Senior Product Engineer (Backend, AI Agents)

MSP Staffing (PTY) LTD; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 950,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Job summary

MSP Staffing (PTY) LTD client is seeking an experienced Senior Product Engineer to join the backend engineering team, responsible for building and maintaining the platform that powers AI agents across WhatsApp, voice, webchat, and email. The role emphasizes scalable backend design, APIs, and third‑party integrations in production.

You will own features end‑to‑end, mentor junior engineers, and collaborate with enterprise clients to translate business requirements into technical solutions.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of backend engineering experience building and operating production systems.
• Experience with Python or TypeScript (Node.js).
• Experience designing APIs and third-party integrations.
• Experience with PostgreSQL and data modelling.
• Experience with cloud infrastructure, CI/CD, logging and monitoring.

Responsibilities

• Design and maintain scalable backend systems.
• Develop APIs and third-party integrations.
• Build agent orchestration logic for AI-powered applications.
• Ensure reliability, performance and security in production.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to engineering standards.

Skills

Python/TypeScript

Backend design

APIs & integrations

PostgreSQL

Cloud & CI/CD

LLM features

Agent orchestration

RAG / LLM evaluation

Mentoring juniors

Tools

Supabase

n8n

WhatsApp Business API

Monitoring tools

Job description

Our client is seeking an experienced Senior Product Engineer to join their backend engineering team, responsible for building and maintaining the platform that powers AI agents across WhatsApp, voice, webchat, and email. The successful candidate will be responsible for designing scalable backend systems, developing APIs and third-party integrations, building agent orchestration logic, and ensuring the reliability, performance, and security of AI-powered applications in production. This role requires strong backend engineering skills, proficiency in Python or TypeScript (Node.js), and hands-on experience building and deploying LLM-powered features. The successful candidate will work closely with enterprise clients to translate business requirements into technical solutions, take ownership of projects from design through deployment and ongoing maintenance, and mentor junior engineers while contributing to engineering standards.

Experience

• 5+ years of backend engineering experience building and operating production systems
• Experience developing backend applications using Python or TypeScript (Node.js)
• Experience designing and developing APIs and integrating third-party systems
• Experience working with PostgreSQL or similar relational databases
• Experience with cloud infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, logging, and monitoring
• Demonstrated experience building and deploying LLM-powered features or applications to production
• Experience with agent orchestration, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), or LLM evaluation advantageous
• Experience with queues and event-driven architecture advantageous
• Experience with WhatsApp Business API, voice AI, or telephony integrations advantageous
• Experience mentoring or leading junior engineers
• Experience in client-facing technical projects, technical scoping, or pre-sales advantageous

Key Requirements

• Strong proficiency in Python or TypeScript (Node.js)
• Ability to architect, build, and maintain reliable, scalable backend systems
• Experience designing APIs, third-party integrations, and client system connections
• Understanding of agent orchestration logic and supporting infrastructure
• Demonstrated ability to build and deploy LLM-powered features and applications to production
• Knowledge of retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and LLM evaluation advantageous
• Ability to integrate AI agents with business workflows and enterprise platforms
• Strong understanding of PostgreSQL or similar relational databases, including data modelling and query optimisation
• Experience with cloud infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, logging, and monitoring
• Understanding of queues and event-driven architecture advantageous
• Ability to monitor system performance, reliability, and uptime in production
• Ability to identify and resolve performance bottlenecks and production issues
• Understanding of security, data handling, and operational reliability
• Ability to take ownership of features end to end, from technical design and implementation through deployment and ongoing maintenance
• Sound architectural judgement and ability to manage technical trade-offs
• Ability to participate in client scoping sessions and define technical requirements and success criteria
• Ability to translate business needs into technical specifications and implementation plans
• Ability to communicate technical concepts and trade-offs clearly to non-technical stakeholders
• Experience supporting proof-of-concept projects and contributing to client solution delivery advantageous
• Experience reporting on deployed agent performance and the value delivered to clients advantageous
• Ability to mentor junior implementation engineers and promote engineering best practices
• Experience with WhatsApp Business API, voice AI, or telephony integrations advantageous
• Familiarity with Supabase or workflow automation tools such as n8n advantageous
• Experience in insurance, telecommunications, or financial services advantageous
• Understanding of POPIA and the handling of personal data in AI systems advantageous
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with clients, technical teams, and business stakeholders
• Ability to work onsite in Ballito or Pretoria

About MSP Staffing (PTY) LTD

MSP Staffing is a Specialist Recruitment Agency that focuseson the Engineering & Construction, Mining, Finance, Trade & Technical,Supply Chain, Information Technology and Medical and Pharmaceutical sectors.

MSP Staffing is dedicated to connecting top talent withopportunities both locally and abroad. With this in mind, our team of seasonedprofessionals bring a wealth of industry knowledge and a global perspective tothe table. We have a deep understanding of the dynamic employment landscape anda proven track record of matching top-tier professionals with prestigiouscompanies.

Whether you're a talented individual seeking the perfectrole or a forward-thinking organization in need of exceptional talent, MSPStaffing have the expertise to make it happen