Senior Java Backend Developer

Robots and Pencils; Calgary; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading digital product firm in Calgary is seeking a Senior Java Backend Developer to design and maintain scalable backend systems. You'll be tasked with developing APIs, integrating systems, and ensuring services are secure and cloud-ready. The ideal candidate has over 7 years of experience in backend development, with a strong focus on Java and microservices. Join us to help craft digital products that matter.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of backend development experience, with at least 5 years in Java.
• Expertise in Java 11+, Spring Boot, and Spring Cloud frameworks.
• Proven experience architecting microservices and building RESTful APIs at scale.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain backend services and APIs using Java.
• Architect scalable, modular microservices that support enterprise-level applications.
• Optimize performance, scalability, and reliability across distributed systems.

Skills

Java

Spring Boot

Microservices

APIs

SQL

NoSQL

Cloud (AWS/Azure/GCP)

Docker

Kubernetes

CI/CD

Job description

Overview

At Robots & Pencils, we design and build modern digital products that help our clients innovate and grow. We’re seeking a Senior Java Backend Developer who is both a strategic thinker and hands-on contributor, someone who can architect scalable backend systems while delivering reliable, performant services that power exceptional user experiences.

This is a high-impact role ideal for a candidate who thrives on solving complex technical challenges in a collaborative, agile environment. You’ll be a key contributor in designing APIs, integrating systems, and ensuring backend services are secure, resilient, and cloud ready.

About You

You’re passionate about building robust, elegant backend systems. You take pride in writing clean, efficient code and designing services that are scalable and maintainable. You’re proactive, accountable, and known for delivering high-quality solutions that stand the test of time. You thrive in a team environment, share knowledge generously, and continuously seek to improve engineering pract es.

What You’ll Do

• Design, develop, and maintain backend services and APIs using Java (Spring Boot, Spring Cloud).
• Architect scalable, modular microservices that support enterprise-level applications.
• Optimize performance, scalability, and reliability across distributed systems.
• Implement best practices for security, logging, monitoring, and error handling.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with front-end developers, mobile engineers, architects, and product managers to deliver end-to-end solutions.
• Collaborate on API design, system integrations, and data flow strategies.
• Participate in code reviews and contribute to shared coding standards and practices.

Technical Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Lead technical discussions, provide mentorship, and review pull requests for peers and junior developers.
• Champion modern development practices, including CI/CD, automated testing, and DevOps integration.
• Stay current with emerging Java frameworks, cloud platforms, and backend tools, recommending and implementing best-fit innovations.
• Contribute to internal documentation, architecture diagrams, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.

Qualifications & Experience

• 7+ years of backend development experience, with at least 5 years in Java.
• Expertise in Java 11+, Spring Boot, and Spring Cloud frameworks.
• Proven experience architecting microservices and building RESTful APIs at scale.
• Strong understanding of databases (SQL and NoSQL), caching strategies, and messaging queues (Kafka, RabbitMQ, etc.).
• Experience with cloud-native environments (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and Git-based workflows.
• Solid grasp of software engineering fundamentals: algorithms, data structures, concurrency, and distributed systems.

Preferred

• Experience with GraphQL, gRPC, or event-driven architectures.
• Exposure to observability stacks (Prometheus, ELK, Grafana).
• Knowledge of security best practices (OAuth2, JWT, TLS).
• Professional certifications in cloud or Java technologies.

Core Competencies

• Ownership & Accountability – Demonstrates end-to-end responsibility for backend deliverables.
• Adaptability – Thrives in fast-paced, dynamic client projects.
• Collaboration – Works seamlessly across disciplines and geographies.
• Execution Excellence – Focuses on pragmatic, scalable solutions without overengineering.
• Problem Solving – Analytical and resourceful when addressing technical complexity.
• Technical Leadership – Mentors peers and contributes to engineering best practices.

Why Join Robots & Pencils?

At R&P, we don’t just build software, we craft digital products that matter. Our teams are diverse, globally distributed, and passionate about technology and design. As a Senior Java Backend Developer, you’ll help shape solutions that push boundaries, influence best practices, and create meaningful impact for our clients.

This role is open only to candidates currently residing in Canada with legal work authorization.