Software Engineer III - Java & Databricks & API

Elsevier; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A global information and analytics leader is seeking a Software Engineer III to focus on Java, Databricks, and API development. In this role, you will implement complex metrics computation and contribute to backend services while actively collaborating with cross-functional teams. Candidates should have around 3 years of backend development experience with a solid understanding of API design and a strong interest in big data technologies. This position promotes a healthy work-life balance, flexibility, and various employee benefits.

Benefits

Comprehensive Pension Plan

Home, office, or commuting allowance

Generous vacation entitlement

Flexible working hours

Employee Assistance Program

Qualifications

• Around 3 years of professional experience in backend development focusing on Java.
• Solid understanding of core backend engineering concepts, including API design.
• Exposure to big data technologies and a strong interest in developing expertise.

Responsibilities

• Implement Scala/Spark components for metric computation.
• Work with Elasticsearch and Neo4j to implement metric logic.
• Contribute to Java-based backend services for metric computation.

Skills

Java

RESTful APIs

Apache Spark

Elasticsearch

Neo4j

Job description

Software Engineer III – Java/Databricks/API

About the team

The SciVal Development Team is a cross-functional group comprising Frontend, Backend, and Quality Engineers who work closely together. The team collaborates closely with UX and Product to design, build, and deliver high-quality features efficiently and reliably.

SciVal is a data-driven product that provides academic and research metrics to customers, enabling insight, analysis, and informed decision‑making. The team focuses on building scalable, reliable solutions while continuously improving usability, performance, and data accuracy.

About the role

The Software Engineer III performs moderately complex research, design, and development work on systems that compute large-scale metrics using distributed processing, search indexing, and graph-based data structures. This role focuses on implementing Scala/Spark pipelines for metric computation and contributing to Java-based backend services that expose those results.

The engineer is responsible for coding, unit testing, problem‑solving, and collaborating with peers to ensure reliable and performant metric computation workflows across Big Data environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Implement Scala/Spark components used in distributed metric computation pipelines.
• Work with Elasticsearch and Neo4j, under guidance, to implement search‑driven or graph‑driven metric logic.
• Contribute to Java‑based backend services that orchestrate metric computation or expose metric results.
• Write and review portions of detailed specifications for moderately complex components.
• Translate moderately complex metric or product requirements into software implementations.
• Complete moderately complex bug fixes across Spark code, backend services, or AWS data workflows.
• Follow development best practices, including code reviews, testing, and adherence to coding standards.
• Operate effectively in Agile or hybrid development environments.
• Collaborate with other engineering team members to understand data structures, metric definitions, and processing logic.
• Stay current with new Big Data, search, graph, and cloud technologies relevant to the role.
• Resolve technical issues with support from senior team members.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Around 3 years of professional experience in backend development, with a strong focus on Java and direct experience building and maintaining RESTful APIs and services.
• Solid understanding of core backend engineering concepts, including API design, data access layers, testing practices, and service‑to‑service integration.
• Exposure to big data technologies such as Apache Spark, distributed data processing frameworks, or working with large‑scale datasets, along with a strong interest in developing deeper expertise in this space.
• Familiarity with technologies like Elasticsearch or graph databases (e.g., Neo4j) is a plus; however, a strong learning mindset, curiosity, and the ability to quickly grasp new data and distributed systems concepts are essential.

Why join us?

Join our team and contribute to a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence. If you are ready to advance your career and make a significant impact, we encourage you to apply.

Work in a way that works for you

We promote a healthy work/life balance across the organization. We offer an appealing working prospect for our people. With numerous wellbeing initiatives, shared parental leave, study assistance and sabbaticals, we will help you meet your immediate responsibilities and your long‑term goals.

Working for you

We know that your well‑being and happiness are key to a long and successful career. These are some of the benefits we are delighted to offer:

• Comprehensive Pension Plan
• Home, office, or commuting allowance.
• Generous vacation entitlement and option for sabbatical leave
• Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, and Family Care leave
• Flexible working hours
• Personal Choice budget
• Internal communities and networks
• Various employee discounts
• Recruitment introduction reward
• Employee Assistance Program (global)

About the business –

A global leader in information and analytics, we help researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. Building on our publishing heritage, we combine quality information and vast data sets with analytics to support visionary science and research, health‑education and interactive learning, as well as exceptional healthcare and clinical practice. At Elsevier, your work contributes to the world’s grand challenges and a more sustainable future. We harness innovative technologies to support science and healthcare to partner for a better world.

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