Java Backend Software Engineer

SMX Services & Consulting, Inc.; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

SMX Services & Consulting, Inc. is seeking a highly experienced Java Backend Software Engineer / Lead Software Engineer in Chicago.

The role focuses on hands-on coding and technical leadership in a Scrum environment, delivering enterprise-grade REST APIs and microservices. The ideal candidate has 10+ years of software development, strong Java 21 + Spring Boot expertise, AWS, databases (SQL/NoSQL), and robust security experiences.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• 8+ years of development experience considered if technical requirements are met.
• Experience working in a Scrum/Agile environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and development of enterprise-scale REST APIs and microservices using Java 21+, Spring Boot, Apigee, and AWS.
• Design API-first solutions with service contracts, payload schemas, and OpenAPI specifications.
• Break down requirements into technical designs, user stories, and implementation tasks.
• Develop secure service-to-service integrations using OAuth 2.0 and JWT.
• Act as technical lead for complex initiatives, guiding design decisions and code reviews.
• Collaborate with product owners, UI teams, architects, and partner teams to deliver high-quality solutions.
• Establish best practices for scalability, reliability, observability, security, maintainability, and performance.
• Drive automated testing, performance testing, and production-readiness activities.

Skills

Java 21+

Spring Boot

AWS

REST APIs

SQL/NoSQL databases

CI/CD

OAuth 2.0 / JWT

Technical leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Apigee

OpenAPI/Swagger

Job description

Experience: 10+ years

Location: Chicago, IL - Local Candidates Only

Work Arrangement: Hybrid - 2 days onsite (Monday & Wednesday)

Duration: 12 months, with potential for extension

We are seeking a highly experienced Java Backend Software Engineer / Lead Software Engineer with 10+ years of professional software development experience to join a Scrum-based engineering team.

The ideal candidate must have strong, hands-on expertise in Java 21, Spring Boot, REST APIs, AWS, microservices, SQL/NoSQL databases, CI/CD, and application security. This is a backend-focused, hands-on coding and technical leadership role, not an architecture-only position.

Strong communication skills are critical.

Required Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• Candidates with 8+ years of development experience may be considered if they meet the technical requirements.
• Candidates must be comfortable working in a Scrum/Agile environment.

Must-Have Skills - Non-Negotiable

• Java 21+ with strong Spring Boot experience.
• AWS: API Gateway, Fargate, Lambda, and hands-on experience working in an AWS environment.
• RESTful API development and enterprise-scale microservices.
• Databases: Strong experience with both relational/SQL and NoSQL databases.
• CI/CD: GitHub and Jenkins.
• Security: OAuth 2.0, JWT, and secure service-to-service authentication/authorization.
• Strong experience with solution design and technical leadership.
• Ability to collaborate with engineering leaders, architects, product owners, UI teams, and partner teams.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong troubleshooting, debugging, and production support experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of enterprise-scale REST APIs and microservices using Java 21+, Spring Boot, Apigee, and AWS.
• Design API-first solutions, including service contracts, payload schemas, and OpenAPI/Swagger specifications.
• Break down business requirements into technical designs, user stories, and implementation tasks.
• Develop and guide secure service-to-service integrations using OAuth 2.0, JWT, and entitlement-based authorization.
• Serve as a technical lead for complex initiatives, driving design decisions, design reviews, and code reviews.
• Collaborate with product owners, UI teams, architects, engineering leaders, and partner teams to deliver high-quality solutions.
• Establish best practices for scalability, reliability, observability, security, maintainability, and performance.
• Drive automated testing, performance testing, load testing, and production-readiness activities.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex production issues.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, operational runbooks, and engineering standards.
• Own solutions end-to-end from design and development through deployment, monitoring, production support, and continuous improvement.

Strict Location Requirement

• Chicago, IL local candidates only.
• Candidates must currently be local to the Chicago area.
• Third-party or non-local submissions will not be considered.
• The final interview will be conducted onsite to validate the local requirement.
• UI-focused developers or candidates whose experience is primarily frontend.
• Primarily Full Stack Developers without strong, recent backend expertise.
• Architecture-only candidates who are no longer hands-on with development.
• Candidates lacking strong Java/Spring Boot experience.
• Candidates without hands-on AWS experience.
• Candidates without both SQL and NoSQL database experience.
• Candidates with frequent short-term engagements or an unstable employment history.
• Candidates who are not currently local to Chicago.
• Previously submitted/rejected candidates.
• Resumes that are excessively long or do not clearly demonstrate the required skills.

Interview Process

• 3 rounds total

Nice-to-Have

• Generative AI / GenAI experience is a plus.
• Experience with modern AI-enabled software engineering practices is preferred.