Backend Developer

About the role

We are seeking a Senior Java Backend Developer to join a dynamic engineering team supporting a large retail client in Pleasanton, CA. This onsite, six-month contract role offers the opportunity to build scalable backend solutions, contribute to microservices architecture, and help drive technical excellence across a collaborative product and engineering environment.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain high-performing backend services using Java and Spring Boot.
• Contribute to microservices architecture and participate in system design discussions.
• Develop clean, well-structured, and maintainable code aligned with engineering best practices.
• Create and optimize database schemas, queries, and stored procedures for performance and scalability.
• Partner with product, QA, DevOps, and frontend teams to deliver reliable solutions.
• Perform code reviews and provide thoughtful feedback to support quality and consistency.
• Investigate, troubleshoot, and resolve complex production issues in a timely manner.
• Mentor junior and mid-level developers and contribute to technical growth across the team.
• Support architecture planning, technical roadmaps, and improvements to CI/CD and DevOps practices.
• Help ensure applications meet standards for security, reliability, and scalability.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional Java development experience.
• Strong hands-on experience with Spring Boot and Spring Framework, including Spring MVC, Spring Data, and Spring Security.
• Proven background in building and supporting microservices-based systems.
• Deep experience with relational databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, or Oracle, including schema design and query optimization.
• Solid understanding of RESTful API design and development.
• Experience with Hibernate/JPA and ORM-based development.
• Working knowledge of Git, Maven or Gradle, and unit testing tools such as JUnit and Mockito.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred skills

• Experience with NoSQL technologies such as MongoDB, Redis, or Cassandra.
• Exposure to Docker and Kubernetes.
• Familiarity with message queuing platforms such as Kafka or RabbitMQ.
• Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP.
• Knowledge of event-driven architecture and Agile/Scrum practices.
• Background in technical leadership, coaching, or mentoring.
• Experience with performance tuning and monitoring tools such as New Relic, Datadog, or Splunk.
• Familiarity with CI/CD tools such as Jenkins or GitLab CI.
• Experience working in a product-focused, collaborative engineering organization.