Software Engineering AI Academy Graduate Program 2026

Takealot Group | Build the Future of AI

Takealot.com, South Africa’s leading online retailer, is launching a next-generation AI Academy, and we’re looking for exceptional graduates ready to build, learn, and innovate at scale.

We are a young, dynamic, hyper-growth company looking for smart, creative, hard-working people with integrity to join us.

Think you’ve been challenged before? Think again!

• Scale: Over 4 million happy shoppers shop online on takealot.com. Show them what you can do.

• Learn: We work with the best of the best, and then some. Code alongside industry leaders and upskill in record time.

• Grow: Expand your career in the fast-growing Takealot Group: takealot.com, TFS, and Mr D. We like to promote from within: Here’s your chance.

What You’ll Do

• At the Takealot Group, our graduate program will help you build both technical and soft skills to launch your career, learning from some of the strongest engineers South Africa has to offer.

• It will prepare you for software development in a large-scale and fast-paced environment.

• Every selected graduate gains unique insights into e-commerce development with vast amounts of practical experience from daily exposure to a broad tech stack.

• You will design and develop AI-powered solutions that impact millions of customers

• You will translate business challenges into scalable, data-driven solutions

• You will collaborate with global teams and leading AI practitioners

• You will gain exposure to cutting-edge tools, platforms, and real business problems

Global Opportunity

Top performers in the program will have the opportunity to:

• Travel to Amsterdam to learn from our global AI Academy leaders

Who We’re Looking For

Minimum Requirements

• BSc Computer Science, BEng, Mathematics, Data Science, or related field

• Less than 12 months of work experience (yes, you read that right - this is for recent graduates)

Technical Skills knowledge

• Programming experience (Python, Ruby, Java, C#, C++, or another widely used language)

• Strong understanding of data structures and algorithms

• Strong understanding of Object-Oriented Programming

• Exposure to AI/ML concepts or tools

• Understanding of databases (e.g., MySQL) and Linux

Life @ Takealot Group

• No doors: Open, collaborative culture — work with the best

• Hybrid working: Balance office and remote work

• Global learning: Access to platforms like Udacity, Coursera, and more

• Tech stack for days: Python, Scala, Kotlin, Google Cloud, Kafka, Kubernetes, ML tools

• Good times: Social events, team activities, and more

• Staff discount: Millions of products at your fingertips

• Birthday leave: Because cake matters

If you’re ready to build the future of AI in a real business environment, this is your opportunity.

Takealot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants from previously disadvantaged groups and people with disabilities will be given preference.