Principal Software Engineer

Recruiter:

PlaceTalent

Job Ref:

JHB000492/CB

Date posted:

Thursday, May 21, 2026

Location:

Pretoria, South Africa

SUMMARY:
Tired of being the smartest person in the room with no room to prove it?
This is a hands-on principal engineering role — not a glorified meeting chair. You'll be making real architectural decisions on cloud-native platforms that process large-scale geospatial and Earth data, working alongside AI and data engineering teams, and actually shipping code. If you want technical ownership with global impact, this is it.

POSITION INFO:
What you need: 7+ years of software engineering experience, including senior or staff-level technical leadership Strong Python backend experience - modern frameworks, production systems Distributed systems and cloud-native architecture - you've designed and built them, not just read about them Scalable API design and asynchronous systems Solid on relational databases and large-scale data architectures Infrastructure as Code and cloud environments You can communicate trade-offs clearly to both engineers and non-technical stakeholders Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or similar Nice to have: Google Cloud Platform or equivalent cloud ecosystem experience Kubernetes and containerised workloads TypeScript and modern frontend frameworks Geospatial technologies, spatial databases, or Earth observation datasets Exposure to AI\/ML-enabled or data-intensive platforms Cloud, architecture, or data engineering certifications What you'll be doing: Architect: backend systems, cloud infrastructure, APIs, and platform services at scale Build: production-quality software - this is not a hands-off role Lead: engineering standards, platform governance, and technical roadmaps Mentor: engineers across backend, frontend, and infrastructure - raise the bar across the team Solve: complex production incidents, technical postmortems, and the problems nobody else can crack Collaborate: directly with AI, geospatial, data, and product teams - and with strategic customers when needed What's in it for you: High-impact technical ownership - your decisions shape the platform Hands-on exposure to large-scale data, AI, and cloud-native systems Flexible working environment International multidisciplinary teams Professional development support and certifications covered Competitive compensation package Please apply directly, by clicking on the apply button or visit If you have not had any response in one week, please consider your application unsuccessful. Your CV will be kept on file for any further suitable positions.

NB! This job is now closed. You can apply for other jobs by uploading your CV.

Similar jobs you might be interested in:

Commercial Manager
Location: Johannesburg
Salary:
Orchestrate global recurring revenue growth, manage multi-national vendor ecosystems, and lead high-level commercial strategies for a prominent enterprise technology pioneer.
2 days ago

Principle .Net Developer
Location: Centurion
Salary: Monthly
We are looking for a highly accomplished principal .NET software engineer to lead the design, development, and continuous enhancement of enterprise-grade .NET applications. This is a strategic technical leadership role suited to a seasoned professional with deep expertise in the Microsoft technology stack, a passion for innovation, and a proven ability to solve complex engineering challenges.As a ...
5 days ago

Automation Developer
Location: Johannesburg
Salary:
Our client, a leader in simplifying investment management processes and wealth growth, is looking for a talented and forward-thinking Automation Developer to join their team in Johannesburg. This is an exciting opportunity for a technology professional who is passionate about automation, artificial intelligence, and software development, and who enjoys solving complex business challenges.In this r...
1 day ago

Proposal Engineer (Solar & Renewable Energy)
Location: Midrand
Salary:
Proposal engineer (Solar & Renewable Energy)Location: Centurion, GautengAn established engineering company is seeking a skilled Proposal engineer with experience in the solar and renewable energy sector to join its team in Centurion. This role is ideal for a technically strong Electrical engineer who enjoys combining engineering expertise with commercial acumen to develop competitive and techn...
1 day ago

E,C&I Engineer
Location: Centurion
Salary: 780000 Annually
E, C & I engineerLocation: Centurion, GautengA respected engineering consultancy is seeking an Electrical, Control & Instrumentation (E, C & I) engineer to join its growing engineering team in Centurion. This opportunity is ideal for a driven engineer with strong technical skills and a passion for delivering innovative engineering solutions across industrial and infrastructure projects...
1 day ago

Senior Electrical Building Services Engineer
Location: Johannesburg
Salary:
Are you a Senior Electrical Building Services engineer looking to leave your mark on landmark developments? Join a leading consulting engineering firm where you'll spearhead the design of innovative, sustainable, and high-performance building services solutions across commercial, healthcare, education, retail, and mixed-use developments. If you're passionate about technical excellence and ready to...
1 day ago

Electrical Project Engineer
Location: Johannesburg
Salary: 600 000.00 Annually
Are you an Electrical Project engineer who thrives on turning complex engineering challenges into successful project deliveries? We're partnering with a leading engineering organisation seeking a results-driven professional to lead electrical projects from concept through commissioning. If you're ready to take ownership of high-value projects and accelerate your career with an industry leader, thi...
1 day ago

Mid Level Electrical Engineer
Location: Pretoria
Salary:
Are you an Electrical engineer ready to power the next stage of your career? We're partnering with a leading engineering consultancy seeking a driven and innovative Electrical engineer to work on high-impact commercial, industrial, and infrastructure projects. If you're passionate about designing sustainable electrical systems and want exposure to complex projects with a respected engineering team...
1 day ago

Proposal Design Engineer
Location: Johannesburg
Salary:
We are recruiting on behalf of a reputable client in the renewable energy sector, seeking a Proposal Design engineer with a passion for solar energy and a strong foundation in engineering design and project proposals.
1 day ago

Senior Electrical Engineer (Building Services)
Location: Johannesburg
Salary:
Senior Electrical engineer (Building Services) - Johannesburg North
1 day ago