Lead Application Development Engineer (Hybrid)

About the role

Join American Family Insurance as a Lead Applications Development Engineer. You will provide technical vision and leadership while remaining hands‑on with Java development and RESTful API development, architecting scalable solutions that deliver meaningful business impact. The role involves modernizing legacy applications, leading critical system migrations to modern data‑center and cloud environments, and mentoring teammates.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive technical strategy and solution design; serve as a trusted technical expert during project planning.
• Evaluate and contribute to proof‑of‑concept initiatives that validate innovative solutions and reduce project risk.
• Translate business goals, requirements, and use cases into scalable technical designs and actionable development plans.
• Architect high‑quality solutions, analyze complex system requirements, and manage system dependencies.
• Partner with stakeholders and technical teams to validate architectural decisions and champion best practices.
• Provide advanced Java coding expertise and hands‑on support for high‑risk features, critical initiatives, and complex technical issues.
• Guide teams through architectural and development challenges by recommending effective solutions and implementation strategies.
• Lead and participate in testing activities, including unit testing and system integration testing.
• Facilitate development reviews, walkthroughs, and knowledge‑sharing sessions.
• Mentor team members by sharing technical expertise, best practices, and problem‑solving approaches.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional partners to optimize system workflows, data utilization, and business processes.
• Document design decisions, estimates, technical assumptions, code modules, and performance metrics.
• Ensure technology solutions align with business objectives while improving efficiency, reliability, and user experience.

Specialized Knowledge & Skills

• Experience analyzing and understanding complex software and systems.
• Ability to communicate technical information to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Proven track record developing and delivering multiple solution design approaches.
• Experience developing complex software using one or more programming languages.
• Skill in analyzing requirements and estimating project size, scope, and effort.
• Providing technical guidance, mentorship, and leadership to less experienced staff.
• Extensive knowledge of RESTful software development standards, methodologies, and best practices.
• Extensive knowledge of infrastructure technologies, operating systems, and their interconnectivity with software tools.
• Understanding of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
• Solid grasp of application architecture principles and design alternatives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field.
• Strong proficiency in Java and modern Java‑based frameworks such as Spring Boot and Spring.
• Experience using Claude for code reviews, analysis, and troubleshooting.
• Demonstrated experience leading technical design, development, and implementation across complex solutions.
• Experience building and supporting API‑First (RESTful and SOAP) services and microservices‑based architectures.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform).
• Familiarity with DevOps practices and CI/CD tools.
• Knowledge of containerization and orchestration technologies (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Strong understanding of software engineering best practices, including OOP design, design patterns, code reviews, and automated testing.
• Experience with DB2 and NoSQL databases.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex technical issues in development, test, and production environments.
• Experience mentoring engineers and supporting team development.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills across engineering, product, architecture, and business teams.
• Experience working in Agile environments.
• Experience in insurance, financial services, or other highly regulated industries (preferred).
• Passion for delivering scalable, secure, and reliable technology solutions.

Pay

Compensation Range: $131,000.00 – $220,000.00 (Salary). Compensation may vary based on job level and geographic location. Relocation support is offered for eligible candidates.

Schedule

This hybrid role requires a minimum of 10 days per month working on‑site at either the Madison, WI or Boston, MA offices.

Travel Requirements

Up to 10% travel.

Physical Requirements

Work that primarily involves sitting or standing.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and wellbeing benefits.
• Competitive 401(k) contribution and pension plan.
• Annual incentive, 9 paid holidays, and 23 days of paid time off accrued annually for full‑time employees.
• Student loan repayment program.
• Paid family leave.

Additional Information

• New Employee Orientation during the first week (in person at Madison, WI Headquarters or other AmFam core locations; virtual options may be offered).
• Offer contingent on background checks and signing a non‑disclosure agreement.
• Role not eligible for sponsorship unless otherwise specified.