Job Description

Senior Data Engineer - Johannesburg

Help build technology that changes lives.

About the Role

The Harambee Software Development team is looking for an exceptional

Senior Data Engineer

to join our dynamic team based in Johannesburg.



This role is focused on collecting, storing, and processing large sets of data to deliver optimal solutions--along with their implementation, improvement, and monitoring. You'll partner with the Head of Data on database design and strategy to enable Harambee's future technology roadmap.



You'll be doing all this in an organisation that

changes lives

and fosters a culture of

teamwork, openness, and collaboration

. If this excites you, you may be the person we're looking for.

The Technical Challenge

Harambee is building a

ground-breaking, scalable, future-fit technology platform

that helps young first-time work-seekers find jobs and work experiences. Our tech must support the

unique, personalised employment journey

of each work-seeker--using the power of big data to help them find their first job.



We run an

Agile Development Programme

in a

DevOps infrastructure and culture

. Our cloud-native stack is hosted in

Google Cloud Platform

, with services written in

.Net Core

and

Python

. Our data landscape includes

MySQL

,

BigQuery

, and

Composer

, and is being refined to drive simplification, business user enablement, and data integrity.



https://cloud.google.com/customers/harambee/

You will work as a technical specialist, aiding your colleagues in the creation, maintenance, and use of the data stack.

Planning and Strategy

Engage with stakeholders to understand business and data goals. Design data solutions for real-time and batch environments. Document planning, implementation, and operations. Select and integrate big data tools and frameworks. Collaborate with analysts, testers, developers, and business analysts.

Execution

Advise on data platform use, including analysis, security, architecture, and modelling. Ensure infrastructure supports large volumes of transactional data. Implement data retention policies and monitor performance. Build data structures and pipelines for storage and transformation. Ensure accurate data availability for downstream use.

Support

Provide ad hoc data analysis to support business insights. Support data validation and quality assurance for dashboards and reports.

Minimum Requirements

Degree or diploma in Science or Engineering (Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science or related). 8-12 years' experience as a Data Engineer. Proficiency in: + SQL
+ Python
+ MySQL
+ Cloud platforms (GCP, Azure, AWS)
+ ETL tools (Apache Beam, Spark, SSIS)
+ Document stores, real-time and batch processing
Experience at a company of similar size and complexity to Harambee. Passion for purpose-driven work and a collaborative mindset.

Competencies

Curiosity and drive to understand, improve, and deliver. Proven track record of quality delivery. Ability to explain data models and findings to technical and non-technical audiences. Willingness to learn and share knowledge. High attention to detail.

Why Join Harambee?

At Harambee, we believe in

inclusion

,

diversity

, and

collaboration

. We work together to solve one of the most pressing social challenges--youth unemployment--through innovation, data, and purpose-driven technology.



You'll be part of a team that's not only building cutting-edge solutions but also making a real impact in the lives of millions. We value

openness

,

teamwork

, and

continuous learning

, and we're proud to be an organisation where people come to

grow

,

contribute

, and

belong

.



We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace. We encourage applications from people with disabilities and are happy to provide reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require any support or adjustments, please let us know -- we're here to help you succeed.