Senior Software Engineer

Aerobotics; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 300,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative firm is seeking a skilled software engineer to join their dynamic team at the intersection of agriculture and technology. In this role, you will lead the development of advanced applications that help farmers optimize their yield through cutting-edge machine learning and computer vision techniques. Your expertise will shape the technical vision and architecture of the products that impact agricultural decisions globally. If you are passionate about technology and making a difference in the world, this is a unique opportunity to contribute to sustainable farming solutions while working with a collaborative and dedicated team.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of software development experience with complex projects.
• Strong knowledge of machine learning frameworks like TensorFlow and PyTorch.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of applications for processing imagery data.
• Architect and implement production-grade ML solutions.

Skills

Software Development

Machine Learning

Problem Solving

Collaboration

Education

BEng or BSc in Computer Science

Tools

Python

Django REST Framework

PostgreSQL

AWS

Docker

Terraform

CircleCI

Git

Job description

Our mission is to provide intelligent tools to feed the world. We do this by delivering actionable tree and fruit insights to growers across 18 countries, powered by imagery and advanced computer vision.

To date, we’ve analyzed over 340 million trees and 65 million fruit, helping farmers make critical operational and agricultural decisions that maximize yield and efficiency. Our global team of 50+ professionals is headquartered in Cape Town, with commercial offices in the USA, Australia, Portugal, Spain, and South America.

The Opportunity

Join a dynamic team at the intersection of agriculture, computer vision, and software engineering. You’ll help design, build and scale our fruit sizing and insights products that directly impact how farmers measure and estimate their yield through advanced analysis of mobile-collected imagery. At Aerobotics, your code and architectural decisions will directly impact large scale agricultural decisions made by farmers. You’ll be helping to feed the world more efficiently and sustainably, working with a team that’s as passionate about technology as they are about making a difference.

What makes this role unique:

1. You’ll solve complex problems that bridge the digital and physical worlds of agriculture.
2. You’ll work across our stack while exploring machine learning and computer vision applications.
3. You’ll provide technical leadership to a dynamic team that’s deeply connected to customer needs.

What You’ll Do

1. Lead Production Systems Development: Drive the development of robust applications for processing imagery data and delivering accurate fruit size and grade data.
2. Architect and Implement ML Solutions: Design and implement production-grade systems from data science prototypes.
3. Drive Technical Vision: Independently shape our architecture, select technologies, and make decisive calls on critical technical approaches with minimal oversight.
4. Manage Technical Trade-offs: Strategically balance technical debt with development velocity, and guide overall technical strategy and planning.
5. Drive Cross-functional Collaboration: Lead collaboration with product managers, agronomists, and data scientists to ensure technical solutions meet customer needs.
6. Provide Mentorship and Leadership: Mentor junior engineers, conduct in-depth code reviews, and champion engineering excellence within the team.

We collaborate closely in person, so you’ll spend at least 3 days per week working from our office in De Waterkant, Cape Town.

What You’ll Need

1. 5+ years of software development experience with a proven track record of delivering complex projects.
2. BEng or BSc in Computer Science or similar degree (or equivalent working experience).
3. Extensive experience building production-grade systems that can reliably operate at scale.
4. Strong knowledge of machine learning frameworks and libraries (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch).
5. Experience with cloud platforms (AWS) & familiarity with our tech stack.
6. Problem-solving skills with the ability to balance technical perfection against practical delivery.
7. Strong collaboration skills and eagerness to work with a passionate, customer-focused team.

Bonus Points For

1. Experience leading technical teams or projects.
2. Experience with computer vision or image processing.
3. Experience building and maintaining data pipelines for ML systems.
4. Interest in agriculture or experience in AgTech.

Our Tech Stack

Backend: Python, Django REST Framework, PostgreSQL
Frontend: React, TypeScript, React Native
Data Processing: Python, NumPy, Pandas, scikit-learn
Infrastructure: AWS (S3, EC2, Lambda, Redshift), Docker, Terraform
DevOps: CI/CD with CircleCI
Analytics: Metabase, Grafana
Version Control: Git, Bitbucket, GitHub

Application Process

1. Submit your CV & a clear motivation for this role & Aerobotics.
2. Preliminary virtual interview with Head of People.
3. In-person interview with Engineering Manager & Head of Engineering.
4. Technical assessment.
5. Final Interview with our CTO.

Note: Unfortunately, we are unable to support visa sponsorship, so the suitable candidate requires permanent working rights in South Africa.

Attention recruitment agencies: Kindly note we are not working with agencies for this position.