Software Engineer jobs in South Africa

About Us

Let’s go on an adventure together!

Hey there, we’re G Adventures. We’re one of the world’s leading small group travel companies, and we’ve always believed that travel isn’t just about where you go — it’s about how it changes you.

For the last 35 years, we’ve set out to do things differently. No cookie-cutter tours. No giant buses or cruise ships. And not to mention, as few selfie sticks as possible. Just real humans, travelling your heart out across the world with open minds and a non-stop desire to make our planet better, simply by exploring it.

At G Adventures, our DNA (or GNA, if you will) is built on belonging — where bringing your authentic self to work every day isn’t just accepted, it’s downright celebrated. For our office crew — you wanna rock a t-shirt with your dog’s face on it? We say go for it. For our Chief Experience Officers — you wanna hit the road and call some of the most epic places on Earth your home office? We love that — and we’ve got you. Wanna spend your days with people you genuinely like? Us too — and we’re pretty sure you’ll fit right in, wherever that is.

Now about that career of yours — this is the kind of place where you can spread your wings and truly grow into your role. The best part? You get to do it all alongside a passionate, freakishly talented, one-of-a-kind bunch excited to produce top-notch work and spread a ridiculous amount of goodness at the same time.

Feel like this could be the right fit? We think so too, and we’re already way too excited to meet you.

The Senior Software Engineer is responsible for leading the design, development and maintenance of robust software solutions that align with business and user needs. This role combines deep technical expertise with strategic thinking to drive innovation, ensure code quality, and mentor team members. The role collaborates across functions, manages technical risks and contributes to architectural decisions while continuously enhancing team workflows and staying current with emerging technologies.

Technical Development & Coding Expertise

• Design, develop, test, and maintain scalable and efficient software applications that align with technical specifications and user requirements. Ensure adherence to coding best practices and architectural standards.
• Write clean, efficient, and maintainable code following established standards and industry best practices, contributing to long-term maintainability and ease of updates.
• Diagnose and resolve software bugs and performance bottlenecks by applying analytical thinking and structured troubleshooting methodologies.
• Develop and execute comprehensive testing strategies—including unit, integration, and system tests—to ensure software reliability, performance, and security.
• Lead or significantly contribute to architectural and technical design decisions, ensuring scalability, maintainability, and alignment with organizational technology strategy.

System & Domain Knowledge

• Acquire in-depth understanding of current systems and software applications through comprehensive research, analysis, and continuous learning to ensure alignment with business needs and technological standards.
• Analyze user requirements and stakeholder feedback to develop tailored software solutions that enhance user experience and operational efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with security standards, legal regulations, and data privacy requirements relevant to software systems under development.

Code Quality, Review & Documentation

• Contribute to peer code reviews by offering constructive technical feedback, supporting knowledge-sharing and quality assurance processes.
• Maintain detailed documentation for code, processes, development standards, and project artifacts to support team transparency and future scalability.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Mentor junior team members and support onboarding of new employees, promoting skill development and team cohesion.
• Collaborate effectively with geographically distributed teams, utilizing asynchronous communication tools and strategies to maintain productivity and alignment.
• Initiate and drive process improvements and development workflows, such as CI/CD, code quality standards, and agile methodologies, to enhance team productivity and delivery speed.
• Represent the development team in strategic discussions with stakeholders, translating complex technical concepts into business-friendly language to support decision-making.

Strategic Thinking & Risk Management

• Proactively identify technical risks and dependencies across projects, and work with cross-functional teams to mitigate these issues early in the development lifecycle.

Continuous Learning & Innovation

• Engage in continuous professional development by staying informed about emerging technologies, frameworks, and industry trends to incorporate modern practices into development work.

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or a related field - or equivalent practical experience.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in the full software development lifecycle, with a focus on building and maintaining web applications.
• At least 3 years of experience working with AWS or similar cloud platforms, including application deployment and cloud resource management.
• Proven experience in designing or integrating APIs, including REST, Web or GraphQL services.
• Demonstrated success in leading or contributing to the implementation of CI/CD pipelines, preferably with tools such as CircleCI.
• Experience with SQL for querying and managing relational databases when required.
• Prior involvement in mentoring developers and contributing to technical onboarding processes.
• Proficient in Python with 5+ years of experience in developing clean, maintainable code.
• Hands-on experience with Git-based version control systems, particularly GitHub, in collaborative development settings.
• Strong command of the Linux command line for environment setup, scripting and debugging.
• Experience with Python web frameworks such as Django (preferred), or alternatives like Flask or FastAPI.
• Solid understanding of data modeling principles and database schema design.
• Familiarity with common application stack components, including nginx, uWSGI and similar technologies.
• Strong grasp of web development standards and best practices, with an interest in adopting emerging technologies.
• Excellent communication skills in English, both written and verbal, with the ability to collaborate across technical and non-technical teams.
• Proven ability to write clear documentation and explain complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities, with attention to detail and a focus on quality.
• Comfortable working in distributed teams across time zones, with the ability to manage workload and communication asynchronously.

What Do We Offer You?

• Competitive Total Rewards Package, including exclusive travel perks!
• Additional days off, including on your birthday!
• Vacation time for you to recharge
• Enhanced Parental Leave
• Meaningful Employee Recognition Program
• Learning and Growth Opportunities
• Employee Resource Groups

*Applicable based on location*

Please note that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used in the selection or interview process.

G Adventures is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We consider all qualified applicants.