Scala Backend Engineer

Are you a Scala Backend Engineer and a skilled problem-solver? Do you want to be a part of an innovative team that uses its technical skills to make a positive impact? Then this role could be for you!

About Tiko

Tiko is an African nonprofit committed to strengthening the potential and resilience of adolescent girls across Africa. We address the “Triple Threat” of unintended pregnancy, HIV infection, and sexual and gender-based violence by building local health ecosystems that provide stigma-free, no-cost, quality-assured services.

Our model brings together key local actors: community-based organizations (CBO) with peer mobilisers who act as health companions to girls; public and private health clinics that deliver care; and retail partners that redeem Tiko Miles -our behaviour-change incentive programme that rewards service uptake and feedback.

We invest in partners by strengthening CBO capacity, training frontline workers and providers, supporting clinic quality improvement, and compensating partners based on performance. Our technology platform connects all actors by enabling referrals, verifying service delivery, facilitating payments, and generating real-time data.

Tiko operates in six countries: Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Burkina Faso, South Africa, and Nigeria, with additional offices in Portugal, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. For a clear overview of our work, we recommend watching this short video.

Globally, our team consists of +250 enthusiastic, international colleagues. Whether you are working from our biggest office in Nairobi, the fast-growing office in South Africa, or from home, our people are young, and our culture is global and dynamic. Our work environment is fast-paced, informal, and friendly. 

We are open to remote work for this position and will happily accept applicants from anywhere in Portugal, Kenya and South Africa.

The Job

You will form an integral part of our Agile tech team who is responsible for creating and maintaining the software that allows our platform to function. You’ll also be responsible for:

• You maintain and develop new features on our software platform. You apply the principles of software engineering to the design, development, maintenance, testing, and evaluation of our software.
• You make sure the software you develop is secure and safe with regards to information security & personal data.
• We expect you to actively participate in meetings and projects and to coordinate with your team members. We also expect you to continue to develop yourself and keep abreast of new developments. 
• You document your work and make sure that your documentation is clear and understandable for future use by others. 
• Our team works in an agile way, and you will be part of the rituals and practices. 

About you

You have in-depth development experience using Scala and building software from the ground up. You’re a logical thinker and a natural problem solver who wants to use your technical skillset to make an impact.

Requirements:  

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience developing Scala-based backend systems.
• Proven expertise in functional programming principles, with hands-on experience utilizing the Typelevel stack (preferably Cats and Cats Effect).
  
• Experience with microservices and AWS is highly preferred.
  
• You are not just focused on writing code - you strive for quality and scalability.
• You have excellent English skills, both spoken and written.
• You are currently based in Portugal / South Africa / Kenya.

Recruitment Process

Introductory call with recruiter | First Interview with Tech Team | Technical Challenge | Final interview with the Tech Team

Compensation & Benefits

The gross salary range per month for this position is:

South Africa: R72,734 - R121,00 (x12)

Portugal: €3,025 - €5,000 (x14)

Kenya: Ksh354,096 - Ksh590,00 (x12)

Your final salary will be determined based on your experience and alignment with your future colleagues.

In addition to your monthly salary, we offer you:

• Benefits and allowances tailored to your location.
• Flexible work arrangements, including remote or hybrid options.
• A personal development budget of €500 per year to invest in your professional growth 
• Unlimited holiday days to use as you see fit - just coordinate with your team and take the time you need to recharge.
• The opportunity to shape a growing, impactful product and leave your mark on how we work
• A culture built on trust - we believe you’ll do your best without the need for unnecessary rules or micromanagement

The Details

Interested? Click Apply for This Job! Want more information? Check out our website Tiko – Do more with Tiko. We only accept applications through the apply links, not by email.

Important Recruitment Fraud Alert
Please be aware that Tiko maintains a professional and ethical recruitment process.

• Zero Fees: We do not charge candidates any fees for applications, interviews, or processing at any stage of the hiring journey.
• Fraud Prevention: If you receive a request for money, bank details, or "onboarding equipment" payments from someone claiming to represent us, this is not a legitimate request.
• Official Channels: We only communicate through our verified company email domain (@tiko.org).

If you are approached by anyone asking for payment in our name, please ignore the request.

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Tiko prioritizes integrity in our workplace and respects your privacy.
Tiko is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour by its employees at work, including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct. This is why we will do reference and background screening checks on successful candidates before hiring. Tiko also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. As part of this scheme, we will request information from your previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during your employment, or incidents under investigation when you left employment. By applying for this position, you confirm you have read and understood these recruitment procedures.

We value your privacy and understand the importance of safeguarding your personal data. We invite you to review our privacy notice for the recruitment process to understand how we collect, use, and protect your personal data during the recruitment process. Click here to view the document. By applying for this position, you acknowledge that you have read and understood our privacy notice.