Developer - AI & Data

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:
Location: Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, South Africa | Hybrid Employment Type: Permanent | Full-Time Industry: Financial Technology | Software Engineering | Artificial Intelligence | Data & Automation Experience: Minimum 3 Years in Production Software Development WatersEdge Solutions is partnering with a technology-driven business in the financial software space to find a capable Developer, AI & Data who enjoys building practical solutions that combine software engineering, artificial intelligence, automation and data. This is an opportunity for a developer who wants to do more than write code. You'll take ownership of solutions from initial design through to deployment, monitoring and ongoing improvement, working on technology that supports both internal operations and a sophisticated financial software platform. We're looking for someone with a strong foundation in production web application development, relational databases, cloud infrastructure and AI integration , who understands the importance of accuracy, security and reliability when working with financial information. The ideal candidate is technically curious, commercially aware and comfortable making practical engineering decisions while taking full responsibility for the solutions they deliver. About the Role As Developer, AI & Data, you'll form part of an AI and Process Innovation function , working closely with a wider platform development team to design, build and maintain software solutions. Your work will cover two main areas: internal applications that improve operational efficiency and AI-driven or data-focused capabilities that form part of a client-facing financial software platform. You'll develop web applications, automate manual processes, build financial data pipelines and integrate large language models into practical business workflows. Importantly, you'll be responsible for the full lifecycle of your solutions, including development, deployment, monitoring, incident resolution, upgrades and maintenance. The environment handles complex financial information and confidential personal data, so accuracy, reconciliation, secure access and data governance are central to the role. This position will suit a developer who enjoys combining hands-on engineering with an understanding of how technology supports real business processes. Key Responsibilities Software Development & Internal Applications Design, develop and deploy web applications and services that support internal business operations. Build practical software solutions for teams involved in client management, data migration and support. Take ownership of applications throughout their lifecycle, from development and testing through to production support. Monitor application performance and reliability. Investigate production incidents, identify root causes and implement preventative improvements. Manage application upgrades, maintenance and operational costs. Develop solutions that are reliable, maintainable and straightforward for internal teams to use. AI Development & Intelligent Automation Integrate large language model (LLM) APIs into business processes and software applications. Develop AI-enabled functionality that addresses specific operational or platform requirements. Evaluate AI outputs for quality, accuracy and suitability. Implement appropriate cost controls and human oversight for AI-driven processes. Automate manual and spreadsheet-based workflows using tested, repeatable software solutions. Assess AI tools and frameworks based on technical capability, practical value and associated risks. Contribute to responsible AI adoption and internal AI governance practices. Support colleagues in using approved AI tools effectively and safely. Platform Development & Data Integration Develop AI and data capabilities for integration into a client-facing financial software platform. Collaborate with platform engineers to ensure new functionality meets established engineering standards. Implement secure, permission-controlled access to platform data and functionality. Ensure appropriate segregation of confidential information between clients. Work within established code review, development and deployment processes. Support reliable integration between internal applications, platform services and data sources. Financial Data Engineering & Reporting Develop and maintain pipelines that process financial information, including: Share prices and market data Foreign exchange rates Financial transactions Valuation data Support the preparation of management and client reporting. Implement reconciliation and validation controls to maintain data accuracy. Ensure financial calculations account for appropriate decimal precision and multi-currency requirements. Consider trading calendars and source-data consistency when processing financial information. Investigate data discrepancies and resolve issues before inaccurate information reaches users. Maintain reliable data processing and reporting workflows. Cloud Infrastructure & Production Operations Develop, deploy and support applications in cloud environments. Work with cloud infrastructure and supporting services to maintain production solutions. Monitor system performance, reliability and operational costs. Troubleshoot production issues and implement sustainable fixes. Support secure deployment and ongoing maintenance of applications. Maintain effective logging and monitoring practices. Security, Data Protection & Governance Apply secure authentication and authorisation principles across applications. Implement appropriate access controls, including least-privilege access. Protect confidential client and financial information. Apply data minimisation, retention controls and audit logging where appropriate. Contribute to AI governance activities, including technology assessments and impact assessments. Design solutions with relevant data protection obligations, including POPIA and GDPR , in mind. Ensure security and data integrity are considered throughout the development lifecycle. Engineering Standards & Quality Assurance Participate in peer code reviews and collaborative engineering discussions. Maintain and contribute to CI\/CD pipelines . Develop and maintain automated test suites. Verify application functionality against real data and practical business scenarios. Maintain accurate and current technical documentation. Record important technical decisions and implementation considerations. Review AI-generated code before incorporating it into production systems. Deliver changes incrementally while managing technical and operational risks. Knowledge Transfer & Business Collaboration Work closely with non-technical teams to understand their operational challenges. Translate business requirements into practical software solutions. Prepare clear documentation and handover materials. Train colleagues in the use of new applications and approved AI tools. Ensure internal teams can operate and support delivered solutions effectively. Build sufficient understanding of the business domain to make informed technical decisions. Communicate technical matters clearly to engineering colleagues and business stakeholders. What You'll Bring Essential Requirements A degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems or a related discipline , or equivalent professional experience. Minimum 3 years of experience developing and supporting production web applications. Strong software development experience, preferably using Python and Django . Solid working knowledge of relational databases, preferably PostgreSQL . Practical understanding of: SQL query optimisation Database schema migrations Database access controls Experience with background processing and job queue frameworks . Sound understanding of authentication and authorisation standards, including: OAuth Single sign-on (SSO) Token-based security Hands-on experience operating cloud infrastructure, preferably Amazon Web Services (AWS) . Experience working with CI\/CD pipelines and automated testing . Practical experience processing financial data, including: Decimal precision Multi-currency handling Trading calendars Reconciliation against source data Demonstrable experience delivering solutions that use large language model APIs . Ability to evaluate AI output quality and monitor the cost of AI-powered solutions. Experience supporting applications in production and resolving technical incidents. Strong understanding of secure software development and data protection principles. Ability to write clean, maintainable and well-documented code. Experience participating in peer code reviews. Strong analytical thinking and technical problem-solving skills. Ability to take ownership of solutions throughout their lifecycle. Good communication skills and the ability to work effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders. We're looking for a developer who can build reliable production software, work confidently with financial data and apply AI technologies in a controlled, measurable and commercially sensible way. Nice to Have Experience in financial services or a finance-related environment, such as banking, investment management, insurance, accounting or payroll. Experience with market data, trading systems or capital markets technology. Familiarity with financial reporting, accounting or payroll systems. Understanding of employee share schemes, equity awards or IFRS 2 reporting. Experience with AI agent frameworks or tooling, including the Model Context Protocol (MCP) . Exposure to modern data platforms or lakehouse architectures. Experience with observability and telemetry tools. Automated document generation experience. Practical experience applying POPIA or GDPR requirements. Familiarity with the following technologies: Languages: Python, SQL, JavaScript Frameworks: Django, Celery Databases & Data: PostgreSQL, Redis, Databricks, Parquet Cloud & Hosting: AWS, S3, IAM, EC2, Bedrock, Heroku, Docker Development & Delivery: GitHub, GitHub Actions AI: Anthropic Claude API, MCP, AI coding assistants Observability: OpenTelemetry Experience with the listed technologies is advantageous, but equivalent technical experience will be considered . Previous experience with employee share schemes is not required. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop an understanding of the financial and reporting processes supported by the platform. What's On Offer Permanent, full-time opportunity with a hybrid working arrangement in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg. A varied role combining software development, AI integration, automation and data engineering. Opportunity to take ownership of applications from initial development through to production support. Exposure to financial technology and complex data-processing challenges. The chance to develop practical AI solutions with measurable business impact. Collaboration with an established platform engineering team. Opportunity to work with modern cloud, database, automation and AI technologies. Exposure to secure, data-sensitive software environments and responsible AI practices. Scope to build valuable financial technology knowledge while expanding your engineering expertise. A working environment that values technical quality, accountability and continuous improvement. Company Culture This opportunity offers the chance to work in an engineering environment where excellence, responsibility, innovation, collaboration and integrity are important. The team values developers who take ownership of their work, understand the business processes behind the technology and care about the accuracy and reliability of the solutions they deliver. There is a strong emphasis on thoughtful engineering, secure data handling, clear documentation and practical problem-solving. You'll be well suited to this environment if you enjoy working independently while remaining collaborative, are comfortable taking responsibility for production systems and believe that successful software development means delivering solutions that work reliably for the people who depend on them. Please Note: If you have not been contacted within 10 working days, consider your application unsuccessful