Derick
Principal Engineer (Full-Stack / Platform / Data)
Lesaka Technologies
Cape Town, Western Cape
Permanent
Posted 29 April 2026
Job Overview
Lesaka Technologies is seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Principal Engineer to take a leading role in shaping and advancing its technology platform. This is a senior, hands-on position designed for a highly skilled engineering professional who thrives in solving complex technical challenges while driving long-term architectural strategy.
The successful candidate will play a key role in building and evolving systems across the entire technology stack, including frontend, backend, data, and infrastructure. This position offers an opportunity to influence the technical direction of a growing organisation while mentoring engineering teams and contributing to scalable, high-performance systems.
Based in Cape Town, this role offers flexibility with hybrid or on-site work options. Relocation within South Africa may be considered for the right candidate.
Role Purpose
The Principal Engineer will lead the design and evolution of robust, scalable systems that support both operational and analytical needs. The role combines deep technical expertise with strategic thinking, ensuring that engineering decisions align with long-term business objectives.
You will work closely with leadership teams to define engineering strategies, while remaining actively involved in hands-on development and problem-solving across the platform.
Key Responsibilities
Architecture and Technical Leadership
You will be responsible for defining and driving system architecture across all layers of the technology stack. This includes frontend applications, backend services, data systems, and infrastructure.
A key aspect of the role involves making critical technical decisions that ensure long-term scalability, maintainability, and performance. You will evaluate trade-offs and implement solutions that support both current and future business needs.
Full-Stack Engineering Contribution
Although this is a leadership role, it remains highly hands-on. You will actively contribute to development work across multiple domains, including backend systems, frontend interfaces, data pipelines, and infrastructure components.
Your ability to move seamlessly across the stack will enable you to support teams effectively and maintain high technical standards throughout the organisation.
Cloud Infrastructure and Deployment
You will design, build, and maintain cloud-based infrastructure and deployment systems. This includes ensuring that systems are reliable, secure, and scalable.
Improving system observability, monitoring, and deployment pipelines will be a critical part of your responsibilities, ensuring that engineering teams can operate efficiently and respond quickly to issues.
Data Architecture and Systems
The role requires strong expertise in data systems, including designing data models, building pipelines, and managing storage solutions that support both product functionality and analytics.
You will ensure that data systems are structured, scalable, and aligned with the organisation’s broader data strategy.
Engineering Excellence and Mentorship
As a senior leader, you will mentor engineers and help elevate technical standards across teams. You will provide guidance on best practices, conduct code reviews, and support the professional growth of team members.
Your leadership will play a key role in building a strong engineering culture focused on quality, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Strategic Collaboration
You will work closely with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to align technical execution with business goals. This includes contributing to product strategy, infrastructure planning, and long-term platform development.
Your ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders will be essential in driving successful outcomes.
Experience and Qualifications
To succeed in this role, candidates must have a minimum of 10 years of hands-on software engineering experience, with a strong track record of designing, building, and scaling complex production systems.
Experience working across multiple domains—backend, frontend, data, and infrastructure—is essential. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to operate at both strategic and technical levels.
Technical Competencies
The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in backend engineering, including API development, distributed systems, and service architecture. Strong frontend experience with modern frameworks such as React, along with performance optimisation skills, is also required.
A solid background in data systems is essential, including data modelling, pipeline development, and storage solutions. Experience with cloud infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, and observability tools is critical for ensuring system reliability and scalability.
Leadership and Professional Skills
Strong technical judgment is a key requirement for this role. The ability to evaluate complex scenarios and make informed decisions that balance performance, scalability, and cost is essential.
Candidates must demonstrate a proven ability to influence technical direction and mentor engineers effectively. Clear communication skills are required to engage with both technical teams and business stakeholders.
Advantageous Experience
Experience working in high-growth or rapidly scaling environments will be highly beneficial. Candidates with a background in building internal platforms or developer tooling will have an added advantage.
The ability to balance product delivery with long-term infrastructure investment is also a valuable skill in this role.
Why Join This Opportunity
This role offers a unique opportunity to play a pivotal part in shaping the technological future of a growing financial services organisation. You will work on impactful projects, collaborate with talented professionals, and contribute to building scalable systems that support business growth.
For experienced engineers looking to step into a high-impact leadership role while remaining hands-on, this position provides the perfect balance of strategy, innovation, and technical execution.
