Senior Software Engineer (AI-Enabled)

Ozow, a prominent fintech innovator reshaping digital payments across South Africa and internationally, is on the lookout for a seasoned Senior Software Engineer to bolster their Cape Town-based development team. This isn't just another engineering role; it's a chance to be at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence into the very fabric of a leading payment platform. You’ll be instrumental in shaping not only the features delivered to customers but also the internal processes that drive software development itself.

About the Role

This position offers a unique opportunity to lead the design and implementation of sophisticated software solutions that underpin Ozow's digital payment infrastructure. A significant focus will be placed on the strategic integration of AI, particularly Large Language Models (LLMs), as the company undertakes a major replatforming and modernisation initiative. You will be pivotal in setting the benchmark for the responsible and effective utilisation of AI tools throughout the entire software development lifecycle, fostering a culture of adoption and innovation within the wider engineering team.

As a Senior Software Engineer at Ozow, your responsibilities will be diverse and impactful. You will:

• Lead cross-functional teams in the design and delivery of software solutions, translating intricate business challenges into robust technical strategies that adhere to stringent quality standards.
• Spearhead the migration of existing systems to modern, AI-native cloud services, modernising the platform for future scalability and efficiency.
• Design and develop new functionalities that seamlessly integrate with advanced LLMs, unlocking new capabilities for the payment ecosystem.
• Produce clean, efficient, and maintainable code, upholding best practices in software development.
• Establish and enforce team standards and guidelines for the safe and ethical application of AI within development processes.
• Tackle and resolve the most complex technical impediments, ensuring system stability and performance.
• Take ownership of system design and architecture, guiding the technical direction of key components.
• Conduct and lead code reviews, incorporating AI-assisted tools to enhance code quality and developer productivity.
• Define and oversee the testing strategies for your areas of responsibility, ensuring comprehensive quality assurance.
• Manage the lifecycle of your services, from development through to production, and continuously optimise CI/CD pipelines for streamlined deployment.
• Operate effectively within an Agile development framework, collaborating closely with team members.
• Create and maintain comprehensive technical documentation to support knowledge sharing and system understanding.
• Mentor and guide other engineers, empowering them to leverage AI tools effectively and safely.

What They're Looking For

To excel in this role, candidates should possess a strong foundation in software engineering coupled with a forward-thinking approach to AI integration. Key requirements include:

• A minimum of 7 years of experience in software engineering or development.
• Proficiency in .NET 8 C#, JavaScript, and ReactJs. Experience with Python is considered a significant advantage.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and integrating solutions with LLMs.
• A proven history of successfully deploying AI-powered features into production environments.
• Substantial experience leading the migration or replatforming of live, high-volume systems.
• Robust expertise in system design and architectural principles.
• Familiarity with cloud services (AWS or Azure) and containerisation technologies.
• The ability to influence and effectively coach technical colleagues.

This role presents a compelling opportunity for a technically adept and forward-looking engineer to make a significant contribution to a leading South African fintech company. The integration of AI into core business functions is a rapidly evolving field, and this position offers a chance to be at the cutting edge of that innovation within a dynamic and growing industry.

• At least 7+ years of experience as a Software Engineer or Developer.
• Strong development skills in .NET 8 C#, JavaScript and ReactJs; Python is beneficial.
• Proven experience developing against LLMs.
• A track record of shipping AI-powered features to production.
• Experience leading a migration or replatforming of a live, high-volume system.
• Strong system design and architecture experience.
• Experience with cloud services (AWS or Azure) and containerisation.
• The ability to influence and coach others.