Senior Backend Engineer (Java/Kotlin) - Cloud/API Expert

Cognizant; Olympia (WA); Remote; USD 63,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

PTO

401(k)

Disability insurance

Parental leave

ESPP

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking a Senior Backend Engineer (Java/Kotlin) to design, build, and support scalable backend platforms and APIs powering critical business applications.

You will design and maintain microservices with Java/Kotlin, implement REST/GraphQL APIs, and ensure security via OAuth-based controls in cloud-native environments. Remote role open to qualified applicants in the US, with flexible work arrangements and emphasis on security and reliability.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of software engineering experience with strong expertise in Java and/or Kotlin development.
• Hands-on experience building RESTful APIs, GraphQL services, and microservice-based architectures.
• Strong proficiency with Spring Boot and modern backend development practices.
• Experience implementing OAuth 2.0, authentication, authorization, and API security controls.
• Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS or GCP.
• Proficiency with containerization and orchestration technologies, including Docker and Kubernetes.
• Experience building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines and working in Git-based development environments.
• Hands-on experience with automated testing frameworks such as JUnit, Mockito, or similar tools.
• Strong understanding of distributed systems and API integrations.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and resolve complex production issues.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable backend services and microservices using Java and/or Kotlin.
• Serve as a technical consultant to internal and external stakeholders, providing guidance on API capabilities and integration best practices.
• Collaborate with partner teams to onboard, troubleshoot, and resolve integration challenges involving REST APIs, GraphQL services, and OAuth-based authentication.
• Gather and analyze business and technical requirements and translate them into secure, scalable technology solutions.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, integration guides, and sample applications to support developers and partners.
• Enhance application performance, reliability, monitoring, and observability in cloud-native environments.
• Implement and support automated testing frameworks, CI/CD pipelines, and deployment processes.
• Partner with product, engineering, and security teams to ensure solutions meet compliance, security, and operational standards.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex production issues within distributed systems and microservice architectures.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, driving engineering excellence and operational efficiency.

Skills

8+ years

RESTful APIs

GraphQL

Spring Boot

OAuth 2.0

AWS/GCP

Docker

Kubernetes

CI/CD

JUnit/Mockito

Distributed systems

Troubleshooting

Communication

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Git

Job description

Cognizant is seeking a Senior Backend Engineer (Java/Kotlin) to design, build, and support scalable backend platforms and APIs powering critical business applications.

You will design and maintain microservices with Java/Kotlin, implement REST/GraphQL APIs, and ensure security via OAuth-based controls in cloud-native environments. Remote role open to qualified applicants in the US, with flexible work arrangements and emphasis on security and reliability.