Background

Sparc Systems is committed to delivering innovative technology solutions that drive business growth and digital transformation across Africa.

Role Context

The Systems Engineer – Core Systems Development is a software engineering position within the Software Department, responsible for the analysis, design, development, testing, implementation, enhancement, and maintenance of the organization’s core software systems, including systems used internally and core software products and platforms provided to clients through subscription or SaaS arrangements.

The role works under the primary technical and operational direction of the Team Leader and contributes to the delivery of software solutions in accordance with approved requirements, development standards, architecture, security practices, project plans, and quality expectations.

The Systems Engineer works closely with Senior Systems Engineers, other software developers, the Enterprise Business Solutions Team, Database & Middleware Team, other sections of the Software Department, the Project Management Office (PMO), and relevant business or client stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

1 Software Analysis, Design and Development

• Analyse functional and technical requirements and contribute to translating them into software solutions.
• Design, develop, test, deploy, enhance, and maintain software applications and components.
• Develop clean, efficient, secure, reusable, and maintainable code.
• Participate in the full Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).
• Develop application modules, APIs, services, interfaces, integrations, and reusable components.
• Apply approved coding standards, design patterns, development practices, and architectural principles.
• Seek guidance from Senior Systems Engineers and Team Leaders when dealing with complex technical or architectural decisions.

2 Development Execution and Delivery

• Implement assigned development tasks according to approved technical designs and requirements.
• Estimate development effort for assigned tasks and communicate risks or dependencies to the Team Leader.
• Complete development activities within agreed timelines and quality expectations.
• Participate in sprint, development, project, and technical planning activities where applicable.
• Maintain accurate records of development progress, issues, and technical dependencies.
• Assist with software releases, deployments, migrations, and implementation activities.

3 Software Testing and Quality

• Develop and execute unit and integration tests.
• Participate in system, regression, performance, security, and user acceptance testing.
• Identify, analyse, troubleshoot, and resolve software defects.
• Participate in peer code reviews.
• Ensure developed software meets functional, technical, security, and quality requirements.
• Follow established testing, documentation, and quality assurance practices.

4 Systems Integration

• Develop and maintain APIs, web services, messaging interfaces, and other integrations as assigned.
• Work with the Database & Middleware Team on integration, database, messaging, and middleware requirements.
• Assist in troubleshooting integration and interoperability issues.
• Ensure integrations follow approved security, performance, and reliability standards.

5 Database and Data Development

• Develop SQL queries, stored procedures, functions, and other database components where required.
• Work with the Database & Middleware Team on application database requirements and performance matters.
• Apply appropriate data validation, integrity, transaction management, and error handling.
• Assist in investigating application-related database issues.

6 Collaboration Across the Software Department

• Work collaboratively with other Software Department teams and sections.
• Coordinate technical dependencies with the Enterprise Business Solutions Team and Database & Middleware Team.
• Participate in technical reviews and solution design sessions.
• Share knowledge and follow common software engineering standards and practices.

7 Project and PMO Collaboration

• Participate in projects coordinated through the Project Management Office (PMO).
• Provide technical input and progress information for assigned development activities.
• Participate in project meetings, technical workshops, testing activities, and implementation planning.
• Communicate technical risks, issues, dependencies, and delays to the Team Leader promptly.

8 Production / Implementation Activities

• Assist with application deployments, releases, upgrades, migrations, and implementation activities.
• Investigate and resolve application defects identified during development, testing, or implementation.
• Perform technical troubleshooting within the scope of assigned responsibilities.
• Escalate complex or unresolved technical issues to the Senior Systems Engineer or Team Leader.

9 Documentation

• Prepare and maintain technical documentation for assigned applications and components.
• Document technical designs, interfaces, data flows, configuration requirements, and implementation procedures.
• Keep development and system documentation current following changes.

10 Security and Compliance

• Apply secure software development practices throughout development activities.
• Follow organizational information security policies, coding standards, and technical controls.
• Identify and report security weaknesses or vulnerabilities.
• Implement appropriate authentication, authorization, data protection, logging, and validation mechanisms as required.

11 Professional Development

• Continuously develop technical and professional skills relevant to the role.
• Participate in mentoring, knowledge-sharing, code reviews, and technical learning activities.
• Keep informed of relevant software development technologies, frameworks, tools, and practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Relevant professional certifications in software development, databases, cloud, integration, or related technologies are a plus.

Experience Required

• Typically, 2–5 years of professional experience in software development, systems engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.
• Practical experience developing and maintaining software applications.
• Experience with object-oriented programming and software engineering principles.
• Experience with relational databases and SQL.
• Experience developing APIs, web services, integrations, or application components.
• Experience working within the Software Development Lifecycle.
• Experience troubleshooting software defects and technical issues.
• Experience using version control systems such as Git and collaborative source-control practices.
• Exposure to CI/CD and automated build, testing, and deployment processes.

Benefits & Perks

An attractive package will be offered to successful candidates, commensurate with skills and experience.

• Analyse functional and technical requirements and contribute to translating them into software solutions.
• Design, develop, test, deploy, enhance, and maintain software applications and components.
• Develop clean, efficient, secure, reusable, and maintainable code.
• Participate in the full Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).
• Develop application modules, APIs, services, interfaces, integrations, and reusable components.
• Apply approved coding standards, design patterns, development practices, and architectural principles.
• Seek guidance from Senior Systems Engineers and Team Leaders when dealing with complex technical or architectural decisions.
• Implement assigned development tasks according to approved technical designs and requirements.
• Estimate development effort for assigned tasks and communicate risks or dependencies to the Team Leader.
• Complete development activities within agreed timelines and quality expectations.
• Participate in sprint, development, project, and technical planning activities where applicable.
• Maintain accurate records of development progress, issues, and technical dependencies.
• Assist with software releases, deployments, migrations, and implementation activities.
• Develop and execute unit and integration tests.
• Participate in system, regression, performance, security, and user acceptance testing.
• Identify, analyse, troubleshoot, and resolve software defects.
• Participate in peer code reviews.
• Ensure developed software meets functional, technical, security, and quality requirements.
• Follow established testing, documentation, and quality assurance practices.
• Develop and maintain APIs, web services, messaging interfaces, and other integrations as assigned.
• Work with the Database & Middleware Team on integration, database, messaging, and middleware requirements.
• Assist in troubleshooting integration and interoperability issues.
• Ensure integrations follow approved security, performance, and reliability standards.
• Develop SQL queries, stored procedures, functions, and other database components where required.
• Work with the Database & Middleware Team on application database requirements and performance matters.
• Apply appropriate data validation, integrity, transaction management, and error handling.
• Assist in investigating application-related database issues.
• Work collaboratively with other Software Department teams and sections.
• Coordinate technical dependencies with the Enterprise Business Solutions Team and Database & Middleware Team.
• Participate in technical reviews and solution design sessions.
• Share knowledge and follow common software engineering standards and practices.
• Participate in projects coordinated through the Project Management Office (PMO).
• Provide technical input and progress information for assigned development activities.
• Participate in project meetings, technical workshops, testing activities, and implementation planning.
• Communicate technical risks, issues, dependencies, and delays to the Team Leader promptly.
• Assist with application deployments, releases, upgrades, migrations, and implementation activities.
• Investigate and resolve application defects identified during development, testing, or implementation.
• Perform technical troubleshooting within the scope of assigned responsibilities.
• Escalate complex or unresolved technical issues to the Senior Systems Engineer or Team Leader.
• Prepare and maintain technical documentation for assigned applications and components.
• Document technical designs, interfaces, data flows, configuration requirements, and implementation procedures.
• Keep development and system documentation current following changes.
• Apply secure software development practices throughout development activities.
• Follow organizational information security policies, coding standards, and technical controls.
• Identify and report security weaknesses or vulnerabilities.
• Implement appropriate authentication, authorization, data protection, logging, and validation mechanisms as required.
• Continuously develop technical and professional skills relevant to the role.
• Participate in mentoring, knowledge-sharing, code reviews, and technical learning activities.
• Keep informed of relevant software development technologies, frameworks, tools, and practices.

• Object-oriented programming
• Software engineering principles
• Relational databases
• SQL
• API development
• Web services development
• Integration development
• Application component development
• Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
• Software defect troubleshooting
• Technical issue troubleshooting
• Version control systems (e.g., Git)
• Collaborative source-control practices
• CI/CD (exposure)
• Automated build processes (exposure)
• Automated testing processes (exposure)
• Automated deployment processes (exposure)

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Relevant professional certifications in software development, databases, cloud, integration, or related technologies are a plus.