Senior Java Developer | McLean, VA

Aktra Inc; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Aktra Inc. is seeking a Senior Java Developer with 8+ years of backend experience to design, build, and maintain enterprise-grade services.

You will work across Java, Spring Boot, AWS, and Kubernetes, delivering event-driven microservices and secure data access layers. You will collaborate with product, architecture, and operations teams to define requirements, implement CI/CD, and ensure production readiness with observability and robust testing.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of software engineering experience in backend development.
• Extensive experience designing and implementing AWS-based, event-driven distributed systems.
• Strong knowledge of MongoDB schema design, security, and production support.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, deploy, and support enterprise backend services using Java, Spring Boot, REST APIs, microservices, event-driven architecture, and AMQ-based messaging.
• Build scalable, secure, resilient, and maintainable solutions using MongoDB, SQL/relational databases, AWS, Kubernetes, containerization, and cloud-native practices.
• Develop and enhance distributed systems, asynchronous messaging integrations, data access layers, and platform modernization components.
• Collaborate with Product Owners, architects, and stakeholders to define requirements and ensure alignment on designs.
• Implement and maintain CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, secure coding, code reviews, and deployment standards.

Skills

Java

Spring Boot

AWS

Kubernetes

Event-driven systems

MongoDB

REST APIs

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related technical field

Tools

AMQ

SQL

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

We are seeking a Senior Java Developer with 8+ years of experience in Java, Spring Boot, AWS, Kubernetes, and microservices. The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in event-driven systems, MongoDB, messaging, and building scalable, secure, and reliable backend solutions.

This role cannot support sponsorships.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, deploy, and support enterprise backend services using Java, Spring Boot, REST APIs, microservices, event-driven architecture, and AMQ-based messaging.
• Build scalable, secure, resilient, and maintainable solutions using MongoDB, SQL/relational databases, AWS, Kubernetes, containerization, and cloud-native engineering practices.
• Develop and enhance distributed systems, asynchronous messaging integrations, data access layers, and platform modernization components.
• Collaborate with Product Owners, architects, business stakeholders, and cross-functional teams to define requirements, align on technical designs, manage dependencies, and deliver business outcomes.
• Implement and maintain CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, secure coding practices, code reviews, and deployment standards.
• Develop proofs of concept, prototypes, and demos to evaluate emerging technologies and validate architectural approaches.
• Ensure solutions meet security, compliance, auditability, performance, data quality, observability, and production-readiness standards.
• Support production applications through incident triage, debugging, root-cause analysis, monitoring, alerting, and resiliency improvements.
• Independently resolve complex technical challenges, reduce technical debt, improve existing codebases, and establish reusable engineering patterns.
• Share technical knowledge, document solutions, and promote engineering excellence through collaboration and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of software engineering experience, with strong hands‑on expertise in enterprise backend development.
• Extensive experience designing and implementing AWS-based, event-driven distributed systems and cloud-native microservices.
• Strong hands‑on proficiency in Java, Spring Boot, REST APIs, microservices architecture, MongoDB, AMQ or similar messaging platforms, SQL/relational databases, and Kubernetes (mandatory).
• Deep understanding of AWS services, event-driven architecture, asynchronous messaging, enterprise integration patterns, API design, and distributed system resiliency.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, containerization, automated testing frameworks, secure coding, application performance tuning, and production deployments.
• Strong knowledge of MongoDB schema design, data modeling, clean architecture, application security, observability, and production support practices.
• Proven ability to contribute to architecture and design discussions, evaluate technical solutions, build prototypes, and independently deliver complex backend capabilities.
• Experience with incident management, root-cause analysis, monitoring, logging, alerting, and continuous reliability improvements.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with technical and business stakeholders, manage dependencies, and communicate solutions clearly.
• Strong individual contributor mindset, with ownership of deliverables, attention to code quality, and the ability to mentor peers and share best practices.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related technical field, or equivalent experience. An advanced degree is preferred.

Keys to Success

• Demonstrate strong hands‑on expertise in Java, Spring Boot, AWS, Kubernetes, MongoDB, AMQ, REST APIs, and event‑driven distributed systems.
• Take end‑to‑end ownership of backend solutions, from design and development through testing, deployment, and production support.
• Deliver secure, scalable, high‑performing, and resilient services using modern cloud‑native engineering practices.
• Independently solve complex problems, simplify designs, reduce technical debt, and improve code quality and maintainability.
• Prioritize production reliability, observability, performance, compliance, and operational excellence throughout the delivery lifecycle.
• Collaborate effectively with stakeholders and engineering teams to deliver high‑quality solutions aligned with business objectives.
• Apply continuous improvement through production insights, engineering metrics, technical knowledge sharing, and reusable design patterns.