Java Developer – EMV Kernel & Payments

PBT Group is looking for an experienced Java Developer with hands-on EMV Kernel and payments domain experience for a contract engagement based in Cape Town. The role sits within a major banking environment and requires someone who combines strong Java engineering skills with deep knowledge of the payments stack - from card-present transaction processing through to EMV kernel integration, certification, and infrastructure.

The Java Developer will be embedded within the bank's payments engineering team, contributing to the development, integration, and maintenance of payment processing systems with a specific focus on EMV Kernel functionality. The role requires the ability to work across the full payments stack - from terminal-level transaction logic through to core banking integration - and to engage credibly with both engineering and payments domain specialists.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and enhance Java-based components within the payments processing stack
• Work on EMV Kernel integration and transaction processing logic across chip-based and contactless payment flows
• Build and maintain integrations between payment terminals, POS/ATM devices, and core banking systems
• Implement and maintain transaction processing workflows including FNOL, authorisation, settlement, and reconciliation
• Contribute to EMV certification processes and compliance with EMVCo, Visa, Mastercard, and local payment scheme requirements
• Debug and resolve complex issues across the payments stack, including terminal-level and kernel-level transaction failures
• Write clean, well-tested Java code with appropriate unit and integration tests
• Collaborate with payments domain specialists, infrastructure engineers, and business stakeholders
• Contribute to technical documentation covering payment flows, integration specs, and architecture decisions
• Proactively upskill on infrastructure components and payment stack layers not directly within your immediate experience

Required Skills & Experience

Essential

• 5-8 years’ hands-on Java development experience - strong OOP fundamentals, design patterns, and clean code practices
• Experience in a payments, fintech, or banking engineering environment
• Familiarity with payment processing concepts - authorisation flows, settlement, reconciliation, ISO 8583 or ISO 20022 messaging
• Ability to read, understand, and work with complex integration specifications and payment scheme documentation
• Experience with REST and/or SOAP web services and API integration
• Solid understanding of secure coding practices relevant to financial systems (cryptography, key management, TLS/SSL)
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and version control (Git, Bitbucket, Jenkins, or equivalent)
• Strong debugging and problem-solving skills - comfortable diagnosing issues at the infrastructure and application layer

Highly Advantageous

• Direct EMV Kernel development or integration experience - ClaimCenter, contactless, chip card transaction logic
• Experience with softPOS, POS terminal development, or ATM software
• Knowledge of EMVCo specifications and payment scheme certification processes (Visa, Mastercard, Amex)
• Experience with payment terminal SDKs or kernel libraries (e.g. Nexo, NFC/contactless stack)
• Exposure to HSM (Hardware Security Module) integration or payment cryptography
• Spring Boot / Spring Framework experience
• Cloud exposure (AWS or Azure) in a banking or payments context

Attitude (Non-Negotiable)

• Genuine curiosity about how payment infrastructure works - not just the application layer
• Willingness and enthusiasm to learn the full payments stack, including infrastructure components outside your current expertise
• Takes ownership and drives solutions without waiting to be directed
• Comfortable operating in a complex, regulated banking environment where precision and compliance matter

Personal Attributes

• Technically rigorous - takes pride in well-structured, well-tested code
• Curious and self-directed - proactively researches and learns domain knowledge beyond the immediate task
• Collaborative and communicative - able to work across engineering, payments, and business teams
• Comfortable with ambiguity - payments infrastructure is complex and documentation is not always complete
• Reliable and delivery-focused in a contract environment with defined timelines

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