Intermediate Software Engineer - Stellenbosch - Hybrid

ENVIRONMENT:

A cutting-edge AgriTech company is seeking a proactive and experienced Intermediate Full Stack Software Engineer to help build and scale software that connects digital platforms with industrial control and IoT systems.

Based in Stellenbosch, our client develops reliable, maintainable technology that integrates with devices used on packhouse floors, supporting the transformation of agricultural operations through automation and data-driven solutions. The ideal candidate is pragmatic, eager to learn and committed to delivering meaningful customer value. Working within a small, hands-on team, they will gain experience across the full technology stack and travel when required to support customer implementations.

DUTIES:

• System Ownership: Lead the development and optimization of their Ruby-based web framework and PostgreSQL-backed systems, ensuring high availability for critical packhouse operations.
• Code Excellence: Write and advocate for clean, modular, and highly testable code. Lead by example in maintaining documentation and engineering standards.
• Architecture & Design: Contribute to architectural discussions, helping to design data workflows, API structures, and system integrations that are scalable and secure.
• Advanced IoT Integration: Independently manage integrations with industrial hardware using RESTful APIs and network protocols (TCP, UDP, Modbus), ensuring robust error handling and data integrity.
• Deployment & DevOps: Manage CI/CD pipelines and internal tooling to ensure seamless deployments. Take an active role in monitoring system health and performance.
• On-Site Technical Leadership: Lead on-site installations of software and IoT hardware, serving as a technical point of contact and troubleshooting complex networking/connectivity issues.
• Mentorship: Participate in and lead code reviews, providing constructive feedback to junior developers and fostering a culture of continuous learning.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Product and QA teams to refine requirements, estimate effort accurately, and ensure technical feasibility.
• Problem Solving: Tackle complex production bugs and performance bottlenecks with a structured, analytical approach.

REQUIREMENTS:

Formal Qualifications:

• A degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of professional software development experience

Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

• Full Stack Proficiency: Strong experience with Ruby and Ruby on Rails (or similar MVC frameworks) and a deep understanding of PostgreSQL.
• Frontend Expertise: Proficient in modern CSS (e.g., Tailwind) and JavaScript, with an eye for UI/UX best practices.
• System Design: Proven ability to apply OOP principles, design patterns, and SOLID principles to complex problems.
• Industrial/IoT Literacy: Solid experience with networking (subnets, VLANs) and communication protocols (TCP/UDP, Modbus, RS232).
• Environment & Tools: Expert-level comfort with Linux/terminal environments and advanced Git workflows (branching strategies, rebasing).
• Testing Culture: Experience with TDD/BDD and automated testing frameworks (e.g., MiniTest, RSpec).
• Project Management: Ability to manage multiple workstreams and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Travel: Willingness to travel for client installations and hardware commissioning.