Intermediate Software Engineer – Stellenbosch – Hybrid at Datafin Recruitment

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.