Ai Augmented Senior Fullstack Python and Node.JS Developer Cape Town

DVT is one of the top software development and testing companies on the continent. With our hybrid options, our vision is to be South Africa's favourite custom software solutions & services company, with a global footprint.

You will have the opportunity to work alongside some of the most established developers in the country with the latest technologies. DVT is committed to continuously training our staff and we are very proud of our culture of learning, from internal speaking and training to sponsoring a variety of technical events from DevConf to GDG.

We are looking for experienced Python developers to join our engineering team and help us create dynamic software applications for our clients. In this role, you will be responsible for writing and testing scalable code, developing back-end components, and integrating user-facing elements in collaboration with front-end developers.

To be successful as a Python developer, you should possess in-depth knowledge of object-relational mapping, experience with server-side logic, and above-average knowledge of Python programming. Ultimately, a top-class Python developer is able to design highly responsive web-applications that perfectly meet the needs of the client.

Full-Stack Developer

Build modern, AI-enabled platforms across frontend, backend, and intelligent systems

We’re looking for a strong Full-Stack Developer who thrives in complex, end-to-end environments, someone who can move seamlessly from crafting clean, scalable frontends to building high-performance backend services and integrating AI-powered capabilities into real-world applications. This is not a “stay in your lane” role. This is for someone who enjoys owning the full lifecycle, from UI to API to data layer to LLM workflows, and who can debug, build, and ship across the stack with confidence.

You’ll be working on modern platforms that combine React + Next.js frontend, Python/FastAPI backend services, containerized environments, and increasingly AI-driven features using LLMs and retrieval systems.

If you’re energized by building systems that go beyond CRUD, into automation, intelligence, and real-world problem solving, this role is for you.

What You’ll Do

• Design and build scalable full-stack applications from frontend to backend
• Develop modern frontend applications using React, Next.js, and TypeScript
• Build and extend backend services using Python, FastAPI, and SQLAlchemy
• Model and query data in PostgreSQL, with performance and scalability in mind
• Implement caching, session, and fast-access patterns using Redis
• Integrate and operationalize LLM/AI capabilities (OpenAI, Azure OpenAI)
• Work with retrieval and search-based flows (RAG, fallback strategies, guardrails)
• Debug and troubleshoot end-to-end system flows across UI, API, DB, and containerized services
• Contribute to test automation across both frontend and backend
• Collaborate on containerized environments using Docker and Docker Compose
• Ensure security, reliability, and maintainability across all layers

Core Requirements

Frontend

• Strong React fundamentals (components, hooks, lifecycle)
• Experience with Next.js architecture and runtime behavior
• Proficiency in TypeScript
• State management using Redux Toolkit
• Form handling and validation using react-hook-form + yup
• UI styling with Bootstrap/Sass and component-based systems
• Frontend testing using Vitest and Testing Library

Backend

• Solid experience with Python service development
• Strong FastAPI knowledge (routing, DI, validation)
• Understanding of ASGI/Uvicorn runtime
• Experience with SQLAlchemy ORM + PostgreSQL
• Hands-on with Redis usage patterns
• Knowledge of API security fundamentals (JWT, hashing, secrets)
• Testing experience using Pytest

AI / LLM

• Experience integrating OpenAI APIs in Python
• Understanding of LangChain basics (chains, tools, wrappers)
• Exposure to RAG, search, and fallback strategies
• Knowledge of prompt validation and guardrails
• Familiarity with LLM observability (OpenTelemetry)

Platform & Data

• Strong understanding of Docker and Dockerfiles (multi-stage builds)
• Experience with Docker Compose orchestration
• Understanding of service networking, ports, env variables, and health checks
• Working knowledge of PostgreSQL 15 and Redis Stack
• Basic understanding of HAProxy

Cloud & Integration

• Experience with Azure OpenAI
• Azure Blob Storage integration
• Basic understanding of Azure AI Search
• Familiarity with telemetry using Azure Monitor / OpenTelemetry

Required Local Tooling

• Git
• Node.js 22.x and npm 10.x
• Python 3.10 with pip/venv (or conda)
• Docker Desktop with Compose support
• PowerShell

Delivery & Team Fit

• Comfortable working across frontend, backend, data, and infrastructure
• Able to operate in multi-repo environments
• Strong debugging capability across distributed systems
• Practical experience managing pyproject.toml and package.json
• Writes clean, testable, maintainable code
• Ownership mindset with strong problem-solving ability

Nice to Have

• Cognito integration experience
• Frontend or backend performance profiling
• Production observability dashboards and alerting
• Advanced secret management practices