About the Role

As a Mid-Level Java Backend Engineer, you will play an essential role in building the core systems that power Zeraki’s products across Africa. You are an established professional—capable of independently handling significant project components, improving our codebase, and ensuring our backend systems are scalable, reliable, and secure.

This role is ideal for an engineer who thrives in a high-growth environment, loves solving complex backend challenges, and is eager to contribute to Zeraki’s mission of transforming education through technology. You will work closely with cross-functional teams, mentor junior engineers, and help shape engineering best practices as Zeraki expands regionally and globally.

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Requirements

Experience & Skills

• 3–5+ years of hands-on experience in Java backend development.
• Proficiency in Java frameworks such as Spring Boot and experience building RESTful APIs or microservices.
• Strong understanding of both relational and NoSQL databases.
• Experience working with cloud platforms, containerization tools (Docker/Kubernetes), and CI/CD pipelines.
• Strong debugging, troubleshooting, and performance optimization skills.
• Ability to independently handle complex technical challenges.

Mindset & Working Style

• A builder who enjoys designing scalable, resilient backend systems.
• A proactive problem solver who anticipates and mitigates issues early.
• A collaborative team player who values clarity, accountability, and shared ownership.
• Passionate about education and aligned with Zeraki’s mission to transform learning across Africa.

Key Responsibilities

1. Backend Engineering & System Design

• Design, build, and maintain high-performance backend services using Java and modern frameworks (e.g., Spring Boot).
• Lead parts of backend feature development with minimal supervision.
• Refactor and optimize existing systems to enhance performance, maintainability, and scalability.
• Contribute to engineering standards, code review practices, and technical documentation.
• Participate in architectural discussions and begin to specialize in areas such as distributed systems, integrations, or messaging.

2. Production Operations & Quality Assurance

• Support deployment, monitoring, and maintenance of services in production environments.
• Ensure high availability and reliability of backend systems through proactive monitoring and incident response.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive test coverage (unit, integration, and performance tests).

3. Productivity & Execution

• Manage multiple tasks or project streams with minimal oversight.
• Deliver high-quality project components on time and to specification.
• Improve workflow efficiency by identifying blockers early and proposing actionable solutions.

4. Problem Solving & Innovation

• Independently diagnose and resolve complex backend issues—from logic errors to system bottlenecks.
• Anticipate future system constraints and contribute to long-term improvements.
• Introduce new ideas to enhance reliability, security, and developer productivity.

5. Collaboration & Mentorship

• Mentor junior engineers through code reviews, debugging support, and best-practice guidance.
• Work closely with Product, QA, CX, and Ops teams to deliver high-quality features.
• Communicate clearly during sprint reviews, architecture discussions, and cross-team collaborations.

What We Offer

• The opportunity to shape the future of education technology in Africa.
• A dynamic, purpose-driven team committed to innovation and impact.
• Clear growth pathways within a rapidly scaling engineering organization.
• Competitive compensation and benefits.
• Flexible hybrid/remote work options to support work-life balance.