Senior Product Engineer

Kaitlin Mornet; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 781,000 - 1,116,000; Full time

Job summary

Kaitlin Mornet in Johannesburg seeks a Senior Product Engineer to lead backend systems and AI-powered platform features for enterprise clients across WhatsApp, voice, webchat and email. You will own API design, integrations and cloud infrastructure, delivering scalable, reliable software while mentoring junior engineers.

Role focuses on building and deploying AI-driven agents, ensuring performance, security and business value, with collaboration across teams and client-facing technical scoping.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in backend engineering building production systems.
• Strong programming skills in Python or TypeScript (Node.js).
• Proven experience designing APIs and integrating third-party systems.
• Good knowledge of PostgreSQL or similar relational databases with data modelling and query optimisation.
• Experience with cloud infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, logging and monitoring.
• Demonstrated experience building and deploying LLM-powered features or applications into production.
• Experience with queues and event-driven architecture.
• Ability to explain technical concepts and trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders.
• Previous experience mentoring or leading junior engineers.

Responsibilities

• Design, build and maintain scalable backend systems, APIs and third-party integrations.
• Develop and optimise AI-powered applications and agent orchestration systems.
• Take ownership of features from design through deployment, monitoring and improvement.
• Ensure system reliability, performance, security and uptime across production environments.
• Work with enterprise clients to scope technical requirements and define success criteria.
• Collaborate with internal teams to feed client insights back into product development.

Skills

Python

TypeScript

APIs

PostgreSQL

Cloud infrastructure

CI/CD

LLM

Event-driven

Mentoring

Job description

Monthly Cost To Company (Market related)

Are you an experienced backend engineer ready to work at the forefront of AI innovation?

Our client based in Johannesburg is looking for a Senior Product Engineer to help build and scale an AI-powered platform used by enterprise clients across WhatsApp, voice, webchat and email.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of complex backend systems, develop intelligent integrations and bring AI-powered solutions into production. You’ll work across APIs, system architecture, orchestration and cloud infrastructure, playing a key role in building reliable, high-performing products that deliver real business value.

Alongside the technical work, you’ll collaborate directly with clients to shape solutions, define technical requirements and demonstrate the impact of deployed AI agents. You’ll also mentor junior engineers and contribute to raising technical standards across the team.

• Design, build and maintain scalable backend systems, APIs and third-party integrations.
• Develop and optimise AI-powered applications and agent orchestration systems.
• Take ownership of features from initial design through to deployment, monitoring and ongoing improvement.
• Ensure system reliability, performance, security and uptime across production environments.
• Work with enterprise clients to scope technical requirements, define success criteria and support proof-of-concept projects.
• Translate client needs into practical technical solutions and communicate architectural decisions clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
• Monitor deployed AI agents, evaluate their performance and report on business value and outcomes.
• Mentor junior implementation engineers and contribute to best practices across the engineering team.
• Collaborate with internal teams to feed client insights and technical learnings back into product development.
• At least 5 years’ experience in backend engineering, building and maintaining production systems.
• Strong programming skills in Python or TypeScript (Node.js).
• Proven experience designing APIs and integrating third-party systems.
• Good knowledge of PostgreSQL or similar relational databases, including data modelling and query optimisation.
• Experience with cloud infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, logging and monitoring.
• Demonstrated experience building and deploying LLM-powered features or applications into production.
• Experience working with queues and event-driven architecture.
• Ability to explain technical concepts and trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders.
• Previous experience mentoring or leading junior engineers.

Advantageous Experience

• Experience with the WhatsApp Business API, voice AI or telephony integrations.
• Practical knowledge of AI agent orchestration, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) or LLM evaluation.
• Familiarity with Supabase or workflow automation tools such as n8n.
• Experience in insurance, telecommunications or financial services.
• Understanding of POPIA and the responsible handling of personal information within AI systems.
• Exposure to technical scoping, client consultations or pre-sales activities.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Work on cutting-edge AI solutions used by enterprise clients.
• Take ownership of meaningful product and architectural decisions.
• Combine hands-on engineering with client collaboration and problem-solving.
• Help shape the future of AI-powered business processes.
• Play a key role in developing talent and influencing engineering best practices.

• Design, build and maintain scalable backend systems, APIs and third-party integrations.
• Develop and optimise AI-powered applications and agent orchestration systems.
• Take ownership of features from initial design through to deployment, monitoring and ongoing improvement.
• Ensure system reliability, performance, security and uptime across production environments.
• Work with enterprise clients to scope technical requirements, define success criteria and support proof-of-concept projects.
• Translate client needs into practical technical solutions and communicate architectural decisions clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
• Monitor deployed AI agents, evaluate their performance and report on business value and outcomes.
• Mentor junior implementation engineers and contribute to best practices across the engineering team.
• Collaborate with internal teams to feed client insights and technical learnings back into product development.

Minimum Requirements

• At least 5 years’ experience in backend engineering, building and maintaining production systems.
• Strong programming skills in Python or TypeScript (Node.js).
• Proven experience designing APIs and integrating third-party systems.
• Good knowledge of PostgreSQL or similar relational databases, including data modelling and query optimisation.
• Experience with cloud infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, logging and monitoring.
• Demonstrated experience building and deploying LLM-powered features or applications into production.
• Experience working with queues and event-driven architecture.
• Ability to explain technical concepts and trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders.
• Previous experience mentoring or leading junior engineers.

Advantageous Experience

• Experience with the WhatsApp Business API, voice AI or telephony integrations.
• Practical knowledge of AI agent orchestration, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) or LLM evaluation.
• Familiarity with Supabase or workflow automation tools such as n8n.
• Experience in insurance, telecommunications or financial services.
• Understanding of POPIA and the responsible handling of personal information within AI systems.
• Exposure to technical scoping, client consultations or pre-sales activities.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Work on cutting-edge AI solutions used by enterprise clients.
• Take ownership of meaningful product and architectural decisions.
• Combine hands-on engineering with client collaboration and problem-solving.
• Help shape the future of AI-powered business processes.
• Play a key role in developing talent and influencing engineering best practices.

If you’re passionate about backend engineering, enjoy solving complex technical challenges and want to build AI solutions that make a tangible difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Please note that only suitable candidates will be contacted.