Embedded Python Data & Automation Engineer

Location: South Africa

Department: Candidate Sourcing

Workplace: remote

Description

About the Role

We are looking for an Embedded Python Data & Automation Engineer to take ownership of an existing Python environment, maintain production systems, improve automations and data pipelines, and develop internal tools and integrations.

Key Responsibilities

• System Transition & Knowledge Absorption: Shadow the departing programmer and take ownership of the existing Python codebase.
• Production Support & Maintenance: Troubleshoot live issues, maintain existing systems, and ensure system stability.
• Data Pipelines & Automations: Maintain, debug, and improve data pipelines and scheduled automations.
• API & Integration Ownership: Maintain and extend APIs, third-party integrations, authentication flows, and webhooks.
• Technical Debt: Identify fragile systems, undocumented dependencies, and technical risks and improve them over time.
• Documentation: Create and maintain system documentation, workflow diagrams, dependency maps, and operating procedures.
• Internal Tooling: Build practical automation tools and internal software based on business needs.
• Engineering Practices: Use Git, pull requests, automated testing, changelogs, and staged deployments.

Required Experience & Skills

• 3+ years of professional Python experience in a data-focused environment.
• Experience building or maintaining production data pipelines and automations.
• Strong experience with APIs, integrations, authentication, and webhooks.
• Experience working with an existing or legacy codebase.
• Working knowledge of SQL and relational databases.
• Familiarity with Git, pull requests, testing, and deployment workflows.
• Strong written English and technical documentation skills.
• Ability to work with meaningful overlap with US business hours.

Typical Day

Your day begins with a check on overnight automations and any open production issues. You spend focused blocks working through the current system — reading existing code, running tests, tracing integrations, and filling in documentation gaps. Early in the engagement, a meaningful portion of your time is in handover sessions with the departing programmer. As the transition matures, that time shifts toward new development: building automations, improving pipeline reliability, or scoping a new internal tool with the client. You communicate primarily over Slack and participate in planning sessions and check-ins that align with US business hours. You raise flags early, document as you go, and push changes through staging rather than directly to production.

Interview Process

• Video Interview Screening
• Client Interview
• Offer Stage