Senior Engineer Java

HOLLAND AND BARRETT; Greater London; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health and wellness company is seeking a Senior Java Engineer to design and maintain robust backend systems with a focus on Java applications. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience with Spring frameworks and be skilled in REST API development. This role offers the opportunity to work on high-quality service design and integration, utilizing modern architectural patterns in a dynamic environment. Strong automated testing practices are also essential. Join this inclusive team and contribute to the well-being of others.

Benefits

Health Cash Plan

Life Assurance

Incentive Scheme

Private Medical care

Holiday Purchase option

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in large-scale Java systems.
• Proven experience designing REST APIs.
• Experience with event-driven or message-based systems.

Responsibilities

• Design and maintain Java applications and services.
• Build service-oriented and microservice architectures.
• Ensure data correctness and system reliability.

Skills

Extensive commercial Java experience

Strong knowledge of modern Java (8-17+)

Deep experience with Spring ecosystem

SQL and database experience

Automated testing practices

Tools

Spring Boot

Docker

Job description

About the role

Senior Java Engineer (Cloud-enabled / AWS desirable)

Role Summary

We are seeking a Senior Java Engineer with deep, long-term experience designing, building, and maintaining complex backend systems. This role is fundamentally Java-led, focused on high-quality service design, integration, data processing, and long-lived enterprise platforms.

You will work primarily on Java-based systems using modern frameworks and architectural patterns, with cloud platforms (notably AWS) used as an execution environment rather than the defining skillset. The role suits an engineer who understands systems holistically - from business requirements and data integrity through to production reliability.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain robust Java applications and services
• Build and evolve service-oriented and microservice architectures using Java and the Spring ecosystem
• Take ownership of business-critical backend systems, including migrations, integrations, and refactoring of legacy platforms
• Ensure data correctness, transactional integrity, and system reliability
• Design and implement REST-based APIs and asynchronous integrations
• Modernise existing Java systems (framework upgrades, Java version upgrades, architectural improvements)
• Participate in architectural discussions and technical decision-making
• Support production systems, diagnose issues, and implement durable fixes
• Collaborate closely with stakeholders to translate business processes into technical solutions
• Mentor other engineers and promote strong engineering standards

Required Skills & Experience (Must-Have)

Core Java & Backend

• Extensive commercial Java experience (10+ years) in large-scale systems
• Strong knowledge of modern Java (8-17+) and JVM fundamentals
• Deep experience with the Spring ecosystem, including:
  • Spring Boot
  • Spring MVC / WebFlux
  • Spring Security
  • Spring Batch
• Strong understanding of object-oriented design, integration patterns, and service boundaries
• Proven experience designing and consuming REST APIs
• Strong SQL and database experience (relational and/or NoSQL)
• Experience working with event-driven or message-based systems
• Solid automated testing practices (unit, integration, BDD/TDD where appropriate)

Engineering Practices

• Full SDLC experience: design, development, release, and production support
• Comfortable working in complex, legacy-adjacent environments
• Experience in regulated or data-sensitive domains is a strong advantage
• Clear communicator, able to work effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders

Desirable Skills & Experience (Nice-to-Have)

• Experience deploying Java applications on AWS, including:
  • EC2, ECS/Fargate, Lambda
  • SNS, SQS
  • DynamoDB or RDS
• Containerisation using Docker
• Exposure to cloud-native or event-driven architectures
• Kotlin or JVM-adjacent languages
• Rule engines (e.g. Drools)
• E-commerce or high-transaction platforms
• Front-end or JavaScript experience (useful but not core)

AWS experience is considered an advantage, not a prerequisite. Strong Java engineers without deep cloud backgrounds are encouraged.

Key requirements

What we offer:

Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits

• Health Cash Plan
• Life Assurance
• Incentive Scheme - Based on company & personal performance
• Virtual GP
• Private Medical care
• FREE at-home blood test kit
• Holiday Purchase option
• Pension Contribution scheme
• Access to 'Wellhub' with gyms, studios and wellbeing apps

Discounts & Savings

• 25% Colleague Discount with FREE Standard Delivery
• Exclusive Discounts from a wide range of partners
• £/€50 Annual Product Allowance to spend in store

Learning & Development

• Access to a variety of learning opportunities, including Level 2-5 Apprenticeships, Workshops and our Digital Learning Library
• AND MORE!

Holland and Barrett is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome diverse perspectives and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all colleagues. We understand that when our colleagues are listened to, respected and valued for who they are, we build an organisation with belonging at its heart - making health and wellness a way of life for everyone.

Holland & Barrett does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms/recruiters. Please do not forward resumes to our job alias, employees, or any other company location. Holland & Barrett is not and will not be responsible for any fees if a candidate submitted by a search firm/recruiter unless otherwise agreed with respect to specific open position(s).