--- title: 'Junior Software Engineer (AI-Enabled) at Ozow' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/junior-software-engineer-ai-enabled-ozow-cape-town-mw2baeqxtyc9' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-30' --- # Junior Software Engineer (AI-Enabled) at Ozow - **Company:** Ozow - **Location:** Cape Town, South Africa - **Posted:** 2026-10-07 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-30 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/ozow/jobs/8012910003 ## Job description Meet Ozow Ozow is a leading fintech company that's redefining digital payments in South Africa and beyond. We're dedicated to making payments more accessible, secure, and convenient for both businesses and consumers. As a fast-growing player in the financial technology sector, Ozow fosters a culture of innovation, diversity, and inclusivity. We believe in pushing the boundaries of what's possible and are committed to making a positive impact on the world through our payment solutions. More about this Ozow fantastic position Ozow is seeking a Junior Software Engineer (AI Enabled) to join our development team. You'll help build and maintain the solutions that power our digital payment platforms, learning from experienced engineers as we replatform and modernise our systems with AI. You'll use AI tools from day one, and we'll help you use them well: with discipline, care and an understanding of the code you ship. This is an early-career, hands-on engineering role, not an agentic AI role. Your focus is building software with AI, rather than designing autonomous, long-running agent workflows. ## Your role and responsibilities Software Development - Work with cross-functional teams to build and maintain software solutions that meet high-quality standards and business requirements. AI-Enabled Replatforming - Contribute to replatforming existing systems onto modern, AI-native services, migrating well-defined pieces of functionality under the guidance of senior engineers. AI Feature Development - Help build features that integrate with large language models (LLMs), learning techniques such as context management, embeddings and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). Coding - Write clean, efficient and maintainable code following our coding standards, using AI coding tools to learn and move faster while understanding and being able to explain everything you commit. Responsible AI Delivery - Follow the team's standards for using AI safely across the software development lifecycle, including checking AI-generated output and protecting sensitive and payment data. Technical Problem Solving - Investigate and fix bugs and technical issues, escalating early when you're stuck. System Architecture - Learn how our systems are designed for scalability, security and performance, and apply those principles in the features you build. Code Reviews - Take part in code reviews, both receiving feedback on your code and reviewing others' to build your understanding of the codebase. Testing and Quality - Write unit tests for your code and help test features end to end, including AI features whose outputs are not always the same. DevOps and Deployment - Learn and use our CI/CD pipelines, containers and cloud environments (AWS or Azure) to get your code safely into production. Agile Development - Work in an Agile environment, participating in sprint planning, stand-ups and retrospectives. Documentation - Create and maintain technical documentation for the software and processes you work on. Learning and Growth - Learn from senior engineers through pairing, code reviews and feedback, and share what you discover about using AI tools well with the wider team. You are an ideal candidate if you have - 2 years of experience as a Software Engineer or Developer, including internships or graduate programmes - An IT Diploma or Degree, or equivalent practical experience such as a recognised coding bootcamp - Working knowledge of at least one of .NET C#, Python or JavaScript/ReactJs (more is a bonus) - Regular, thoughtful use of AI coding tools, with the ability to explain and check the code they produce - Exposure to building with LLMs, for example through personal, university or work projects, beneficial - A good grasp of databases and SQL, version control (Git) and how the web works - A curious, pragmatic attitude towards AI and a strong willingness to learn ## Your skills and competencies - You eagerly embrace change, absorb cross-functional skills, and connect ideas across disciplines to drive fresh thinking and innovation. - Ability to initiate, develop, maintain and leverage outstanding relationships to influence a wide network, both inside and outside the company. - A trailblazer who steps up, takes charge, and creates meaningful impact—those driven by performance and purpose to lead from the front and make a real difference every day. - You thrive in collaboration, embrace inclusion, and bring a genuine curiosity for global cultures—valuing collective success over individual credit. - Demonstrate strategic foresight, sound judgement, and the ability to make confident decisions under uncertainty, always working toward the best possible outcomes. - You challenge norms, champion innovation, and constantly seek growth—for themselves, their team, and the solutions they build. - You are a decisive doer—those who take initiative, follow through with confidence, and ensure results through courageous, hands-on leadership. - We value optimism, agility, and the strength to persevere under pressure—balancing performance with positivity, even in challenging environments. - You are driven, proactive individuals who take ownership, face challenges with grit, and consistently push for excellence—not just as participants, but as catalysts for success. Interview process During the interview process you will meet with the People team, the hiring manager, and relevant CSuite. Our process may include psychometric and technical assessments, giving you an opportunity to demonstrate your strengths, skills and potential beyond your CV and interview. In office perks - Healthy breakfast, lunches and snacks - Monthly team connects - On-site Barista ## Perks for South African based employees - Medical aid subsidy - Group Risk Insurance - Generous paid annual leave - Birthday leave - Learning and Development opportunities - Mentorship programme - Quarterly team building - Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) - Community initiatives - Access to cutting edge technology - [Ozow Tech Stack](https://ozow.com/tech-stack) Our Employee Value Proposition At Ozow, we don't just process payments. We are redefining the future of how money moves. Our promise to our people is simple. Ozow is built for high impact: clear expectations, genuine investment in you, and the room to do work you are proud of. We back you to own what you deliver and how you grow, and we recognise the people who lift others, not just themselves. People are trusted to make decisions and own outcomes, where the growth you create, in yourself and in others, is part of how we succeed together. Compliance As a fintech company, we prioritize data security, confidentiality, regulatory and compliance. Due to the sensitive nature of our work, we require individuals with a high level of integrity and trustworthiness to ensure adherence to financial regulations and industry standards. Given the sensitive nature of our work, all employees are expected to demonstrate professionalism, accountability, and a commitment to ethical conduct in line with financial regulations and industry standards Ready to be exceptional? Apply now! Keen to know more? Interested in joining our rocket ship? To find out more about life at Ozow, head over to our Careers Page [here!](https://ozow.com/ozow-careers/) ## About Ozow ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Ozow provides a secure, cardless pay-by-bank payment gateway that links South African businesses with millions of bank account holders for seamless transactions. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series B funded) - **Headquarters**: Cape Town, South Africa - **Founded**: 2014 - **Founders**: Not publicly available (the company was previously known as i-Pay) ## Core Business - Primary industry: Financial Services / Payments (Open Banking) - Target customers: B2B – businesses of all sizes in South Africa (SME to enterprise), also enables peer-to-peer payments via Ozow.ME - Mission: “Create financial access through Open Banking” and redefine the payments industry in Africa by making payments easier, faster, and more secure. ## Products & Services - **Pay by Bank (eCommerce)**: Customers pay directly from their bank account using their mobile device – no card required. Integrates with eCommerce platforms. - **QR Code Payments**: In-store payment option using a QR code scanned from a banking app. - **e-Billing / Payment Links**: Businesses can send invoices or payment links via email or SMS. - **Ozow.ME**: Peer-to-peer payment solution allowing friends and family to send money using just a bank account and smart device. - **Payouts & Refunds**: API-driven capability for businesses to issue refunds or make bulk payouts. - **Integrations & Plugins**: Pre-built plugins for major eCommerce platforms and ERP systems. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (private company) - **Key Metric**: Total funding of **$49.4M** (Series B of $48M led by Tencent in November 2021; earlier rounds from Kalon Venture Partners and others) [linkedin.com](https://za.linkedin.com/company/ozowsecurepayments) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Tencent (lead Series B), Kalon Venture Partners, Capitec Bank (partner for “Ozow X Capitec PAY”) - **Growth Signals**: - 93 employees (+17.6% YoY) with active hiring across engineering, commercial, and customer operations [linkedin.com](https://za.linkedin.com/company/ozowsecurepayments) - Over 6 million registered users and 150+ employees (website claims 150+ employees – likely inclusive of contract/temporary) [ozow.com](https://ozow.com/) - Expanding presence: headquarters in Cape Town, office in Johannesburg, and a location in the United Kingdom [linkedin.com](https://za.linkedin.com/company/ozowsecurepayments) - Integration with 47 million bank account holders in South Africa [ozow.com](https://ozow.com/) ## Competitive Advantages - **Open Banking leader in South Africa**: Pay-by-bank eliminates the need for cards, reducing transaction costs and fraud risk. - **Strong security compliance**: Built using “the latest technology” and complies with international safety and security standards (PCI DSS level 1, etc.). - **Broad bank coverage**: Works with all major South African banks, giving access to virtually the entire banked population. - **Partnership with Tencent**: Strategic backing from a global tech giant provides credibility and network effects. - **Seamless UX**: No app download required – transactions happen within existing banking apps. ## Strategic Focus - Continue to expand Open Banking payment solutions across Africa, with an emphasis on financial inclusion and reduced reliance on cash and cards. - Deepen partnerships with banks (e.g., Capitec PAY) to embed payment rails directly into banking ecosystems. - Invest in fraud detection and risk solutions (as evidenced by the Product Manager: Payments Fraud & Risk Solutions job posting) [job-boards.greenhouse.io](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/ozow/jobs/7673549003). - Scale the merchant base and extend into larger enterprise clients, leveraging the recent product suite expansion (payouts, refunds, links). ## Why Work Here - **Culture & Values**: Ozow promotes excellence, resilience, inclusivity, innovation, and wellbeing. The company describes itself as “fast-paced, agile, inclusive, passionate and driven” and encourages “bold pursuits without ego” [ozow.com](https://ozow.com/life-at-ozow). - **Perks**: Medical subsidy, group risk insurance, generous paid annual leave, birthday leave, mentorship programme, learning & development opportunities, monthly team connects, quarterly team building, healthy lunches & snacks (Cape Town & Johannesburg), on-site barista at Cape Town office, Ozow library and playroom [ozow.com](https://ozow.com/jobs). - **Work Environment**: Hybrid/office policy not explicitly stated, but roles are listed for Cape Town and Johannesburg. The Cape Town office features an on-site barista, library, and playroom – indicating a vibrant, in-office culture. - **Engineering & Growth**: Active hiring for senior engineering roles (Data Engineer, Software Engineer, Test Engineer). Technical team makes up 21% of headcount. The company emphasises access to “cutting-edge technology” and a “growth mindset” – “you’ll be supported and pushed to achieve greatness” [ozow.com](https://ozow.com/life-at-ozow). - **Mission-driven**: Employees work on “meaningful, impactful work” that changes the payment landscape in Africa – a strong draw for purpose-driven talent. ## Sources 1. [ozow.com – Homepage](https://ozow.com/) 2. [ozow.com – Careers Page](https://ozow.com/jobs) 3. [ozow.com – Life at Ozow](https://ozow.com/life-at-ozow) 4. [LinkedIn – Ozow Company Profile](https://za.linkedin.com/company/ozowsecurepayments) 5. [Greenhouse – Ozow Job Board](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/ozow/jobs/7673549003) ## Other roles at Ozow - [Senior Automation Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-automation-engineer-ozow-cape-town-k9rf83wbkksq) — Cape Town, South Africa - [Junior Integration and Enablement Associate](https://feeny.ai/job/junior-integration-and-enablement-associate-ozow-cape-town-e4djbze5xys3) — Cape Town, South Africa - [Senior Software Engineer (AI-Enabled)](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-engineer-ai-enabled-ozow-cape-town-8ygfa5fntxvb) — Cape Town, South Africa - [Agentic AI Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/agentic-ai-engineer-ozow-cape-town-zdqswr8c5sac) — Cape Town, South Africa - [Content Strategist](https://feeny.ai/job/content-strategist-ozow-cape-town-8tscympkgt9k) — Cape Town, South Africa - [Marketing Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/marketing-manager-ozow-cape-town-pmecd7gegpf1) — Cape Town, South Africa - [Senior Data Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-data-engineer-ozow-cape-town-9p3erbzebp6a) — Cape Town, South Africa - [Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-ozow-cape-town-5wes01awvce3) — Cape Town, South Africa / Johannesburg, South Africa