Senior Java Backend Lead — Enterprise-Scale & Distributed

Sysco; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Sysco is seeking an experienced Java backend engineering leader to own delivery for a core platform. You will guide architecture, build enterprise-grade, high-volume services, and mentor distributed teams across geographies to ensure reliability and performance.

You will collaborate with Product, UX, QA, and DevOps to align technical deliverables with business goals, implement CI/CD, optimize data processing, and ensure production readiness with automated testing and monitoring.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent.
• 8+ years Java development, including 2+ years in a dev-focused leadership role.
• Strong experience with Java and the Spring Framework (Spring Boot), microservices, and database design (SQL/NoSQL).
• Proven RESTful API design and development, asynchronous messaging (Kafka), and cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure).
• Experience with event-driven architecture, Agile methodologies, and CI/CD practices; full-stack exposure (React) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Drives technical priorities and owns end-to-end delivery and support for Java-based backend solutions used in core business operations.
• Leads agile development activities for Java platforms, including architecture design, patterns, and security practices.
• Provides hands-on technical leadership guiding backend development for scalable data processing, high availability, and API performance.
• Oversees project timelines, resource allocation, and team performance to ensure successful delivery.
• Mentors engineers across distributed teams, conducts code reviews, and fosters continuous learning and improvement.
• Coordinates cross-team dependencies with Product, UX, QA, and Backend to ensure scalable and reliable outcomes.
• Engages with enterprise architecture, DevOps, and ops teams to enable CI/CD pipelines for backend services (Git, Jenkins, test automation).
• Facilitates estimation of work items, aligns with business goals, and incorporates diverse perspectives in planning.
• Ensures compliance with agile, DevOps, and security best practices while exploring emerging Java/backend tech.
• Partners with stakeholders to align technical deliverables with business needs and KPIs.
• Maintains production readiness via automated testing, monitoring, and support strategies (JUnit, Mockito).

Skills

Java

Spring Framework

Microservices

RESTful APIs

SQL/NoSQL

Kafka

Cloud (AWS/GCP/Azure)

CI/CD

Agile

Distributed Teams

Python

React

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science

Tools

Git

Jenkins

JUnit

Mockito

Job description

Sysco is seeking an experienced Java backend engineering leader to own delivery for a core platform. You will guide architecture, build enterprise-grade, high-volume services, and mentor distributed teams across geographies to ensure reliability and performance.

You will collaborate with Product, UX, QA, and DevOps to align technical deliverables with business goals, implement CI/CD, optimize data processing, and ensure production readiness with automated testing and monitoring.