Senior Software Engineer (DevOps)

Takealot.com, South Africa’s leading online retailer, is looking for a highly talented Senior DevOps Engineer to join our platform engineering team and help scale infrastructure that powers millions of customer transactions. You'll architect, secure, and automate systems that directly impact our business growth and customer experience.

Think you’ve been challenged before? Think again!

• Scale: 4 million happy shoppers shop online on takealot.com. Show them what you can do.
• Learn: We work with the best of the best, and then some. Code alongside industry leaders and upskill in record time.
• Grow: Expand your career in the fast-growing Takealot Group: takealot.com, TFS and Mr D. We like to promote from within: Here’s your chance.

Who’s who in the tech space

The position reports to the DevOps Engineering Manager

Your mission, should you choose to accept it:

• Design and manage cloud infrastructure using Terraform
• Configure and maintain virtual servers with Chef
• Build and deploy robust metrics, monitoring, and logging systems that keep our services healthy
• Manage critical services including Kafka, Kubernetes, Nginx, and Memcache
• Implement server hardening and embed security throughout our platform
• Develop automation solutions so we can focus on high-impact engineering
• Develop glue code to extend or integrate systems

The mindset we're looking for: 

• Be genuinely passionate about infrastructure and emerging technologies
• Stay current with industry trends and love diving deep into new tools
• Thrive in team environments, communicate clearly, and mentor others
• Make thoughtful technical decisions and work effectively under pressure

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor's in Computer Science, Engineering, Math, or Information Systems + 5+ years experience OR 10+ years hands-on experience in software/technology environments
• An understanding of computer science fundamentals, including Linux and operating systems, networking
• Strong understanding of data structures, algorithms, and computer science fundamentals
• Production experience managing Kubernetes clusters (certificates, users, kubeadm, etc.)
• Proficiency in writing code (our primary language is Python)
• Hands-on experience with Google Cloud Platform (or AWS/Azure) - architecture and operations
• Understand Linux deeply (kernel tuning, proc filesystem, cgroups, os scheduling, etc.)
• Understand networking deeply (tcp/ip, calico/weave, vlans, tcpdump, etc.)
• Has experience with Linux administration (Processes, Networking, Disks, Security)
• Track record in managing production systems

Let’s talk about life @ Takealot Group

• No doors: We aren’t fans of stuffy offices or siloed work environments. See someone you like? High five, collab, and make something great.
• Remote working: Love water cooler chats and working from home? Takealot.com offers a hybrid working model for the best of both worlds.
• Mentorship programme: We aren’t kidding when we say the people with the best people win. Now’s your chance to be one of the best by learning from the best.
• Naspers Tech Community & Online Learning: Share ideas and grow with global industry leaders who are all just a Slack message away. Love to learn? Upskill with free access to courses on MyAcademy, Udacity, Coursera, and more.
• Good times: Get to know the other extraordinary minds at takealot.com during regular social events and out-of-office activities (think hikes, think mini golf, think good times).
• Staff discount. Millions of products across 28 departments. What more could you ask for?
• Birthday leave: Cake Day all the way. Enjoy your day off - you deserve it. 
• Help when you need it most: Confidential counselling, legal support and financial guidance, for free, anytime, anywhere. 
• Tech stack (for days): ReactJS, Python, Scala, Kotlin, Swift, Google Cloud, Kafka, Redis, Kubernetes, and all things machine learning. If you build it, they will come.
• Free parking: No more 5km fun runs to your desk (unless you want to). 

Like what you see? 

If you meet the above, you are an Extraordinary Mind. Apply today!!

Takealot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants from the previously disadvantaged groups and people with disabilities will be given preference.

View all current vacancies at takealot.com →

1. Read the full job description and requirements on this page carefully before applying — tailor your application to what the employer actually asks for.
2. Update your CV and save it as a PDF. Make sure your contact details, most recent experience and qualifications are easy to find.
3. Click the apply button on this page to complete your application on takealot.com's own careers site. The employer manages the shortlisting process directly.
4. Have certified copies of your ID and qualifications ready. Many South African employers request them once you are shortlisted.
5. Applications close on 20 August 2026. Submit well before the deadline — late applications are normally not considered.
6. Keep a record of what you submitted and when. If you have not heard back within a few weeks of the closing date, it is acceptable to follow up politely.

If takealot.com shortlists you for the Senior Software Engineer (DevOps) position, preparation makes the difference. Work through these steps:

• Research takealot.com before the interview — look for their official website, social profiles and any recent news. Interviewers expect you to know why you want to work there specifically.
• Go through the job description above and prepare a specific example from your own experience for each of the main duties. Most interview questions will be drawn from what the advert emphasises.
• Structure your answers with the STAR method — Situation, Task, Action, Result. Concrete stories with measurable outcomes are far stronger than general claims about your abilities.
• Prepare two or three thoughtful questions to ask the panel — about the team, how success is measured in the role, or growth opportunities. It signals genuine interest.
• Plan your logistics early. Confirm whether the interview is in person in Cape Town or online, and arrive or log in at least ten minutes early.