Senior Java Engineer in Johannesburg

Scrums; Johannesburg; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Scrums is seeking a Senior Java Engineer to join its talent network and work on backend systems for international client projects.

You will develop services with Java 17+ and Spring Boot, design microservices, and optimize access to PostgreSQL/Oracle/MySQL. The role supports remote collaboration with UK/US business hours and occasional in-person meetings in Johannesburg.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional Java development with Spring Boot.
• Strong microservice patterns, API design, and distributed systems knowledge.
• Experience with relational databases and query optimization.
• Familiarity with containerisation (Docker, Kubernetes) and CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience with message brokers and event-driven architecture.
• Ability to work independently within a distributed team and communicate across timezones.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain backend services using Java 17+ and Spring Boot
• Design and implement microservice architectures with proper service boundaries and communication patterns
• Write performant database queries and manage schemas in PostgreSQL, Oracle, or MySQL
• Implement event-driven patterns using Kafka, RabbitMQ, or similar messaging systems
• Write comprehensive unit and integration tests (JUnit, Mockito)
• Participate in code reviews, architectural discussions, and production incident response

Skills

Java 17+

Spring Boot

Microservices

API design

Distributed systems

SQL databases

JUnit/Mockito

Time-zone comms

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Kafka/RabbitMQ

CI/CD

Job description

The Role

We are looking for a Senior Java Engineer to join the Scrums.com talent network. You will build and maintain backend systems and enterprise applications using Java and the Spring ecosystem. Client projects in this stack tend toward financial services, payments, and large-scale platform engineering where uptime and throughput are critical.

What You Will Work On

• Build and maintain backend services using Java 17+ and Spring Boot
• Design and implement microservice architectures with proper service boundaries and communication patterns
• Write performant database queries and manage schemas in PostgreSQL, Oracle, or MySQL
• Implement event-driven patterns using Kafka, RabbitMQ, or similar messaging systems
• Write comprehensive unit and integration tests (JUnit, Mockito)
• Participate in code reviews, architectural discussions, and production incident response

What We Look For

• 5+ years of professional Java development with Spring Boot experience
• Strong understanding of microservice patterns, API design, and distributed systems
• Experience with relational databases and query optimisation
• Familiarity with containerisation (Docker, Kubernetes) and CI/CD pipelines
• Experience with message brokers and event-driven architecture
• Ability to work independently within a distributed team and communicate across timezones

Why Scrums.com

Scrums.com is not a job board. It is a talent network that connects African engineers with international client projects across the UK, US, and Europe. You join the platform, get vetted, and get matched to real engagements with companies that need your specific skills.

What that looks like in practice:

• Work with global clients from where you are. No relocation required.
• Long-term engagements, not one-off gigs. Some of our engineers have been embedded with the same client for over two years.
• A dedicated talent specialist who knows your skills, matches you to the right projects, and supports you through onboarding and beyond.
• Interview preparation and the ability to pursue multiple opportunities at once.
• No fees, no subscription. The platform is free for engineers.

You bring the engineering. We handle the sourcing, the vetting, the matching, and the client relationship.

Engineering in Johannesburg

Johannesburg is the commercial centre of South Africa and home to the largest concentration of tech companies on the continent. The city's financial services sector drives constant demand for engineers, with banks, insurers, and fintechs all competing for senior talent. Sandton, Rosebank, and Bryanston have become established tech corridors, and the remote-work infrastructure across Gauteng is strong enough to support timezone-aligned work with UK and European clients.

For engineers, the city offers a deep talent community, regular meetups and conferences, and salaries that reflect the cost of living without the ceiling you hit in smaller markets. Scrums.com has operated from Johannesburg since its founding, and a significant portion of our deployed engineers are based in Gauteng.

This role is open to engineers based in or willing to relocate to the Johannesburg metro area. You will work remotely with international clients during UK or US business hours, with occasional in-person collaboration as needed.