Full Stack Engineer

Full Stack Engineer - Backend-Focused – (Contract / Intern)

Location: Remote (Lusaka, Zambia preferred)
Type: Contract / Probation / Intern
Start Date: Immediate

About Us

We’re an early-stage startup focused on solving meaningful problems with technology. You’ll be working on a fast-moving platform where you’ll help shape core systems, contribute to new ideas, and play a key role in building scalable, secure, and user-focused features.

What You’ll Do

• Own real-time communication: design and maintain WebSocket services with Django Channels + Daphne for 1-to-1 and group chat, presence, and typing indicators.

• Develop REST + WebSocket APIs for Android and web clients; enforce rate-limiting and throttling to protect against abuse.

• Design robust, secure backend services in Python/Django (DRF) and deploy them on AWS (EC2, EKS/Kubernetes, Lambda, S3, RDS, SES).

• Implement and maintain payment integrations (Pesapal, Flutterwave, mobile money) with proper webhooks, retries, and idempotency.

• Champion application security: JWT/OAuth2, HTTPS everywhere, input validation, secret rotation, secure file uploads, and OWASP best practices.

• Containerize everything with Docker and orchestrate using Kubernetes/EKS; automate CI/CD via GitLab pipelines and IaC (Terraform/CloudFormation).

• Instrument application logging

• Collaborate with Android engineers; provide clean API contracts and assist with SDK integration when needed.

• Optionally assist with frontend development using Node.js, HTML/CSS, and JavaScript for admin panels or integrated dashboards.

• Proactively propose and implement new features that improve user experience, security, or platform performance

• Collaborate on feature planning and influence product direction with your technical insights

• Take ownership of feature development from idea to deployment

Must-Have Skills

• 0–3+ years of experience in Python backend or full stack roles

• 2+ years with Django & Django REST Framework

• Internships, freelance, or personal projects using Python/Django, Docker, or WebSockets count

• Experience building real-time apps (even academic or personal) is a big plus

• Production experience with Django Channels, Daphne, and WebSockets

• Redis for caching or pub/sub workflows

• Strong grasp of rate-limiting, throttling, and API security

• Hands-on AWS: EC2, ECS/Fargate, Kubernetes, S3, RDS/PostgreSQL, IAM, SES, Lambda

• Docker & Linux fundamentals

• Payment gateway integration (Pesapal, Flutterwave, Stripe, etc.)

• Solid SQL knowledge and query optimization (PostgreSQL preferred)

• Ability to perform database migrations and queries

• Git-based development workflow (branches, PRs, peer reviews)

Nice-to-Have Skills

• AWS or Cloud certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Developer, DevOps Engineer, or Solutions Architect)

• Android networking fundamentals (Retrofit, WebSocket libraries, API debugging)

• Experience with OpenAI/Bedrock embeddings, vector search, or OpenSearch

• Advanced Kubernetes concepts: blue/green deployments, autoscaling, service mesh

• Security certifications, bug bounty experience, or PCI-DSS implementation

• Knowledge on IaC with Terraform or CloudFormation

• Mobile app development is a plus

Why Join Us

• Be part of a mission-driven venture built with deep cultural relevance and purpose

• Gain end-to-end experience across real-time systems, modern cloud architecture, applied AI, and platform security

• Contribute to a high-impact startup where your code shapes critical infrastructure and user experiences

• Join a team that values initiative, creativity, and long-term ownership, with clear potential to grow into a full-time role

• Future opportunities may include equity, leadership, or specialization as the company scales

How to Apply

Send your CV, GitHub, and (optionally) a project link showcasing your work to:
📧 impalacloudtech@gmail.com
Subject: Full Stack Engineer (Contract / Probation / Intern)