Senior Cloud-Native Architect — Lead Scalable Systems

Placements24; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Software Architect to lead the design of scalable, cloud-native solutions in Sandton, Gauteng. The role defines technical standards and guides development teams toward next-generation software platforms.

The candidate will have 10+ years in software development with 5+ in architecture, deep cloud, containerization, and API design expertise, plus strong leadership and collaboration skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• At least 10 years in software development with 5+ years in architecture or technical leadership.
• Proven track record designing distributed systems using microservices on cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Deep knowledge of containers (Docker, Kubernetes) and serverless computing.
• Experience with RESTful APIs and event-driven architectures.
• Proficiency in Java, Python, Go or similar; familiarity with Agile and DevOps practices.

Responsibilities

• Design high-level architecture for large-scale, cloud-native applications.
• Define architectural standards and best practices across multiple teams.
• Lead technology evaluation and tool selection for cloud-based solutions.
• Collaborate with product managers and dev teams to translate requirements into robust designs.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineers; address debt and performance bottlenecks.
• Oversee CI/CD and infrastructure-as-code implementations; ensure security and compliance.

Skills

Cloud-native principles

Distributed systems

Architectural leadership

Communication

Mentorship

Agile methodologies

DevOps practices

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

AWS / Azure / GCP

CI/CD pipelines

Infrastructure as Code (Terraform)

Job description

Senior Software Architect - Cloud Native

Our client, a prominent enterprise technology provider, is seeking a highly experienced and visionary Senior Software Architect to lead the design of scalable, resilient, and cloud-native solutions. This role is based in Sandton, Gauteng and involves defining technical strategies, setting architectural standards, and guiding development teams in building next-generation software platforms. This is a strategic position within a company at the forefront of digital transformation.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and document high-level software architecture for complex, large-scale applications, with a focus on cloud-native principles.
• Define and enforce architectural standards, patterns, and best practices across multiple development teams.
• Lead the evaluation and selection of appropriate technologies, frameworks, and tools for cloud-based solutions.
• Collaborate with product managers, business analysts, and development teams to translate requirements into robust technical designs.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to software engineers, fostering a culture of quality and innovation.
• Identify and address technical debt, performance bottlenecks, and scalability challenges.
• Oversee the implementation of CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure-as-code strategies.
• Conduct architectural reviews and ensure adherence to security and compliance requirements.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends in cloud computing, microservices, and distributed systems.
• Facilitate communication between technical teams and stakeholders to ensure alignment on architectural vision.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in software development, with at least 5 years in a software architecture or technical leadership role.
• Proven experience designing and building complex, distributed systems using microservices architecture on cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
• Deep understanding of containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes) and serverless computing.
• Expertise in designing and implementing RESTful APIs and event-driven architectures.
• Strong knowledge of programming languages such as Java, Python, Go, or similar.
• Experience with Agile methodologies and DevOps practices.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and guide technical teams in a collaborative environment.