Senior Python Developer (AWS/Azure)

Sabenza IT & Recruitment; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 800 000 - 1 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading IT recruitment firm seeks a Senior Python Developer in Johannesburg. The ideal candidate should have over 7 years of experience in Python development, specializing in cloud engineering across platforms like AWS and Azure. Responsibilities include designing and optimizing backend applications, building RESTful APIs, and mentoring junior developers. Certifications in AWS or Azure are advantageous. Join a dynamic team dedicated to delivering high-quality cloud solutions.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional Python development experience is required.
• Certifications in AWS or Azure are preferred.
• Strong experience with AWS and/or Azure cloud platforms.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable backend applications using Python.
• Build RESTful APIs and microservices.
• Optimize application performance and reliability.

Skills

Python development

Cloud engineering

REST APIs

Microservices

Docker

Kubernetes

CI/CD automation

Tools

Terraform

AWS

Azure

PostgreSQL

MySQL

Job description

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Python Developer with strong cloud engineering expertise across AWS and/or Azure. The ideal candidate has 7+ years of hands‑on Python development experience, deep understanding of cloud‑native architectures, and a proven ability to design, build, and scale secure, reliable backend systems.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable, high-performance backend applications using Python.
• Build RESTful APIs, microservices, automation scripts, and data processing pipelines.
• Implement unit tests, integration tests, and CI/CD automation.
• Optimise application performance, reliability, and maintainability.
• Architect, deploy, and manage cloud-native solutions on AWS and/or Azure.
• Work with cloud services such as: Lambda, API Gateway, EC2, S3, RDS, DynamoDB, Step Functions, ECS, CloudFormation, IAM
• Azure: Functions, App Services, Storage Accounts, Key Vault, Cosmos DB, AKS, ARM/Bicep, AAD
• Implement Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) using Terraform, CloudFormation, ARM, or Bicep.
• Ensure high availability, scalability, and security of all cloud-hosted applications.
• Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps, CodePipeline, etc.).
• Containerise applications using Docker; deploy and manage Kubernetes (EKS/AKS) environments.
• Monitor and troubleshoot production systems using cloud native tools (CloudWatch, Application Insights, etc.).
• Implement cloud and application security best practices (IAM, secrets management, network security).
• Ensure compliance with relevant standards and frameworks (ISO, SOC2, POPIA/GDPR where applicable).
• Act as a senior contributor, mentoring mid-level/junior developers.
• Participate in solution architecture, technical design sessions, and code reviews.
• Work closely with product owners, DevOps engineers, and other stakeholders to deliver high-quality solutions.

Requirements

• 7+ years professional Python development experience (required).
• Certifications: AWS Developer/Architect, Azure Developer/Architect.
• Strong experience with AWS and/or Azure cloud platforms.
• Proven experience designing and building REST APIs, microservices, and serverless components.
• Experience with Docker, Kubernetes (EKS/AKS), and cloud infrastructure.
• Strong skills in relational and NoSQL databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, DynamoDB, Cosmos DB).
• Solid understanding of software engineering best practices (testing, code reviews, DRY, SOLID).
• Experience with IaC: Terraform, CloudFormation, ARM, or Bicep.
• Experience with CI/CD automation.
• Experience with asynchronous frameworks (FastAPI, aiohttp, asyncio).
• Experience with messaging/streaming platforms (SQS, SNS, Kafka, EventHub).
• Knowledge of data engineering pipelines or ML workflow integration.