Software Engineer I

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Software Engineer to join our team. In this role, you will take ownership of technical design decisions and be a driving force behind the quality, architecture, and delivery of software solutions across our retail platform. You will work with cross-functional teams to deliver scalable, maintainable systems built on AWS cloud infrastructure, leveraging modern microservices architecture and best-in-class engineering practices.

Key Technical Skills

• Java
• Microservices
• AWS Cloud
• Cloud Infrastructure
• Retail Domain
• Agile / SCRUM

Key Responsibilities

Technical Capability

• Maintain a working understanding of organisational structures and business partner dynamics, adapting delivery approaches within agreed frameworks.
• Detect critical deficiencies in architecture or process and recommend actionable improvements.
• Uphold development principles and quality compliance criteria to ensure commitments are met.

Solution Design & Development

• Analyse and understand business requirements in the context of the current business environment
• Create/Update conceptual, logical, and physical solutions using appropriate coding techniques and methodologies.
• Develop solutions according to standards and best practice for back-end and integration layers.
• Develop, document, and maintain source code in line with established design standards.
• Integrate design for maintainability, scalability, and operational efficiency.
• Build systems to take advantage of true cloud-native architecture, leveraging AWS services and patterns

Job Specifications

Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration

• Actively share technical insights and information with relevant stakeholders at appropriate levels of detail.
• Work effectively as part of a team without requiring close supervision.

Quality, Compliance & Delivery

• Complete deliverables throughout the system development life cycle in compliance with the agreed plan.
• Identify and prioritise project risks proactively, with clear escalation paths.
• Apply code review discipline and QA processes as requested, ensuring successful deployment through quality gates.
• Code to industry best practices, adhering to team processes and established conventions.
• Work within both SDLC and Agile (SCRUM) methodologies as the project demands.

Infrastructure & Continuous Improvement

• Set up, maintain, and improve technical infrastructure to support development, testing, and production environments.
• Maintain technical competency in the applicable technology stack and related tools.
• Research and stay current with trends in online retail channels and related information technology.
• Adhere to and champion best practices and team processes, contributing to a culture of continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Extensive hands-on experience with Java development in production environments.
• Proven experience designing and building microservices-based architectures.
• Practical experience with AWS cloud services and cloud-native design principles.
• Experience working across both Agile (SCRUM) and SDLC methodologies.
• Strong code review practices and commitment to quality-driven delivery.
• Strong and effective communication skills
• 5+ years of development experience

Advantageous

• AWS certifications (e.g. Developer Associate).
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, DevOps tooling, and infrastructure-as-code.
• Exposure to event-driven architecture, messaging systems (e.g. Kafka, SQS/SNS).
• Familiarity with containerisation technologies (Docker, Kubernetes / EKS).
• Experience in design both productionalize NoSQL and RDBMS technologies
• Prior exposure to the retail industry or comparable customer-facing commercial environments.

Working Environment

• Technology stack anchored on Java, AWS, and modern microservices patterns.
• Retail-focused delivery environment requiring awareness of trading cycles, customer journeys, and operational constraints.
• Collaborative team culture with strong Agile (SCRUM) practices alongside structured project governance.
• Regular engagement with Product and Architecture stakeholder communities.
• Hybrid Office setup – currently 3 days a week in office with Monday or Friday being a compulsory day.

Our Group and all its operating companies is committed to creating, embracing, and preserving a diverse workplace that values the unique talents, perspectives, backgrounds, and abilities that enrich our organisation. A place where everyone matters and feels included.

We are committed to Employment Equity when recruiting internally and externally.

Please take note that by responding to this application and providing your personal information, you confirm your express and informed consent for Shoprite Checkers (Pty) Ltd and all its subsidiaries and affiliates companies to process your personal information for the Company to consider your application for this position. All Personal Information which you provide to the Company will be used and/or retained only for the purposes for which it is collected, whereafter it will be permanently destroyed. Your information is only retained if it is required by law or where you have given consent to us to retain such information for an extended period.

If you don’t hear from us within 14 days, please consider your application unsuccessful. Any personal information collected as part of your application will be destroyed, securely, in accordance with South African legislation.