Principal Java Developer - Contractor/Remote

ThinkMarkets; Dubai; Remote; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Part time

Job summary

A global financial technology company is seeking a Principal Java Developer to lead the transformation of monolithic systems into microservices. This fully remote contractor role requires strong Java and backend experience, focusing on AI-assisted development, CI/CD, and collaboration. Ideal candidates have over 7 years of experience in fintech or trading environments and possess excellent communication skills.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of backend Java experience, preferably in fintech.
• Strong knowledge of distributed transactions and security.
• Ability to evaluate and improve AI-generated code.

Responsibilities

• Lead the transformation of legacy monoliths into scalable Java microservices.
• Review and refactor AI-generated code from Windsurf for accuracy.
• Manage backend services from design to deployment.

Skills

Backend Java experience

Proficiency in Java 11+

Spring Boot

Microservice design

Multithreading

Excellent communication skills

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Kafka

RabbitMQ

Job description

Join to apply for the Principal Java Developer - Contractor / Remote role at ThinkMarkets

ThinkMarkets is a global financial technology company, specializing in providing multi-asset trading solutions to thousands of clients worldwide. Our flagship ThinkTrader platform enables clients to trade 24/7 across global markets, leveraging the latest technologies for seamless trading experiences.

We seek a senior Java engineer who excels in complex environments and aims to elevate our engineering standards within a multidisciplinary trading platform ecosystem.

This is a non-traditional Java developer role involving cutting-edge architecture initiatives, rewriting monolithic systems into microservices, and integrating AI-assisted development using our proprietary LLM agent, Windsurf.

This fully remote (EU time zones preferred), contractor-based role offers high autonomy. You will be a key expert in complex backend solutions, supporting feature development and integrations across teams.

Responsibilities

1. Lead the transformation of legacy monoliths into scalable Java microservices.
2. Review and refactor AI-generated code from Windsurf for accuracy and performance.
3. Manage critical backend services from design to deployment and documentation.
4. Collaborate with architects, DevOps, and platform leads to uphold modern engineering standards.
5. Mentor mid-level engineers, promoting best practices in performance and clean code.
6. Participate in design reviews, API development, and messaging system build-out (Kafka, RabbitMQ).

Requirements

1. 7+ years of backend Java experience, preferably in fintech, trading, or low-latency/high-availability systems.
2. Proficiency in Java 11+, Spring Boot, microservice design, and system decomposition.
3. Strong knowledge of multithreading, memory management, distributed transactions, and security.
4. Familiarity with AI code generation workflows, copilots, or prompt engineering tools (e.g., ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot).
5. Experience with CI/CD, Docker, Kubernetes, and observability stacks.
6. Ability to evaluate and improve AI-generated code for correctness and scalability.
7. Excellent communication skills and ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Experience with LLM-based tools or AI-driven developer platforms.
2. Knowledge of FIX protocol and real-time data distribution in finance.
3. Experience with domain-driven design, event-driven architecture, and reactive programming (e.g., Reactor, Vert.x).

Seniority level: Mid-Senior level

Employment type: Contract

Job function: Engineering and Information Technology

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