Software Engineer, Platform - Johannesburg, South Africa

About the Company and Mission

Speechify’s mission is to ensure that reading is never a barrier to learning. Over 50 million people use Speechify’s text-to-speech products to transform PDFs, books, Google Docs, news articles, and websites into audio, enabling faster reading, deeper comprehension, and better retention.

Speechify’s product suite includes iOS and Android apps, a Mac App, a Chrome Extension, and a Web App. Google named Speechify the Chrome Extension of the Year, and Apple recognized it as the 2025 Design Award winner for Inclusivity.

Today, nearly 200 employees across the globe work in a 100% distributed setting with no physical office. The team includes frontend and backend engineers, AI research scientists, and alumni from Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Stanford PhD programs, and high-growth startups like Stripe, Vercel, and Bolt.

Key Responsibilities

Design, develop, and maintain robust APIs, including the public TTS API and internal APIs for Payment, Subscription, Auth, and Consumption Tracking, ensuring they meet business and scalability requirements.

Oversee the full backend API landscape, continuously enhancing and optimizing performance, reliability, and maintainability.

Collaborate on B2B solutions, focusing on customization and integration needs for enterprise clients, ensuring seamless deployment and user satisfaction.

Work closely with cross-functional teams, including product, design, and frontend, to align backend architecture with overall product strategy and deliver exceptional user experiences.

Drive innovation by proposing and implementing improvements to existing systems, and actively participate in code reviews and architectural discussions.

Ideal Candidate Qualifications

Proven experience in backend development with strong proficiency in TypeScript and Node.js (required).

Direct experience with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and knowledge of AWS, Azure, or other cloud providers.

Efficiency in both ideation and implementation, with the ability to prioritize tasks based on urgency and business impact.

Preferred experience with Docker and containerized deployments.

Preferred proficiency in deploying high availability applications on Kubernetes.

Excellent problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and a proactive mindset.

What Speechify Offers

A dynamic, flat environment where your contributions directly shape the company and its products.

A team that values innovation, intuition, and drive, with a focus on delivering exceptional results.

Autonomy and flexibility to foster focus and creativity in a fully remote, asynchronous work culture.

The opportunity to have a significant impact in a revolutionary industry at the intersection of artificial intelligence and audio.

Competitive compensation, a welcoming atmosphere, and a commitment to work-life balance.

The privilege of working on a product that changes lives, particularly for individuals with learning differences such as dyslexia, ADD, and more.

An active role in a rapidly evolving tech domain, with opportunities for continuous learning and growth.

How to Apply

Tell us more about yourself and why you are interested in this role when you apply. Include links to your portfolio and LinkedIn profile.

If you know someone who would be a great fit, refer them. Speechify is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status.