{"id":703658,"url":"https://alion.io/job/takealot-search-software-engineer","title":"Search Software Engineer","company":{"id":57341,"name":"Takealot","domain":"takealot.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/takealot","size_band":"501-1000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":76,"open_postings":28,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.964,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":42,"computed_at":"2026-10-07T05:47:15Z"}},"role":"Backend","role_family":"Backend","seniority":"senior","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"remote","remote_scope":"stated_countries","remote_scope_basis":"board_field","remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":[],"countries":[],"hiring_countries":["ZA"],"hiring_countries_total":1,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":38000,"max_usd":78000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_cell","sample_n":18},"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Algolia","optional":false},{"name":"ElasticSearch","optional":false},{"name":"Go","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"Vertex AI","optional":false},{"name":"Agile","optional":true},{"name":"Apache Kafka","optional":true},{"name":"AWS","optional":true},{"name":"Azure","optional":true},{"name":"Docker","optional":true},{"name":"GCP","optional":true},{"name":"GitHub","optional":true},{"name":"JavaScript","optional":true},{"name":"Jenkins","optional":true},{"name":"JQuery","optional":true},{"name":"Kotlin","optional":true},{"name":"Kubernetes","optional":true},{"name":"Linux","optional":true},{"name":"Machine Learning","optional":true},{"name":"Memcached","optional":true},{"name":"MySQL","optional":true},{"name":"PostgreSQL","optional":true},{"name":"RabbitMQ","optional":true},{"name":"React.js","optional":true},{"name":"Redis","optional":true},{"name":"Rest API","optional":true},{"name":"Scala","optional":true},{"name":"Slack","optional":true},{"name":"SQL","optional":true},{"name":"Travis CI","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-01-30T11:32:15Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-08-27","last_verified_at":"2026-10-07T22:13:39Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":250,"trust":{"level":"stale","repost_count":0,"flags":["stale"],"days_open":249},"description":"Takealot.com, South Africa’s leading online retailer, is looking for a highly talented Software Engineer (backend, preferably with search experience) to join our team. We are a young, dynamic, hyper-growth company looking for smart, creative, hard-working people with integrity to join us!\nThink you’ve been challenged before? Think again!\nScale: Over 4 million happy shoppers shop online on takealot.com. Show them what you can do.\nLearn: We work with the best of the best. Code alongside industry leaders and up-skill in record time.\nGrow: Expand your career in the fast-growing Takealot Group: takealot.com, TFS and Mr D. We like to promote from within: Here’s your chance.\nWho’s who in the tech space\nThis position reports to the respective team's manager.\nYour mission, should you choose to accept it:\nAs a Software Engineer, you will be someone whose expertise directly translates into developing robust software in the e-commerce domain. You will have the opportunity to implement best practices to improve existing software and participate in the development of new features. While we don't promote after-hours work as part of the regular workday, we run a 24/7 business with the need to keep systems up and running. Software Engineers are expected to provide after-hours support on a rotational basis to resolve critical system issues if needed.\nThe role is focused on maintaining our search stack. We are currently in the process of transitioning from Elasticsearch to Vertex AI Search, so experience with any of those would be a bonus, but not a necessity. Experience with any kind of search technology (Solr, Algolia) is relevant, but even if you don’t have search experience, the most important factor is that you enjoy building scalable back-end systems, and have a strong interest in understanding how search systems are built to scale to that serve millions of customers. Takealot runs mostly on Python, but experience in any of the mainstream backend languages (Python, Java or Go) is a plus.\nDesign and build solutions to assist our business users and improve customer experience\nArchitect and design solutions with your team\nDevelop code, making major improvements to non-functional areas\nDevelop high-quality production code for work of high complexity and scale\nUtilize and improve functional and non-functional testing practices\nChampion, challenge, and iterate on best practices within engineering\nDesign solutions for complex problems with difficult decision trade-offs, typically system or domain-wide\nParticipate in and collaborate on architecture proposals across engineering\nSupport alignment of architecture across the organisation\nRespond to and resolve bugs in production for systems in your division\nRespond to alerts and support incident response within your division\nInvestigate and drive the resolution of issues that impact multiple teams\nSupport, challenge existing, and define new engineering processes and directives\nReview and contribute fixes and content to internal documentation\nReact to technology trends, identifying risks and opportunities for your division's technologies, systems, and domains\nShare knowledge through blog posts, tech talks, and workshops across engineering\nContribute to discussions and decisions in the division\nChallenge others to always produce work of the highest quality\nREST and RPC API implementation and maintenance (using Python)\nDevelop and maintain automation tests\nLiaise with various internal stakeholders to discuss project requirements, progress, etc.\nThe skills we need:\nSolutions-oriented, can-do attitude, and high energy\nStrong analytical and critical thinking, using data to inform decisions\nAbility to dis-aggregate and structure solutions to ambiguous problems\nSolid quantitative skills\nCapability to present ideas succinctly, in writing and verbally\nVersatile and with the appetite to learn by doing\nQualifications & Experience:\nBachelor’s degree or an Advanced Diploma in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent practical experience).\n5 to 10 years in a software development role\nDeveloping scalable backend systems\nA thorough understanding of computer science fundamentals, including object-oriented design, data structures, and algorithms\nWriting robust, efficient production code\nProficient in a strongly typed open source language such as Python, Java, Golang, etc\nRESTful APIs and web services.\nSQL database systems\nDevelopment in a Linux environment\nExperience in the following will be advantageous:\nSearch technologies (Elasticsearch, Vertex AI Search, Solr, Algolia, or any other major third party provider)\nFamiliarity with microservices architecture \nWorking in an Agile environment \nMySQL, PostgreSQL\nMemcached, Redis\nMessage Brokers, Queues, and PubSub systems (e.g., Kafka and RabbitMQ)\nContainerisation (e.g., Docker)\nOrchestration (e.g., Kubernetes)\nGitHub, Travis CI, Jenkins\nAWS, GCP, Azure\nJavaScript, React, jQuery\nLet’s talk about life @ Takealot Group\nThe power is in your hands: We offer a market-related Total Remuneration Package that allows full flexibility according to your needs. Go on, be the master of your own destiny.\nNo doors: We aren’t fans of stuffy offices or siloed work environments. See someone you like, high-five, collab, and make something great.\nRemote working: Enjoy the flexibility of working from home while having the option for in-office interactions. Takealot.com provides a fully remote setup with the choice to visit the office to relish in those water cooler moments when desired.\nMentorship programme: We aren’t kidding when we say the people with the best people win. Now’s your chance to be one of the best by learning from the best.\nNaspers Tech Community & Online Learning: Share ideas and grow with global industry leaders who are all just a Slack message away. Love to learn? Up-skill with free access to courses on MyAcademy, Udacity, Coursera, and more.\n Good times: Get to know the other extraordinary minds at takealot.com during regular social events and out-of-office activities (think hikes, think mini golf, think good times).\nStaff discount: Takealotmore subscriptions and millions of products across 28 departments. What more could you ask for?\nBirthday leave: Cake Day all the way. Enjoy your day off - you deserve it.\nRight tools, right job: Mac or Linux, two monitors or one. Whatever your preference, you’ll work on the latest tech, off the latest tech.\nHelp when you need it most: Confidential counselling, legal support, and financial guidance, anytime, anywhere.\n Tech stack (for days): ReactJS, Python, Scala, Kotlin, Swift, Google Cloud, Kafka, Redis, Kubernetes, and all things machine learning. If you build it, they will come.\n Free parking: No more 5km fun runs to your desk (unless you want to).\nLike what you see?\nIf you meet the above, you are an Extraordinary Mind. Apply today!!\nTakealot Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 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