Lead Java Developer

Title: Lead Java EngineerLocation: Hartford, CTWe are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Lead Java Engineer to join our application engineering team and provide technical leadership in the design, development, and delivery of scalable, cloud‑native backend solutions. This role blends hands‑on development with technical leadership, including code quality ownership and mentorship of engineering teams.The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in Java, Spring Boot, RESTful API design, and PostgreSQL, along with experience leading complex initiatives in fast‑paced, Agile environments. You will work closely with product, architecture, QA, and DevOps teams to deliver secure, high‑performing, and resilient solutions while maintaining strong accountability for service performance and release readiness.Key ResponsibilitiesPerform hands-on development, contributing to the design and implementation of scalable backend services using Java and Spring Boot.Analyze business requirements and perform impact assessment across APIs, business rules, integrations, and data models.Design and author technical design documents that translate business requirements into scalable, secure, and maintainable solutions.Lead and implement application changes, including new or updated REST APIs, business logic enhancements, and request/response model modifications using Java and Spring Boot.Design and implement database changes in PostgreSQL, including schema updates, query optimization, and data‑integrity validations.Define and enhance error handling, including updating error codes, messages, and exception‑handling frameworks to ensure consistent and client‑friendly responses.Develop and execute unit and integration tests to validate functionality, ensure code quality, and prevent regressions.Verify and assess CI/CD pipeline fitness, ensuring deployment pipelines are reliable, efficient, and aligned with best practices.Support deployments, including validation and post-deployment checksUnderstand and contribute to the infrastructure landscape and provide inputs for improvements and optimization.Support QA and post‑deployment activities, including defect resolution and root‑cause analysis.Ensure service reliability, performance, and release readiness, proactively identifying risks and driving resolutions.Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive end-to-end ownership of service delivery.Required QualificationsBachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, or related field.6+ years of experience in Java application development.4+ years of hands‑on experience with Spring Boot and RESTful services.Strong experience with PostgreSQL and relational database design.Proven experience in API design, development, and integration.Strong understanding of exception handling, logging, and error management.Hands‑on experience in unit and integration testing frameworksExperience with cloud platforms (Azure, GCP) and cloud-native design principles. Preferred Skills8+ years of experience in software development and architecture, with a proven track record of delivering complex projects.Master’s degree in computer science, Engineering, or related field.Experience leading technical teams and projects.Experience working in Agile / Scrum environments.Familiarity with infrastructure concepts, monitoring, and performance tuning.Working knowledge of CI/CD pipelines.Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.