Java Software Engineering - Competency Lead
DVT · Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa ·
- Work mode
- Hybrid
- Seniority
- Lead
- Category
- Software engineering
- Experience
- 12+ years
DVT · Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa ·
DVT is one of the top software development companies on the continent. Our software engineers are consulting on cutting-edge applications at top companies in South Africa, as well as consulting globally. You will have the opportunity to work alongside some of the most established developers in the country and globally with the latest technologies.
We are looking for a senior Java / JVM engineering leader to define, govern, and continuously evolve our Java engineering competency ensuring we consistently deliver high-quality, scalable backend solutions across all client engagements.
As the most senior JVM engineer in the organisation, you will set the technical direction for Java engineering, establish and enforce standards, and raise the bar across delivery teams. You will also provide technical oversight across the broader open-source backend strategy, including Node.js, Python, and Go.
This is not a delivery management role. You define what good Java engineering looks like and make it the norm.
Competency Strategy & Evolution
Define and evolve the Java / JVM engineering strategy, including oversight of Node.js, Python, and Go streams
Establish and maintain engineering standards, tooling, and best practices
Build reusable reference architectures and accelerators, including a Java Modernisation accelerator for legacy estates
Drive adoption of AI-assisted development tools and modern engineering practices
Technical Authority & Quality
Act as the Java technical authority across all engagements and solution contexts
Define and govern coding standards, architectural patterns, and quality guardrails
Review and guide architecture decisions across engagements
Intervene in high-risk or technically complex delivery scenarios to protect quality
AI Enablement
Drive adoption of AI development tools across Java teams
Build a reference implementation for LLM integration in Java services using LangChain4j (RAG patterns, event-stream integration)
Identify modern Java approaches that improve delivery speed and reduce technical debt
Talent Development & Mentorship
Define Java technical competency standards at each career level (graduate to principal)
Provide structured assessments and development feedback for engineers
Identify and advocate for engineers with senior or principal potential
Hiring & Technical Quality Bar
Assess candidates on backend fundamentals (distributed systems, API design, database patterns) and Java-specific depth
Define and maintain technical assessment criteria and coding assessments
Provide clear hire / no-hire recommendations for shortlisted candidates
Community & Thought Leadership
Define the quarterly Java community of practice agenda
Champion knowledge sharing and sponsor engineers as session contributors
Contribute to external thought leadership in Java / JVM engineering
Client & Pre-sales Support
Serve as the Java technical subject matter expert on bids and proposals
Develop and maintain reusable Java technical assets for proposals
Attend client technical workshops when engineering expertise is needed
Innovation
Identify innovation opportunities within the Java stream
Own the development of Java / JVM accelerators, reference architectures, and reusable delivery assets
Contribute technical expertise to new service and product development initiatives
Java / JVM Ecosystem: Spring Boot 3.x, Kotlin, Quarkus, GraalVM, Apache Kafka
API Design: REST, GraphQL, gRPC
Cloud & Infrastructure: Docker, Kubernetes, AWS / Azure / GCP
Engineering Standards: Defining and enforcing coding standards, architectural patterns, and quality guardrails across multiple teams
Adjacent Stacks: Working knowledge of Node.js / NestJS (BFF patterns), Python / FastAPI (AI service layers), or Go (cloud-native workloads)
AI & LLM Integration: Familiarity with AI-assisted development tools (Copilot, Cursor, Claude Code) and LLM integration using LangChain4j
This role requires someone who leads through influence rather than authority. You will shape engineering culture, mentor talent from graduate to principal level, and drive adoption of standards across autonomous teams.
Strategic Thinking: Define technical direction and align the Java competency to business strategy
Execution: Ensure standards are adopted, quality gates are active, and commitments are followed through
Influence: Drive adoption of engineering practices across teams without direct line authority
Collaboration: Build trust across engineering, delivery, and client-facing teams; enable effective mentorship
Education
BSc IT, BEng, or equivalent technical degree (beneficial)
Certifications in AWS or relevant cloud platforms
Experience
8–12+ years in software engineering with a strong Java / JVM focus
Proven experience leading an engineering team or technical competency stream
Maturity and adoption of Java standards and practices across active engagements
Progression and retention of Java engineers through a defined competency framework
Quality of Java technical outcomes on client engagements
Availability of reusable Java proposal assets and technical input on all Java-relevant bids
Delivery of LangChain4j reference implementation and AI tooling adoption across teams
To set expectations clearly: this role does not carry delivery accountability or day-to-day project execution. You will not have operational line management of consultants on engagements, nor will you own bid responses, you provide the technical input when called upon.
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