Java Backend Software Engineer II

IBM; Lowell (MA); Remote; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

IBM is seeking a Staff Software Engineer with a strong background in Java backend development who can work remotely in the US. The ideal candidate will help build scalable micro-services while optimizing performance and efficiency. A key aspect of the role involves mentoring junior engineers and collaborating across teams to influence system architecture.

Required qualifications include 5+ years of experience in software development, a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, and proficiency with AWS and distributed systems. This role offers an opportunity to innovate and tackle complex challenges in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional software development experience in Java.
• Familiarity with building and deploying models in AWS.
• Strong understanding of data structures and algorithm design.

Responsibilities

• Build cloud-native services for business challenges and customer needs.
• Design and implement resilient systems that scale horizontally.
• Mentor junior engineers while influencing team architecture.

Skills

Java Backend development

Cloud-native services

Distributed systems

Agile/Kanban methodologies

Education

B.S. in Computer Science / Computer Engineering or equivalent experience

Tools

AWS

PostgreSQL

Java

Linux environments

Job description

Are you a seasoned software engineer with a passion for building scalable micro‑services that handle massive amounts of data and form the backbone of customer‑facing managed services?

We are a growing SaaS‑centered company that helps our enterprise customers plan, analyze, and optimize their IT spending across traditional and cloud infrastructure. We are looking for a Staff Software Engineer who could work Remote in the US and is passionate about building large scale services optimized for performance, efficiency, and handling lots of data. You will be responsible for designing new services, revamping existing ones, and guiding the team’s overall system design and architecture.

Some of the technologies you’ll be using include: AWS, GCP, Azure, and their hosted services like RDS, SQS, and Lambda; NoSQL/distributed such as DynamoDB and Redis; Hadoop and other “Big Data” platforms; and established Java codebases.

Your Role and Responsibilities

What we want you to do:

• Build cloud‑natives services that solve new and existing business challenges and customer needs.
• Building distributed systems in Java to process petabytes of data,
• Design and implement resilient systems and that horizontally scale.
• Dive into complex architectures and research and identify new technologies to solve tough problems.
• Influence multiple teams and hold a high bar for systems architecture, operations, and quality.
• Mentor and foster career growth for junior engineers.

Required Technical and Professional Expertise

• 5+ years of professional software development experience Java Backend development.
• Familiarity with building and deploying models in AWS
• B.S. in Computer Science / Computer Engineering or equivalent experience.
• Computer Science fundamentals in data structures, algorithm design and problem solving.
• Extensive professional knowledge, experience, and understanding of at least one modern programming language, we will primarily use Java
• Professional experience with modern software development methodologies: Agile/Kanban, CI/CD, DevOps, etc.

Preferred Technical and Professional Expertise

• Experienced with modern API design and implementations.
• Experience with columnar data technologies and databases, like Apache Parquet, Redshift, or Big Query.
• Experience with PostgreSQL or similar relational database management systems.
• Experience with cloud‑based big data processing platforms like AWS EMR.
• Experience with Linux‑based integrated development environments, or equivalent (e.g., IntelliJ IDEA).
• Experience with observability and monitoring tools such as DataDog.
• Exceptional customer focus, ownership, and drive.
• Demonstrated capability to provide depth and breadth technical leadership.
• Desire to participate in mentoring, recruiting, and team‑building.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Advanced knowledge/education in engineering, particularly Big Data.