Senior Ruby Engineer – 10 Yrs - Cape Town (Hybrid)

About the role

This opportunity is for a Senior Ruby Engineer with a minimum of 10 years of professional experience. The role is based in Cape Town and offers a hybrid working arrangement, allowing for a blend of in-office collaboration and remote flexibility. As a Senior Engineer, you will be instrumental in shaping and advancing the company's technological landscape, contributing significantly to its core product development and engineering strategies. This position demands a seasoned professional who can not only write excellent code but also mentor junior team members and contribute to architectural decisions. You'll be joining a dynamic environment where innovation and technical excellence are highly valued.

The primary focus of this role is to leverage your extensive Ruby expertise to design, develop, and maintain robust software solutions. You will be involved in the entire software development lifecycle, from conception and planning through to implementation, testing, and deployment. Key responsibilities will include:

• Writing clean, efficient, and well-documented Ruby code.
• Collaborating with product managers and other engineers to define software requirements and technical specifications.
• Contributing to architectural discussions and decision-making processes.
• Developing and implementing new features and functionalities for the company's platform.
• Identifying and resolving technical debt and performance bottlenecks.
• Mentoring and guiding junior engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
• Participating in code reviews to ensure code quality and adherence to best practices.
• Working with modern development tools and methodologies.

What they're looking for

To be considered for this senior position, candidates should possess a strong foundation in software engineering principles and a deep understanding of the Ruby programming language. The ideal candidate will have at least 10 years of experience in professional software development, with a significant portion of that time dedicated to Ruby. Beyond technical proficiency, the company is seeking an individual who demonstrates leadership potential and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

Essential qualifications and skills include:

• A minimum of 10 years of professional software engineering experience.
• Extensive hands-on experience with Ruby and its associated frameworks (e.g., Ruby on Rails).
• Proven ability to design and implement scalable and maintainable software architectures.
• Strong understanding of database technologies (e.g., SQL, NoSQL).
• Experience with version control systems, particularly Git.
• Familiarity with testing frameworks and methodologies.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal abilities, with the capacity to collaborate effectively in a team environment.
• Experience with agile development methodologies is highly desirable.
• A passion for writing high-quality code and a commitment to continuous improvement.

This role is well-suited for an experienced Ruby engineer looking to take on greater responsibility and make a significant impact within a forward-thinking organisation. The hybrid model in Cape Town offers a great work-life balance, and the opportunity to work with a talented team on challenging projects. In South Africa, senior developer roles like this, particularly with extensive experience in in-demand languages like Ruby, can command competitive salaries, often ranging from R60,000 to R90,000+ per month depending on the specific company, industry, and the depth of your technical and leadership skills. Employers often include tech startups, established software houses, and companies undergoing digital transformation. Career progression typically involves moving into lead developer, architect, or engineering management positions.

• Bachelor's degree in Data Science, Statistics, or a related field.
• 2+ years of experience in data analysis or a relevant role.
• Proficiency in analytics tools such as SQL, Python, or R.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.