DataOps Engineer

Takealot.com, South Africa’s leading online retailer, is looking for a highly talented DataOps Engineer for our team. The successful candidate must be based in South Africa.

We are a young, dynamic, hyper growth company looking for smart, creative, hard-working people with integrity to join us! 

Think you’ve been challenged before? Think again!

• Scale: Over 2.5 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, Superbalist.com and Mr D. We like to promote from within: Here’s your chance. 

Who’s who in the tech space

This position reports to the Data Platform Engineering Manager

Our DataOps Team is focused on delivering value faster by creating predictable delivery and change management of data, data models and related artifacts. DataOps uses technology to automate the design, deployment and management of data delivery with appropriate levels of governance, and it uses metadata to improve the usability and value of data in a dynamic environment. Takealot is growing quickly, which brings a number of unique and interesting challenges. Data is growing quickly within the organization, and there is a lot of opportunity to shape the tools, technologies and culture of data in the company.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it:

• Terraform to manage Cloud Infrastructure, Chef to manage virtual servers
• Building and deploying systems for metrics, monitoring, and logging
• Operations for Kafka, Kubernetes, and more
• CI/CD Build Systems to ensure our teams can deploy frequently and safely
• Code management and review
• Hardening servers, and building security into the platform
• Developing automation so we can focus on the hard problems
• Implementing features, technology, and processes that move us towards industry best practices, improving on scalability, efficiency, reliability, and security
• Responding to incidents and requests

The skills we need

• Is passionate about technology, enjoys keeping up to date with the industry
• Always learning
• Is a team player that can function as an individual 
• Excellent communication skills
• Shows solid reasoning and decision making
• Has a deep understanding of database engines
• Confident in his/her ability and skills

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree or Advanced Diploma in Information Systems, Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering and a minimum of 3 years of DataOps experience in a software/technology environment is required.
• In the event that a candidate does not have a bachelor’s degree or an advanced diploma (in Information Systems, Computer Science, Mathematics, or Engineering), an equivalent experience requirement must be met, which equates to a minimum of 5 years of DataOps experience in a software/technology environment. 
• An understanding of computer science fundamentals, including linux and operating systems, networking
• Solid grasp of development fundamentals such as data structures and algorithms 
• Can write code (preferably in Python)
• Experience with open source relational database systems (MySQL, PostgreSQL)
• Practical experience working with other database systems like BigQuery, Redis and ElasticSearch will be beneficial
• Has experience with Kafka, PubSub, or other event-based systems
• Has experience with Google Cloud, or another cloud provider (architecture, operations)
• Understands cost and implications of scaling 
• Has experience managing Kubernetes Clusters (certificates, users, kubeadm, kubectl etc.)
• Understands networking deeply (tcp/ip, calico/weave, vlans, tcpdump, routing etc.)
• Understands Linux deeply (kernel tuning, proc filesystem, cgroups, os scheduling, etc.)
• Has experience with Build Systems (Jenkins, Gitlab, Spinnaker)
• Has a reasonable understanding of Networking (TCP, UDP, IP)
• Has experience with Linux administration (Processes, Networking, Storage, Security)
• Has experience with at least one configuration management system (Chef, Puppet, Ansible)
• Has experience managing production systems

Let’s talk about life @ Takealot Group

• The power is in your hands: We offer a market-related, Total Remuneration Package which allows full flexibility according to your needs. Go on, be the master of your own destiny.
• 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? Up-skill 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. 
• Right tools, right job: Mac or Windows, two monitors or one. Whatever your preference, you’ll work on the latest tech, off the latest tech.
• 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.