Senior Level Backend Java Developer Jobs
Senior level backend java developer jobs put experienced engineers in charge of architecture decisions, system reliability, and the technical direction of the teams and products that depend on them. Roles are available on-site, remotely, and in hybrid arrangements across Technology & Software and Staffing & Recruiting, with employers like Eliassen, UST, and Hudson Data hiring at this level now.
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Role: Java Backend Software Engineer (Hybrid)
Experience: 10+ years
Location: Chicago, IL - Local Candidates Only
Work Arrangement: Hybrid - 2 days onsite (Monday & Wednesday)
Duration: 12 months, with potential for extension
Estimated Start Date: September 7, 2026
Position Overview
We are seeking a highly experienced Java Backend Software Engineer / Lead Software Engineer with 10+ years of professional software development experience to join a Scrum-based engineering team. The ideal candidate must have strong, hands-on expertise in Java 21, Spring Boot, REST APIs, AWS, microservices, SQL/NoSQL databases, CI/CD, and application security. This is a backend-focused, hands-on coding and technical leadership role, not an architecture-only position. Strong communication skills are critical.
Required Education & Experience
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 10+ years of professional software engineering experience.
- Strong hands-on backend development experience.
- Candidates with 8+ years of development experience may be considered if they meet the technical requirements.
- Candidates must be comfortable working in a Scrum/Agile environment.
Must-Have Skills - Non-Negotiable
- Java 21+ with strong Spring Boot experience.
- AWS: API Gateway, Fargate, Lambda, and hands-on experience working in an AWS environment.
- RESTful API development and enterprise-scale microservices.
- Databases: Strong experience with both relational/SQL and NoSQL databases.
- CI/CD: GitHub and Jenkins.
- Security: OAuth 2.0, JWT, and secure service-to-service authentication/authorization.
- API Development: Apigee API Gateway, OpenAPI/Swagger, API-first design.
- Strong experience with solution design and technical leadership.
- Ability to collaborate with engineering leaders, architects, product owners, UI teams, and partner teams.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong troubleshooting, debugging, and production support experience.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the design and development of enterprise-scale REST APIs and microservices using Java 21+, Spring Boot, Apigee, and AWS.
- Design API-first solutions, including service contracts, payload schemas, and OpenAPI/Swagger specifications.
- Break down business requirements into technical designs, user stories, and implementation tasks.
- Develop and guide secure service-to-service integrations using OAuth 2.0, JWT, and entitlement-based authorization.
- Serve as a technical lead for complex initiatives, driving design decisions, design reviews, and code reviews.
- Collaborate with product owners, UI teams, architects, engineering leaders, and partner teams to deliver high-quality solutions.
- Establish best practices for scalability, reliability, observability, security, maintainability, and performance.
- Drive automated testing, performance testing, load testing, and production-readiness activities.
- Troubleshoot and resolve complex production issues.
- Create and maintain technical documentation, operational runbooks, and engineering standards.
- Own solutions end-to-end from design and development through deployment, monitoring, production support, and continuous improvement.
Strict Location Requirement
- Chicago, IL local candidates only.
- Candidates must currently be local to the Chicago area.
- No relocation candidates.
- Third-party or non-local submissions will not be considered.
- The final interview will be conducted onsite to validate the local requirement.
Disqualifiers / Red Flags
- UI-focused developers or candidates whose experience is primarily frontend.
- Primarily Full Stack Developers without strong, recent backend expertise.
- Architecture-only candidates who are no longer hands-on with development.
- Candidates lacking strong Java/Spring Boot experience.
- Candidates without hands-on AWS experience.
- Candidates without both SQL and NoSQL database experience.
- Candidates with frequent short-term engagements or an unstable employment history.
- Candidates who are not currently local to Chicago.
- Previously submitted/rejected candidates.
- Resumes that are excessively long or do not clearly demonstrate the required skills.
Interview Process
- 3 rounds total
- Round 1: Virtual
- Round 2: Virtual
- Round 3: Onsite/In-person
Nice-to-Have
- Generative AI / GenAI experience is a plus.
- Experience with modern AI-enabled software engineering practices is preferred.
Role: Java Backend Software Engineer (Hybrid)
Experience: 10+ years
Location: Chicago, IL - Local Candidates Only
Work Arrangement: Hybrid - 2 days onsite (Monday & Wednesday)
Duration: 12 months, with potential for extension
Estimated Start Date: September 7, 2026
Position Overview
We are seeking a highly experienced Java Backend Software Engineer / Lead Software Engineer with 10+ years of professional software development experience to join a Scrum-based engineering team. The ideal candidate must have strong, hands-on expertise in Java 21, Spring Boot, REST APIs, AWS, microservices, SQL/NoSQL databases, CI/CD, and application security. This is a backend-focused, hands-on coding and technical leadership role, not an architecture-only position. Strong communication skills are critical.
Required Education & Experience
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 10+ years of professional software engineering experience.
- Strong hands-on backend development experience.
- Candidates with 8+ years of development experience may be considered if they meet the technical requirements.
- Candidates must be comfortable working in a Scrum/Agile environment.
Must-Have Skills - Non-Negotiable
- Java 21+ with strong Spring Boot experience.
- AWS: API Gateway, Fargate, Lambda, and hands-on experience working in an AWS environment.
- RESTful API development and enterprise-scale microservices.
- Databases: Strong experience with both relational/SQL and NoSQL databases.
- CI/CD: GitHub and Jenkins.
- Security: OAuth 2.0, JWT, and secure service-to-service authentication/authorization.
- API Development: Apigee API Gateway, OpenAPI/Swagger, API-first design.
- Strong experience with solution design and technical leadership.
- Ability to collaborate with engineering leaders, architects, product owners, UI teams, and partner teams.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong troubleshooting, debugging, and production support experience.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the design and development of enterprise-scale REST APIs and microservices using Java 21+, Spring Boot, Apigee, and AWS.
- Design API-first solutions, including service contracts, payload schemas, and OpenAPI/Swagger specifications.
- Break down business requirements into technical designs, user stories, and implementation tasks.
- Develop and guide secure service-to-service integrations using OAuth 2.0, JWT, and entitlement-based authorization.
- Serve as a technical lead for complex initiatives, driving design decisions, design reviews, and code reviews.
- Collaborate with product owners, UI teams, architects, engineering leaders, and partner teams to deliver high-quality solutions.
- Establish best practices for scalability, reliability, observability, security, maintainability, and performance.
- Drive automated testing, performance testing, load testing, and production-readiness activities.
- Troubleshoot and resolve complex production issues.
- Create and maintain technical documentation, operational runbooks, and engineering standards.
- Own solutions end-to-end from design and development through deployment, monitoring, production support, and continuous improvement.
Strict Location Requirement
- Chicago, IL local candidates only.
- Candidates must currently be local to the Chicago area.
- No relocation candidates.
- Third-party or non-local submissions will not be considered.
- The final interview will be conducted onsite to validate the local requirement.
Disqualifiers / Red Flags
- UI-focused developers or candidates whose experience is primarily frontend.
- Primarily Full Stack Developers without strong, recent backend expertise.
- Architecture-only candidates who are no longer hands-on with development.
- Candidates lacking strong Java/Spring Boot experience.
- Candidates without hands-on AWS experience.
- Candidates without both SQL and NoSQL database experience.
- Candidates with frequent short-term engagements or an unstable employment history.
- Candidates who are not currently local to Chicago.
- Previously submitted/rejected candidates.
- Resumes that are excessively long or do not clearly demonstrate the required skills.
Interview Process
- 3 rounds total
- Round 1: Virtual
- Round 2: Virtual
- Round 3: Onsite/In-person
Nice-to-Have
- Generative AI / GenAI experience is a plus.
- Experience with modern AI-enabled software engineering practices is preferred.
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Senior Level Backend Java Developer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a senior level backend java developer job?
Employers at this level look beyond core Java proficiency to evidence of ownership: designing distributed systems, leading production incidents, and making architectural calls that others build on. Candidates who can speak to trade-offs they have navigated, microservices or event-driven patterns they have introduced, and junior engineers they have mentored consistently stand out. A portfolio of measurable impact on system performance or team velocity carries real weight.
Which companies hire senior level backend java developers?
Companies hiring senior level backend java developers right now include Eliassen, UST, and Hudson Data, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Hiring at this level covers large enterprises modernizing legacy platforms, financial services firms with high-throughput transaction systems, and technology companies scaling cloud-native backends.
Are there remote senior level backend java developer jobs?
Yes, remote and hybrid options are widely available at the senior level. About 43% of senior level backend java developer openings are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the strong demand for senior Java engineers who can deliver independently and collaborate across distributed teams without close supervision.
What makes a backend java developer role senior level?
Senior level roles are defined by scope and ownership rather than task execution. Engineers at this stage design system architecture, set coding standards, lead cross-functional delivery efforts, and mentor junior and mid-level developers. They are accountable for technical outcomes, expected to evaluate build-versus-buy decisions, and typically the escalation point when production issues arise. The work is as much about judgment and influence as it is about writing code.
Which industries hire the most senior level backend java developers?
Senior level backend java developer roles concentrate in Technology & Software and Staffing & Recruiting, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. These sectors tend to run large, long-lived Java codebases with strict reliability and compliance requirements, which creates sustained demand for engineers who can own complex systems end to end.