WE'RE HIRING: AI Automation Engineer
Contract: 6 Months
Johannesburg-Hybrid- 3days in the office
We are looking for an experienced AI Automation Engineer to join a next-generation AI Payments Engineering Team focused on designing and delivering an AI-native Payments Operating System.
This role will focus on transforming high-effort, high-risk financial operations into scalable, intelligent, auditable and production-ready AI solutions. Key focus areas include automation of Payments processes such as reconciliations, audit, reporting, financial analytics and operational processes.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, build, test, deploy and maintain production-grade AI automation workflows.
- Build and deploy agentic and multi-agent workflows for reconciliations, audit, reporting and financial analytics.
- Develop solutions using Claude/Anthropic APIs, Spring AI, Java and/or Python.
- Use n8n or equivalent workflow engines and MCP or similar multi-agent coordination layers.
- Integrate internal and external systems through APIs, data pipelines and reporting systems.
- Identify automation opportunities across Payments operations.
- Ensure solutions include appropriate human oversight and approval controls.
- Build reusable AI frameworks, templates and workflows.
- Develop dashboards and metrics to measure efficiency, cost reduction, risk outcomes and ROI.
- Create documentation, standards and training to support adoption.
AI Governance & Risk
- Classify automation solutions according to risk tiers before development.
- Ensure documented data flows, access controls and full audit logging.
- Design AI automation solutions that maintain control integrity in regulated environments.
Essential Skills & Experience
- Hands-on experience deploying production-grade AI and agentic systems.
- Strong understanding of LLM orchestration and multi-agent systems.
- Understanding of AI failure modes in high-stakes environments.
- Experience with Spring AI and/or Python-based orchestration.
- Experience with n8n or similar workflow engines.
- Experience integrating AI APIs, including Anthropic/Claude or similar.
- Strong API and systems integration experience.
- Ability to deliver across the full lifecycle: Discovery Design Build Deploy Optimise.
- Strong architecture and scalable platform design skills.
- Experience working in fast-paced and ambiguous environments.
- Strong ownership mindset and ability to bridge business, finance and engineering domains.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
Stakeholders
You will work closely with:
- Payments Backend Teams
- Infrastructure & Platform Teams
- Compliance & Audit Teams
- AI Centre of Excellence
- If you have strong experience in AI Automation, Agentic AI, LLMs, Python/Java, Workflow Automation and Production AI Systems, we would love to hear from you!