Lead Software Engineer

Overview Our retail client is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Services Tech Lead to spearhead the design, development, and delivery of scalable backend services and modern web applications. This is a hands-on technical leadership role ideal for someone with deep expertise in Java, Spring Boot, GraphQL, and modern engineering practices such as Test-Driven Development (TDD), Kafka APIs, and contract testing.You'll be a critical part of a tight-knit engineering team, working on high-performance systems using the latest technologies. This role is a great opportunity to lead architecture discussions, mentor engineers, and drive end-to-end delivery of backend services that power enterprise-grade systems.Base pay range $70.00/hr - $75.00/hrRole Technical Lead • Hybrid (Columbus, OH) • ContractResponsibilities Design, develop, test, and maintain scalable, high-performance Java-based backend systems and microservices.Drive and implement Test-Driven Development (TDD) to ensure code quality, reliability, and maintainability.Build and integrate GraphQL APIs for modern, efficient, and flexible data exchange.Create and manage robust contract tests to validate service-to-service communication and avoid integration failures.Lead architecture and technical design discussions aligned with business and enterprise goals.Collaborate with cross-functional teams including frontend developers, designers, DevOps, and QA engineers.Optimize and enhance legacy systems for performance, reliability, and maintainability.Conduct technical mentorship, code reviews, and advocate engineering best practices.Support DevOps initiatives including CI/CD pipeline improvements, monitoring, and deployment automation.Promote continuous improvement in code quality, team processes, and agile delivery practices.Must-Have Qualifications 10+ years of hands-on experience in software developmentStrong expertise in Java, Spring Boot, and RESTful web servicesDeep experience with TDD using tools like JUnit, Mockito, or SpockProficiency in GraphQL schema design, query optimization, and backend integrationExperience with contract testing tools such as Pact or Spring Cloud ContractFamiliarity with frontend technologies/frameworks (e.g., React)Strong database experience with relational (PostgreSQL, MySQL) and NoSQL (MongoDB) systemsProficiency with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP), Docker, and KubernetesSolid experience with Git, CI/CD pipelines, and Agile methodologiesExcellent debugging, problem-solving, and communication skillsNice-to-Have Skills Prior experience leading development teams and mentoring engineersBackground in enterprise-scale distributed systems and event-driven architectureFamiliarity with observability tools (Grafana, Prometheus, Dynatrace)Passion for clean, maintainable code and scalable architectureEqual Employment Opportunity Brooksource provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, citizenship, disability, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, amnesty or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.#J-18808-Ljbffr