Junior Full Stack Developer
GoldenRule · Johannesburg · R Undisclosed
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Start free — we apply for you →Role Purpose The Junior Full Stack Developer supports the design, development, testing, integration, and maintenance of mobile and cloud-native digital solutions under the guidance of senior developers, technical leads, and architects. The role provides practical exposure across mobile applications, Java-based backend services, microservices, integrations, containerized platforms, cloud services, databases, and secure API delivery.
The developer is expected to build strong engineering fundamentals, contribute to well-defined delivery tasks, follow established patterns and standards, and use approved agentic AI coding practices responsibly to improve learning, productivity, testing, documentation, and code quality with appropriate supervision and review.
Guided agentic AI expectation
The developer should use approved agentic AI tools, including Claude AI or equivalent enterprise-approved AI assistants, as a guided productivity and learning aid. AI usage should support code explanation, draft implementation, test generation, debugging, documentation, and refactoring suggestions, but all outputs must be reviewed, tested, and approved through normal engineering and peer-review processes.
Role Scope
Domain
Expected Coverage
Mobile apps
Support development of native and React Native mobile application features, bug fixes, UI integration, and basic app lifecycle tasks.
Backend services
Develop and maintain smaller Java service components, API endpoints, business logic, validation logic, and microservice features under guidance.
Integration
Assist with REST, SOAP, Kafka, AMQP, and enterprise integration tasks using existing patterns, contracts, and implementation examples.
Cloud platform
Work with Azure, Docker, Kubernetes, YAML, CI/CD pipelines, and cloud-native deployment artefacts with support from senior engineers.
Data platforms
Use MongoDB, Redis, and related data or caching technologies for well-defined tasks, troubleshooting, and feature support.
Engineering model
Work within agile squads using Git, code reviews, automated testing, DevOps practices, documentation, and responsible AI-assisted development.
Preferred Skills and Knowledge Areas
Exposure to customer-facing digital products such as banking, fintech, insurance, telecommunications, retail, or high-volume digital platforms is advantageous.
Understanding of microservices, API-first delivery, distributed systems, event-driven integration, and cloud-native practices.
Awareness of Azure, Kubernetes, containerized deployment, configuration management, and environment promotion.
Familiarity with OpenAPI, Swagger, Postman or equivalent API tools, JSON, XML, YAML, message schemas, and developer documentation.
Basic understanding of release practices, feature flags, rollback, defect triage, production readiness, and operational support.
Awareness of secure software supply chain practices including dependency management, vulnerability scanning, secrets management, and build pipeline checks.
Willingness to learn from HLDs, LLDs, ADRs, integration designs, API contracts, and non-functional requirements.
Experience Profile
Entry-level to junior hands-on software development experience across mobile, backend, integration, or cloud-native environments.
Foundational Java development experience and exposure to REST APIs, microservices, messaging, persistence, caching, or troubleshooting.
Exposure to mobile development using native approaches, React Native, or related mobile frameworks is advantageous.
Exposure to Docker, Kubernetes, Azure, Git, CI/CD, YAML-based configuration, and cloud-native practices is advantageous.
Awareness of Kafka, AMQP, REST, SOAP, MongoDB, Redis, and enterprise integration patterns.
Ability to use approved AI coding assistants responsibly for learning, implementation, testing, documentation, and debugging.
Core Technical Requirements
Mobile: Foundational experience or strong learning ability in native mobile development, React Native, mobile UI integration, secure storage, app lifecycle, and mobile service integration.
Backend: Core Java skills, exposure to Spring Boot or similar frameworks, REST APIs, service logic, validation, error handling, and maintainable backend development.
Integration: Working knowledge of REST, SOAP, Kafka, AMQP, JSON, XML, message contracts, retries, basic idempotency, and integration troubleshooting.
Cloud-native: Foundational understanding of Azure, Docker, Kubernetes, containers, YAML manifests, environment configuration, CI/CD, and cloud-native deployment practices.
Data: Basic hands-on exposure to MongoDB, Redis, data access patterns, caching, query basics, indexes, and secure data handling.
DevOps: Git, branching, pull requests, build pipelines, deployment awareness, artefact basics, code review, and environment troubleshooting.
Quality: Unit testing, API testing, integration testing, defect reproduction, test evidence, regression testing, and code quality discipline.
Security: Secure coding fundamentals, OWASP awareness, input validation, secrets handling, dependency hygiene, token handling, and privacy-aware development.
Observability: Basic logging, metrics, tracing, correlation IDs, dashboard usage, log investigation, and production support.
AI engineering: Claude AI or equivalent approved coding assistants, prompt basics, AI-assisted testing, code explanation, documentation, and responsible AI usage.
Key Responsibilities
Develop, test, and maintain assigned features across mobile, backend, APIs, integrations, and cloud-native components.
Support native and React Native development, including UI changes, service integration, defect fixes, enhancements, and basic performance improvements.
Build Java service components, REST endpoints, integration adapters, message consumers/producers, validation, and business logic under guidance.
Assist with REST, SOAP, Kafka, AMQP, and enterprise integration patterns using documented contracts and architecture guidance.
Use Docker, Kubernetes, Azure, YAML configuration, and CI/CD pipelines for build, deployment, configuration, and troubleshooting tasks.
Work with MongoDB and Redis for queries, data access, caching, investigation, and feature implementation.
Write clean, maintainable code following team conventions, coding standards, security guidance, and architecture patterns.
Create and maintain unit, integration, API, and regression tests for assigned work.
Participate in code reviews, sprint ceremonies, backlog discussions, technical walkthroughs, defect triage, and release support.
Investigate defects, analyze logs, reproduce issues, document findings, and support root-cause analysis with guidance.
Contribute to technical documentation, API notes, implementation details, deployment notes, and support handover material.
Seek feedback, learn from senior developers, and build capability across mobile, backend, integration, DevOps, cloud, data, and AI-assisted engineering.
Guided Agentic AI Engineering Responsibilities
Use approved agentic AI coding assistants such as Claude AI or equivalent tools for learning, code explanation, implementation, testing, debugging, and documentation.
Use AI to draft code, scaffolding, tests, examples, and documentation, ensuring all outputs are reviewed, tested, and corrected before use.
Use AI to understand existing code, compare implementation options, investigate defects, and identify areas for review.
Use AI-assisted testing to draft unit tests, integration cases, mock data, edge cases, and regression checks.
Validate AI-generated output through testing, static analysis, peer review, team standards, and senior developer guidance.
Never share confidential information, production secrets, customer data, credentials, proprietary code, sensitive logs, or restricted architecture details with unapproved AI tools.
Document relevant assumptions, limitations, and verification where AI materially influenced implementa