Senior Backend Software Engineer (Java, Spring Boot, RESTful APIs, Fintech) (Cape Town – Hybrid) at Datafin Recruitment

ENVIRONMENT:


Our client is a leading international gaming, leisure, and entertainment group offering exciting and entertaining customer experiences, in venues or online. They are looking for a Senior Backend Engineer to join their Fintech team who are responsible for the core, high-throughput processing services and 3rd party payments integrations.
You'll design and own the backend systems powering deposits, withdrawals, and real-time transaction processing, where correctness, speed, and regulatory integrity are non-negotiable. They are at an exciting inflection point: actively experimenting with AI across the SDLC and looking for engineers who want to help shape
what that looks like in practice - not just adopt tools, but influence how the team thinks, builds, and ships.


DUTIES:


Design and Development: Create robust, efficient, and scalable backend services using Java and Spring Boot with a focus on accuracy, idempotency and fault tolerance.
API Development: Design, build, and maintain secure APIs for web and mobile applications.
Performance and Security: Ensure application performance, scalability, and security best practices.
Domain Ownership: Drive the low-level architecture of core flows - ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Cloud Integration: Collaborate with various teams to integrate cloud services into their backend infrastructure.
Code Quality: Write high-quality, maintainable code that adheres to industry standards.
Mentorship: Support junior and mid-level team members, conduct code reviews, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
AI-Augmented Development Practices: Champion the adoption of AI and agentic tools to accelerate the engineering lifecycle across the team. Define guardrails, evaluate tooling, and upskill the team on responsible AI-augmented engineering.
Modernising legacy stored procedures into Spring Boot services.


REQUIREMENTS:


7+ years of professional experience as a Backend Engineer.
Experience in high-volume, low-latency transaction processing.
Experience showing strong problem-solving skills and a passion for creating user-centric solutions.
Core Java proficiency. A strong command of the Java language, including object-oriented programming, design patterns,
exception handling, and memory management.
Spring Framework (including Spring Boot) - In-depth knowledge of Spring, especially Spring Boot for building efficient and scalable backend applications.
Proficiency in designing and implementing RESTful APIs.
Experience in event-driven architecture.
Experience in industry-standard CI/CD implementation.
Bachelor's degree in software Engineer, Computer Science, Engineering or equivalent


Nice to have


Exposure to PCI-DSS environments and controls
Experience integrating with payment providers.