Backend Engineer

Second Talent; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Second Talent is seeking a Senior Backend Engineer to own API design and delivery within the Regulatory Reporting platform in Kuala Lumpur. You will lead scalable microservices using Java/Spring Boot, REST/gRPC APIs, and robust data models to satisfy internal systems and regulatory endpoints.

Collaborate with product, QA, and DevOps, mentoring engineers, and ensuring tests, security, and performance. This role is based on-site in Kuala Lumpur and requires experience with Docker, Kubernetes, and

Qualifications

• Minimum 5+ years in backend engineering with API focus.
• Strong hands-on Java/Spring Boot in production.
• Proven design experience for RESTful APIs; knowledge of gRPC.
• Solid SQL and relational DB design; query optimisation.
• Experience with Redis caching and containerised deployments.
• Proficient with Docker and Kubernetes in production.
• Deep understanding of microservices and service communication.
• Experience in regulated environments with data accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain RESTful and gRPC APIs for Regulatory Reporting.
• Own microservice architecture decisions, versioning, and compatibility.
• Write and optimise Java (Spring Boot) services with tests.
• Design relational data models and SQL for performance.
• Implement caching strategies with Redis to reduce latency.
• Containerise services with Docker and deploy on Kubernetes.
• Collaborate with DevOps on CI/CD, observability, and incidents.
• Mentor juniors on API design and backend best practices.
• Translate regulatory requirements into technical specs with stakeholders.

Skills

Java

Spring Boot

RESTful APIs

gRPC

SQL

Relational database design

Redis caching

Docker

Kubernetes

Microservices architecture

Regulated environment compliance

Tools

OpenAPI/Swagger

Prometheus

Grafana

ELK

Job description

Our client is hiring a Senior Backend Engineer to own the design and delivery of core API services within the Regulatory Reporting platform. You will lead the architecture of scalable, secure microservices that expose reporting and compliance data to internal systems and regulatory endpoints, working closely with product, QA, and DevOps to ship reliable, well-tested services.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain RESTful and gRPC APIs powering the Regulatory Reporting platform
• Own microservice architecture decisions, including service boundaries, versioning, and backward compatibility
• Write and optimise Java (Spring Boot) services with strong test coverage and clean, maintainable code
• Design and tune relational data models and SQL queries for performance and correctness
• Implement caching strategies using Redis to improve API latency and throughput
• Containerise services with Docker and manage deployments on Kubernetes
• Collaborate with DevOps on CI/CD pipelines, observability, and production incident response
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers on API design and backend best practices
• Partner with compliance and product stakeholders to translate regulatory requirements into technical specifications

Required Skills & Experience

• 5+ years of backend engineering experience, with a strong focus on API development
• Deep hands-on experience with Java and Spring Boot in production environments
• Proven experience designing RESTful APIs; working knowledge of gRPC
• Strong SQL skills and experience with relational database design and query optimisation
• Experience with Redis or a comparable in-memory caching layer
• Production experience with Docker and Kubernetes
• Solid understanding of microservices architecture, API versioning, and service-to-service communication patterns
• Ability to work in a regulated environment with attention to data accuracy and auditability

Nice to Have

• Experience in banking, fintech, or regulatory technology
• Exposure to API gateway or service mesh tooling
• Familiarity with OpenAPI/Swagger specification and contract-first API design
• Experience with observability stacks (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK, or similar)
• Experience Level
• 5+ years of professional backend engineering experience, including at least 2 years working with Java/Spring Boot in a microservices environment. Prior experience in financial services, banking, or regulatory reporting is an advantage but not mandatory.