BACK END ENGINEER - CONTRACT BASIS

Introduction

The Backend Engineer will be responsible for designing, developing, testing and maintaining reliable, scalable and secure backend systems that support Instacart’s technology platform.The successful candidate will have hands-on experience with Ruby on Rails and will work closely with frontend engineers, product managers, data teams and other technical stakeholders to build high-quality software solutions, develop robust APIs, optimise system performance and contribute to the continuous improvement of backend architecture and services.

Duties & Responsibilities

. Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop and maintain scalable backend services and applications using Ruby on Rails.

• Build, maintain and optimise RESTful APIs and backend services.

• Develop secure, efficient and reliable integrations between internal systems and third-party services.

• Design, manage and optimise relational databases, data models and queries.

• Identify and resolve software defects, performance bottlenecks and production issues.

• Write clean, maintainable, reusable and well-documented Ruby code in accordance with engineering standards.

• Participate in code reviews and contribute to technical discussions and architectural decisions.

• Collaborate with frontend engineers, product managers and other stakeholders to translate business requirements into effective technical solutions.

• Implement appropriate security measures, data protection practices and access controls.

• Develop and maintain automated tests to ensure software quality, reliability and stability.

• Monitor application performance, troubleshoot issues and support production systems.

• Contribute to continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) processes.

• Participate in system design, technical planning and the continuous improvement of backend architecture.

• Support the development and maintenance of distributed systems and scalable application services.

• Keep abreast of emerging technologies and best practices in Ruby on Rails and backend development.

Desired Experience & Qualification

. Technical Skills and Requirements

Backend Development

• Ruby programming language.

• Ruby on Rails framework.

• RESTful API development and third-party integrations.

• Object-oriented programming and software design patterns.

• Backend application architecture and performance optimisation.

Databases

• PostgreSQL and relational database management.

• SQL querying, database design and query optimisation.

• Data modelling, indexing and transaction management.

Cloud Infrastructure and Deployment

• Familiarity with cloud platforms and cloud-hosted applications.

• Experience with Docker and containerised applications.

• Understanding of CI/CD pipelines and automated deployment processes.

• Familiarity with AWS services and distributed application environments.

Testing and Quality Assurance

• Unit, integration and automated testing.

• Ruby on Rails testing frameworks and tools, such as RSpec or Minitest.

• Debugging, code reviews and software quality standards.

Security and Architecture

• Secure coding practices and application authentication and authorisation.

• Understanding of scalable backend architectures and distributed systems.

• API security, error handling, logging and monitoring.

• Knowledge of caching, background jobs and asynchronous processing.

5. Core Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to code quality.

• Ability to troubleshoot complex technical issues.

• Strong collaboration and communication skills.

• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver within agreed timelines.

• A proactive approach to identifying opportunities for improvement.

• Adaptability in a fast-paced, technology-driven environment.

• Commitment to continuous learning and professional development.

6. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Performance may be assessed against the following measures

• Quality, reliability and maintainability of Ruby on Rails code.

• Successful delivery of backend features within agreed timelines.

• API performance, system availability and scalability.

• Reduction in defects, incidents and recurring production issues.

• Effectiveness of automated testing and adherence to engineering standards.

• Compliance with security and data protection requirements.

• Contribution to code reviews, documentation and team collaboration.

• Continuous improvement of application performance and engineering processes.

7. Working Relationships

The Backend Engineer will collaborate with frontend engineers, product managers, quality assurance specialists, data teams and other technical stakeholders to deliver reliable, scalable and high-performing technology solutions.

Package & Remuneration

MARKET RELATED

Interested?

Email pamela.strydom@careerbox.co.za