4 months ago
Johannesburg, South AfricaStaff+
Responsibilities
- Define and evolve the Java/JVM engineering strategy and oversee related Node.js, Python, and Go streams.
- Establish coding standards, architectural patterns, tooling, quality guardrails, and reusable reference architectures across engagements.
- Act as the Java technical authority and guide architecture decisions in high-risk or technically complex delivery scenarios.
- Drive adoption of AI development tools and build a LangChain4j reference implementation for LLM integration in Java services.
- Define competency standards, assess and mentor engineers, and identify engineers with senior or principal potential.
- Define technical assessment criteria, assess backend and Java candidates, and provide hire/no-hire recommendations.
- Lead the Java community of practice and contribute to internal and external Java/JVM thought leadership.
- Provide Java technical expertise for bids, proposals, client workshops, and new service or product initiatives.
- Own Java/JVM accelerators, reference architectures, and reusable delivery assets.
- Drive adoption of Java standards and practices across engagements and improve technical outcomes.
Requirements
- 8–12+ years of software engineering experience with a strong Java/JVM focus.
- Proven experience leading an engineering team or technical competency stream.
- Strong expertise in Java/JVM engineering, backend fundamentals, distributed systems, API design, and database patterns.
- Experience with Spring Boot, Kotlin, Quarkus, GraalVM, Apache Kafka, REST, GraphQL, and gRPC.
- Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, and at least relevant cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP.
- Working knowledge of Node.js/NestJS, Python/FastAPI, or Go is expected.
- Familiarity with AI-assisted development tools including Copilot, Cursor, and Claude Code, plus LLM integration using LangChain4j.
- Ability to lead through influence, define technical direction, mentor engineers, and drive standards across autonomous teams.
- BSc IT, BEng, or an equivalent technical degree is beneficial.
- Certifications in AWS or relevant cloud platforms are beneficial.
Tech Stack
Apache KafkaAWSAzureDockerFastAPIGoGoogle Cloud PlatformGraphQLgRPCJavaKotlinKubernetesNestJSNode.jsPythonSpring Boot
Categories
About DVT
DVT is a South African technology services firm that builds custom software and supports AI, data engineering, testing, UX, and cloud projects. It provides consulting and staffed engineering teams for enterprises in South Africa and abroad, including work in banking and payments. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Johannesburg, it is privately held and operates as a BEE Level 2 company.