Lead Software Engineer

ApplyMint; Overland Park (KS); Hybrid; USD 114,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental & Vision

401(k) plan

Tuition reimbursement

Generous PTO

Volunteer time

BRGs

Job summary

Empower is seeking a Lead Software Engineer in the United States to design, develop, and deliver scalable enterprise applications using Java 11+, Spring, and microservices. You will drive real-time streaming solutions with Kafka, mentor engineers, and shape the technical direction.

This role requires strong leadership, SOLID architecture, TDD/BDD, and collaboration across teams to ensure high availability, security, and performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in CS/Engineering or related field.
• 7+ years of professional software development, including 2+ years in a lead/mentorship role.
• Strong expertise in Java 11+ and Spring ecosystem.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of microservices-based architectures using Spring and Spring Boot.
• Architect and build real-time streaming applications using Apache Kafka.
• Define technical strategy and oversee the full software development lifecycle, from requirements to deployment.
• Mentor and guide engineers, conducting design and code reviews to ensure high standards.
• Champion TDD and BDD practices, ensuring code quality and maintainability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver secure, reliable, and scalable software.
• Drive adoption of best practices in system design, testing, DevOps, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Optimize performance of applications and resolve complex technical issues.
• Ensure systems are built for high availability, scalability, and maintainability.
• Contribute to architectural decisions and align technical initiatives with business goals.

Skills

Java (11+)

Spring Boot

RESTful services

Kafka real-time streaming

Microservices

TDD/BDD

SQL/NoSQL databases

Hibernate/JPA

Git & CI/CD

AWS / Cloud

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Apache Kafka

Spring

Hibernate/JPA

Docker

Kubernetes

MySQL/PostgreSQL

MongoDB/Cassandra

Git

REST

CI/CD pipelines

Job description

Our vision for the future is based on the idea that transforming financial lives starts by giving our people the freedom to transform their own. We have a flexible work environment, and fluid career paths. We not only encourage but celebrate internal mobility. We also recognize the importance of purpose, well-being, and work-life balance. Within Empower and our communities, we work hard to create a welcoming and inclusive environment, and our associates dedicate thousands of hours to volunteering for causes that matter most to them.

Chart your own path and grow your career while helping more customers achieve financial freedom. Empower Yourself.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time, including CPT/OPT.

We are looking for a highly skilled Lead Software Engineer with strong expertise in backend technologies and modern architectures to design, develop, and deliver scalable, high-performance enterprise applications. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in Java 11+, SQL/NoSQL databases, Spring ecosystem, microservices, and real-time streaming applications with Apache Kafka, along with a solid understanding of TDD and BDD practices. This role also requires proven leadership capabilities to guide engineering teams and influence technical direction.

What you will do:

• Lead the design and development of microservices-based architectures using Spring and Spring Boot.
• Architect and build real-time streaming applications using Apache Kafka.
• Define technical strategy and oversee the full software development lifecycle, from requirements to deployment.
• Mentor and guide engineers, conducting design and code reviews to ensure high standards.
• Champion TDD and BDD practices, ensuring code quality and maintainability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver secure, reliable, and scalable software.
• Drive adoption of best practices in system design, testing, DevOps, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Optimize performance of applications and resolve complex technical issues.
• Ensure systems are built for high availability, scalability, and maintainability.
• Contribute to architectural decisions and align technical initiatives with business goals.

What you will bring:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• 7+ years of professional software development experience, including 2+ years in a lead/mentorship role.
• Strong expertise in Java (Java 11 or later).
• Solid hands-on experience with Spring, Spring Boot, and RESTful web services.
• Deep understanding of microservices architecture and distributed systems.
• Proven experience in building real-time streaming applications with Apache Kafka.
• Strong experience in SQL (MySQL, PostgreSQL, or similar) and NoSQL databases (MongoDB, Cassandra, etc.).
• Proficiency in Hibernate, JPA, and ORM concepts.
• Strong understanding and application of TDD and BDD methodologies.
• Solid understanding of software design patterns and system architecture.
• Experience with version control (Git) and CI/CD practices.
• Excellent problem-solving, debugging, and leadership skills

What will set you apart:

• Knowledge of gRPC for high-performance service-to-service communication.
• Knowledge of AWS technologies (EC2, RDS, S3, Lambda, etc.).
• Experience with containerization tools (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies.

What we offer you

We offer an array of diverse and inclusive benefits regardless of where you are in your career. We believe that providing our employees with the means to lead healthy balanced lives results in the best possible work performance.

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• Retirement savings – 401(k) plan with generous company matching contributions (up to 6%), financial advisory services, potential company discretionary contribution, and a broad investment lineup
• Tuition reimbursement up to $5,250/year
• Business-casual environment that includes the option to wear jeans
• Generous paid time off upon hire – including a paid time off program plus ten paid company holidays and three floating holidays each calendar year
• Paid volunteer time - 16 hours per calendar year
• Leave of absence programs - including paid parental leave, paid short- and long-term disability, and Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)
• Business Resource Groups (BRGs) – BRGs facilitate inclusion and collaboration across our business internally and throughout the communities where we live, work and play. BRGs are open to all.

Base Salary Range

$114,000.00 - $165,300.00

Equal opportunity employer • Drug-free workplace

We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age (40 and over), race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, religion, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable state or local law.

For remote and hybrid positions you will be required to provide reliable high-speed internet with a wired connection as well as a place in your home to work with limited disruption. You must have reliable connectivity from an internet service provider that is fiber, cable or DSL internet. Other necessary computer equipment, will be provided. You may be required to work in the office if you do not have an adequate home work environment and the required internet connection.

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