Senior Python Engineer

Tillo; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid Working (3 days in office)

Health insurance contribution

Learning & Development budget

Top spec equipment

Team breakfasts and events

Job summary

Tillo is seeking a Senior Python Engineer to join our Data team in Cape Town. You will build and evolve Python services connected to our data platform, supporting payments, billing, and reporting. You’ll work with Data Engineers and BI Analysts to ensure data reliability, structure, and accessibility for analytics.

You’ll champion an AI-first approach, contribute to DevOps, and mentor engineers while collaborating across Engineering, Data, BI, and Product teams in a hybrid environment.

Qualifications

• Expert-level experience developing web applications and services with Python and FastAPI.
• Strong experience designing microservice architectures and complex system integrations.
• Strong understanding of how application data is structured, exposed, and delivered into data warehouses or search platforms.
• Comfortable writing and reasoning about SQL.
• Ability to work closely with Data Engineers and BI Analysts on data modelling, schema, and data quality decisions.
• Strong understanding of secure software development principles.
• Strong experience with automated testing and test-driven development.
• Experience integrating with third-party services and APIs.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Demonstrated experience mentoring engineers and leading technical discussions.
• Ability to work collaboratively across engineering and data disciplines.
• Comfortable working in a modern Agile engineering environment.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain Python services using FastAPI, Podman, Kubernetes, and serverless platforms.
• Own and improve existing services supporting payments, billing, and reporting.
• Work with our Snowflake data platform to ensure data is reliably exposed for reporting and analytics.
• Collaborate with Data Engineers to define data structures and delivery into Snowflake/OpenSearch.
• Partner with BI Analysts to translate reporting needs into reliable data outputs.
• Design and maintain microservices and integrations with third-party APIs.
• Contribute to DevOps activities including Helm charts and container configurations.
• Maintain high code quality through testing, reviews and documentation.
• Introduce automated tests and test-driven development.
• Pair program with engineers and contribute to technical discussions.
• Champion AI-first engineering with AI/agentic workflows.
• Mentor engineers and develop engineering standards.

Skills

Python & FastAPI

Microservices design

SQL

Data modelling

Security best practices

Automated testing

Mentoring engineers

Agile methodologies

Cross-team collaboration

APIs integration

Tools

Snowflake

Airflow

dbt

Kubernetes

Podman

Docker

OpenSearch

GitHub Actions

CircleCI

Job description

Who we’re looking for:

We’re looking for a Senior Python Engineer to join our Data team and help build and evolve the services that connect Tillo’s data platform with the wider business.

You’ll own and improve existing Python services supporting areas such as payments, billing, and reporting, working closely with Data Engineers and Business Intelligence Analysts to make sure application data is reliable, well-structured, and usable for reporting and analytics.

This role sits at the intersection of software engineering and data. You’ll need strong Python engineering fundamentals alongside an understanding of how application data is modelled, exposed, and delivered into data platforms. You’ll also play an important role in championing Tillo’s AI-first approach to engineering, using modern AI tooling and agentic workflows to improve how we build, ship, and maintain our services.

The challenge:

Build and maintain reliable Python services that provide high-quality data to the wider business, while improving the way those services are designed, tested, deployed, and integrated with Tillo’s data platform.

You’ll work across existing services and new development, balancing engineering quality, data reliability, system integrations, and delivery needs as Tillo continues to scale.

Where you’ll work:

This role will be based in Cape Town, with a hybrid working model requiring three days per week in our Cape Town office. You’ll be part of our global Data team, collaborating with colleagues across Engineering, Data, BI, Product, and the wider business.

The Tillo Difference

We're in the business of rewards and incentives, so we know a thing or two about the importance of giving back. We can't grow as a business without growing as individuals, so we are committed to providing a workplace where passionate, driven individuals can thrive. We value collaboration, trust, positivity, and a willingness to learn - only by working as a team will we reach our goals.

We’re the market leader in the UK and are active in a number of other markets including USA, Europe, Australia and India.

Day to day this role will

• Build and maintain Python services using technologies including FastAPI, Podman, Kubernetes, and serverless platforms
• Own and improve existing services supporting payments, billing, and reporting
• Work with our Snowflake data platform to ensure application data is reliably exposed and delivered for reporting and analytics
• Work closely with Data Engineers to define how application data is structured, exposed, and delivered into Snowflake or OpenSearch
• Partner with Business Intelligence Analysts to translate reporting and analytics requirements into reliable, well-documented data outputs
• Design and maintain microservices and integrations with third-party services and APIs
• Contribute to DevOps activities including maintaining Helm charts and container configuration for Python services
• Maintain high standards across our codebase through testing, code reviews, documentation, and engineering best practices
• Introduce and maintain automated tests using a test-driven approach
• Pair programme with other engineers and contribute to technical discussions
• Champion Tillo’s AI-first engineering approach by identifying and adopting AI and agentic workflows that improve development, delivery, and service maintenance
• Mentor engineers and contribute to the development of engineering standards and technical capability across the team

What we’re looking for

• Expert-level experience developing web applications and services with Python and FastAPI
• Strong experience designing microservice architectures and complex system integrations
• Strong understanding of how application data is structured, exposed, and delivered into data warehouses or search platforms
• Comfortable writing and reasoning about SQL
• Ability to work closely with Data Engineers and BI Analysts on data modelling, schema, and data quality decisions
• Strong understanding of secure software development principles
• Strong experience with automated testing and test-driven development
• Experience integrating with third-party services and APIs
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• Demonstrated experience mentoring engineers and leading technical discussions
• Ability to work collaboratively across engineering and data disciplines
• Comfortable working in a modern Agile engineering environment

Helpful but not essential

• Strong understanding of data engineering fundamentals, including data modelling and ETL/ELT
• Hands-on experience with Snowflake or a similar cloud data warehouse
• Experience building or maintaining data pipelines using tools such as Airflow, dbt, or similar orchestration and transformation platforms
• Experience with AWS
• Experience with Kubernetes, Podman, Docker, or similar container technologies
• Experience maintaining Helm charts and CI/CD pipelines
• Experience with GitHub Actions, CircleCI, or similar pipeline tools
• Experience working with OpenSearch or similar search platforms
• Experience using AI coding and development tools such as Cursor, Claude Code, or Codex
• Experience introducing AI-assisted or agentic workflows into engineering teams
• Experience working with Agile, Scrum, or Kanban methodologies

Benefits

We offer all our employees trust and empower our team to work with flexibility and autonomy. We’re a close-knit team and love working collaboratively, with our hybrid model, our team can come together at our fantastic offices, but also focus in their own space. The Tillo team are a motivated bunch and we all work hard to push Tillo forwards, always innovating. We completely understand the importance of work/life balance and offer a supportive and collaborative working environment with the following benefits:

• 21 days holiday per annum (plus an additional day for your birthday)
• Retirement Fund (5%)
• Health insurance contribution
• Employee Incentive Scheme
• Hybrid Working
• Top spec equipment including laptop, mouse, keyboard, monitor
• Anniversary gifts
• Monthly breakfasts, drinks, snacks and events
• Team Learning & Development budget

About Tillo

Tillo makes gift cards, rewards, and incentives simple, efficient, and profitable. Operating in over 37 markets and 25 currencies, Tillo processes billions in gift card transactions through a single, plug-and-go API, powering rewards and incentives for the world’s leading businesses.
Backed by Tenzing, Tillo is setting the global standard for digital gift card infrastructure.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement
We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know, and we will be happy to accommodate your needs.