Senior AI & Backend Engineer

Our Story

At (formerly SovTech) we believe the future of software lies in the talent innovation and creativity found on the African continent. For over a decade we have been pioneering world-class software development for a global audience. We are the leading custom software development company from Africa that like any great tech company was founded in a garage. has now grown to more than 350 of the best AI-powered software engineering experts building world-class platforms for growing businesses across four cities on three continents.

Looking ahead we remain committed to growing Africas tech ecosystems. Africa is home to the worlds youngest population with over 50% of Africans under the age of 25. Recent estimates indicate there are over 700000 professional software developers across Africa today. That number is projected to double by 2025. We believe in the future of African tech talent and the impact it will have on scaling global companies.

Accelerating business growth with expert tech talent

Trusted by 400 companies helps businesses scale with our cloud-based engineering subscription platform offering consistent cost-effective AI-powered experts teams and reliable developer analytics.

Our Culture

Our culture is underpinned by 8 core values.

Earths leading software company from Africa- thats where were going.

Why Join Us

Be part of a dynamic people-first team thats showcasing and advancing Africas tech landscape on the global scale. At we celebrate your individuality empower your decision-making and create meaningful experiences. Together were driving innovation and building exceptional teams Take a look at some of the highlights:

Embrace Our African Talent Footprint Flexibility and Autonomy

• At we champion an empowered workplace where you shape the culture influence decisions on tech stacks and take charge of user testingall while working from wherever you thrive best across our interconnected Guilds.

• Our distributed teams span South Africa Nigeria Kenya Zimbabwe and other parts of the continent showcasing the diversity and brilliance of African talent.

The Vibes

• Annual Foos-Fest : Showcase your skills at our legendary Foosball Festival and take home quirky sought-after awards.

• AI-Powered Hackathons : Collaborate with your team to create innovative market-ready products in just 24 hoursall while enjoying live music and family-friendly fun.

• Year-End Celebrations : Reflect and connect at our unforgettable year-end events a decade-old tradition we continue to cherish.

• Popcorn Fridays Dev Chats and Braais : Bond with colleagues over insightful discussions and sizzling good vibes.

• Fluid Clubs : Join like-minded peers in activities like hiking running and more to foster shared interests beyond work.

• Weekly All-Hands : Stay inspired and in the loop with our weekly All-Hands sessions that bring us together as one team.

• Explore Week : Our annual tradition encourages you to work from anywhere around the globe for one exciting weekfreedom meets inspiration!

Rewards & Recognition

• Stacos (our company currency) : Reward and recognise your peers with Stacos and exchange them for cool vouchers to celebrate accomplishments big and small.

• Commission Incentives : Unlock attractive rewards for successful business development leads and employee referrals.

Continued Career Growth & Support

• Internal AI Platforms : We empower our teams with access to both closed and open source LLMs that make work easier and empower your professional growth. We love AI!

• High-Performance Culture : Stay aligned and on track with OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) and structured annual reviews.

• Personalized Mentorship : Receive dedicated guidance from leadership and the Talent SuccessTeam through one-on-one sessions and quarterly check-ins tailored to your career aspirations.

Transforming How We Work

• Our teams embrace cutting-edge AI platforms agents and tools creating smarter workflows and accelerating career development with AI.

• OpenAI Anthropic Llama - we use them all so choose what suits you best!

• You dont need your own licenses - we cover the costs and have our own internal AI platforms that gives you access to them all in a secure environment.

Outstanding Employee Benefits*

• Discovery Medical Aid : Prioritizing your health with the best care.

• Half-Day Birthday Leave : Celebrate your special day with an afternoon off!

• Family responsibility & Parental Benefits : Providing full support for a meaningful work-life balance.

*Please note: Benefits may vary depending on employment type

Join us and be part of a dynamic supportive team thats making waves across Africa.

Location: Johannesburg

Contract Type: Independent Contractor Agreement

Engagement Length: 12 months

Years of Experience: 5 years in a similar role

Qualifications: Bachelors or Masters degree in Computer Science Software Engineering or a related field.

Certifications: Advantageous

Work Model: Remote

Key Skills

Python

SQL

Relational Database Design

PandaDoc Integration

Document Automation APIs

AI Agents

LLM Tooling

Agentic Workflows

MCP (Model Context Protocol)

Agent Communication Frameworks

WebSockets

Real-Time Applications

Machine Learning Concepts

Data Pipelines

Preferred Qualifications

Experience building or deploying AI-driven products.

Background with cloud services (Azure AWS or GCP).

Knowledge of vector databases and RAG systems.

Familiarity with DevOps CI/CD and Docker/Kubernetes.

Responsibilities

Develop maintain and optimize backend services using and Python.

Build and manage APIs and real-time communication channels using WebSockets.

Design implement and maintain database solutions using SQL.

Implement workflows and automation using PandaDoc APIs and related document automation tools.

Work with AI agents AI tools and machine learning models to integrate intelligence into business workflows.

Collaborate on systems using MCP (Model Context Protocol) or similar frameworks.

Build scalable architectures supporting AI-driven features and real-time data processing.

Troubleshoot optimize and ensure high performance and reliability of backend systems.

Requirements

Proficiency in for backend services.

Experience with Python for scripting automation and machine learning tasks.

Strong understanding of SQL and relational database design.

Experience with PandaDoc integrations or document-generation APIs.

Knowledge of AI agents LLM tooling and agentic workflows.

Familiarity with MCP or similar agent communication frameworks.

Hands-on experience with WebSockets for real-time applications.

Understanding of machine learning concepts and data pipelines.

Experience building or deploying AI-driven products (preferred).

Background with cloud services such as Azure AWS or GCP (preferred).

Knowledge of vector databases and RAG systems (preferred).

Familiarity with DevOps CI/CD and Docker/Kubernetes (preferred).

Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking skills.

Collaborative and communicative approach.

Self-driven and comfortable in fast-paced environments.