Senior Software Engineer (DevOps)

About the Opportunity

Takealot Group, a powerhouse in South Africa's e-commerce landscape and home to the country's premier online retailer, takealot.com, is actively seeking a seasoned Senior Software Engineer with a strong DevOps focus. This is a chance to become an integral part of the platform engineering team, where you'll shape and scale the very infrastructure that underpins millions of customer interactions and transactions. If you thrive on complex challenges and are eager to make a tangible impact on business growth and the overall customer experience, this role offers a stimulating environment where you can truly showcase your expertise.

At Takealot, you'll join a team dedicated to excellence, working alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry. The company is committed to fostering professional development, offering unparalleled opportunities to learn and grow at an accelerated pace. As part of the rapidly expanding Takealot Group, which includes takealot.com, TFS, and Mr D, you'll find a supportive culture that prioritises internal advancement, making this an excellent platform for career progression within a dynamic and forward-thinking organisation.

As a Senior Software Engineer (DevOps), your responsibilities will span the entire lifecycle of our robust cloud infrastructure. You will be instrumental in architecting, securing, and automating the systems that power our daily operations and future growth.

Key aspects of the role include:

• **Infrastructure as Code:** Designing and meticulously managing our cloud infrastructure, primarily utilising Terraform to ensure consistency, repeatability, and scalability.
• **Configuration Management:** Configuring and maintaining virtual servers with tools like Chef, ensuring environments are precisely set up and managed.
• **Observability:** Building and deploying high-calibre metrics, monitoring, and logging systems. These systems are crucial for maintaining the health, performance, and reliability of our critical services.
• **Service Management:** Taking ownership of critical services, including but not limited to Kafka, Kubernetes, Nginx, and Memcache, ensuring their optimal operation.
• **Security Integration:** Implementing comprehensive server hardening techniques and embedding security best practices throughout our platform from the ground up.
• **Automation Development:** Creating innovative automation solutions. This will free up valuable engineering time, allowing the team to concentrate on high-impact initiatives and strategic development.
• **System Integration:** Developing "glue code" to extend the functionality of existing systems or integrate disparate services, enhancing overall system cohesion and efficiency.

What They're Looking For

To excel in this role, you should possess a strong foundation in computer science principles and extensive practical experience in managing complex, production-level systems. A formal degree in a relevant field is desirable, but equivalent hands-on experience will also be highly valued.

Essential qualifications and experience include:

• A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or Information Systems, coupled with at least 5 years of relevant experience. Alternatively, a minimum of 10 years of progressive, hands-on experience in software or technology environments will be considered.
• A solid understanding of fundamental computer science concepts, including Linux operating systems and general networking principles.
• Deep knowledge of data structures, algorithms, and core computer science theories.
• Proven production experience managing Kubernetes clusters, encompassing aspects such as certificate management, user access, and cluster initialisation (e.g., using kubeadm).
• Proficiency in writing code, with a preference for Python, which is a primary language used by the team.
• Hands-on experience with cloud platforms like Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Experience with AWS or Azure is also relevant. This includes understanding their architecture and operational aspects.
• In-depth knowledge of Linux, covering areas such as kernel tuning, the proc filesystem, cgroups, and OS scheduling.
• A profound understanding of networking, including TCP/IP, network fabrics (like Calico or Weave), VLANs, and network troubleshooting tools (e.g., tcpdump).
• Substantial experience in Linux administration, covering processes, networking, disk management, and security.
• A demonstrable track record of successfully managing production systems in demanding environments.

This role is an excellent opportunity for a skilled DevOps engineer to contribute to a leading South African e-commerce platform. In the South African market, senior DevOps roles often command competitive salaries, reflecting the critical nature of cloud infrastructure and automation. Major retailers, financial institutions, and established tech companies are frequent employers of such talent. Career paths typically lead to broader infrastructure leadership, architecture roles, or specialisation in specific cloud technologies or platforms. Takealot, as an Equal Opportunity Employer, actively encourages applications from individuals from previously disadvantaged groups and those with disabilities.

• Bachelor's in Computer Science, Engineering, Math, or Information Systems + 5+ years experience OR 10+ years hands-on experience in software/technology environments
• An understanding of computer science fundamentals, including Linux and operating systems, networking
• Strong understanding of data structures, algorithms, and computer science fundamentals
• Production experience managing Kubernetes clusters (certificates, users, kubeadm, etc.)
• Proficiency in writing code (our primary language is Python)
• Hands-on experience with Google Cloud Platform (or AWS/Azure) - architecture and operations
• Understand Linux deeply (kernel tuning, proc filesystem, cgroups, os scheduling, etc.)
• Understand networking deeply (tcp/ip, calico/weave, vlans, tcpdump, etc.)
• Has experience with Linux administration (Processes, Networking, Disks, Security)
• Track record in managing production systems