You will play a key role in defining backend standards, ensuring system reliability, and guiding the technical direction of our platform.

While this role is primarily backend-focused, you will collaborate closely with frontend engineers building Vue.js applications and will be encouraged to expand your influence across the application stack over time. The role offers a clear pathway to broader full-stack ownership, contributing to end-to-end solution design and frontend-backend alignment as part of your continued growth.

This position requires strong architectural judgment, production-grade system design expertise, and the ability to mentor engineers while upholding technical standards and long-term maintainability.

The ideal candidate is a strategic technical leader who remains hands-on while shaping system reliability, scalability, and engineering best practices.

Minimum Requirements

• 10+ years of professional software development experience
• Deep expertise in .NET Core / C# and building scalable, production-grade RESTful Web APIs
• Strong experience designing and maintaining distributed and enterprise-grade systems
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft SQL Server, including schema design, indexing strategy, performance tuning, and query optimisation
• Experience implementing and optimising CI/CD pipelines (Azure DevOps or similar)
• Strong understanding of clean architecture, SOLID principles, and design patterns
• Demonstrated experience mentoring engineers and conducting technical reviews
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate architectural decisions, trade-offs, and technical strategy to both technical and non-technical stakeholders

Key Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and implement scalable backend services using .NET (C#)
• Lead system design decisions, ensuring scalability, reliability, and maintainability
• Optimise and maintain SQL Server databases and data access layers
• Guide integration design between backend services and front-end Vue.js applications
• Drive improvements in code quality, testing standards, and DevOps practices
• Lead and participate in code reviews and architectural discussions
• Mentor intermediate and junior engineers
• Proactively identify technical risks and propose mitigation strategies
• Collaborate across distributed teams and influence technical direction
• Communicate progress, risks, and dependencies proactively

Education & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Software Engineering or related field, or equivalent practical experience
• Demonstrated experience leading backend initiatives and delivering complex systems end-to-end across the full stack

Nice to Have

• Strong exposure to Vue.js or other modern front-end frameworks
• Experience designing ETL workflows and data integration pipelines
• Exposure to cloud-native architecture or modernisation initiatives
• Experience with performance profiling and application monitoring
• Experience working in financial or investment domain