Lead Java Engineer

Lead Java Engineer Location: Saint Louis, Missouri (On-Site/Hybrid/Remote specify as needed) Employment Type: Full-Time, Direct Hire About the Role We are seeking an accomplished Lead Java Engineer who will drive the end-to-end design, development, and delivery of modern, scalable web and cloud-native applications. This role calls for a hands-on leader who combines strong architectural vision, technical excellence, and a collaborative spirit to build robust enterprise platforms. You will take ownership of platform architecture, drive technology best practices, and mentor engineering teams. Your work will directly influence project direction, enable delivery of high-quality code, and build a culture of technical excellence. Responsibilities Lead the architecture, design, development, and testing of web and cloud-native applications in a cross-functional Agile team. Guide end-to-end technical delivery, including architectural assessments and solution design for enterprise platforms. Break down epics/features, define technical strategies, and maintain architectural integrity across the product. Mentor and support junior engineers; take part in hiring, onboarding, and technical knowledge sharing. Champion best development practices: branching strategies, code reviews, library management, robust logging, and error handling. Enforce and document coding guidelines, code scanning profiles, and technical standards to ensure maintainability and reduce technical debt. Advocate for and practice Test-Driven Development (TDD) and automated test coverage (unit, integration, functional, contract). Design and implement microservices using Spring Boot, Spring WebFlux, and modern design patterns (hexagonal architecture, DDD). Build, optimize, and maintain RESTful APIs and implement asynchronous inter-service communication using Kafka. Oversee database schema design, data migration, query optimization, and secure, reliable interactions with relational and NoSQL databases (Oracle, AWS RDS, DynamoDB). Implement and support cloud infrastructure (AWS) using services like EKS, EC2, S3, RDS, SQS, SNS, Lambda, ECS, and Docker/Kubernetes containers. Stay current with industry trends, new technologies, and best practices; contribute to internal tech talks and workshops. Requirements 7+ years hands-on experience in microservices-based, cloud-native Java application development within enterprise environments. 3+ years of technical leadership/lead engineer experience in agile teams. Expertise in Java (JDK 8 or higher; Java 21 preferred): including lambda expressions, Stream API, CompletableFuture, Virtual Threads, and concurrency APIs. Proven ability with Spring Boot, Spring WebFlux, JPA, Spring Security, Actuator, Kafka, Redis. AWS Cloud: 2+ years hands-on using EKS, EC2, S3, RDS, SQS, SNS, DynamoDB, Lambda. Practical, hands-on experience with RESTful API design and hexagonal architecture. Advanced skills in relational databases (Oracle or AWS RDS), schema design, and data migrations. Proficiency with container and serverless architectures (Docker, Kubernetes, AWS Lambda/ECS). Strong in TDD/DDD, using frameworks such as JUnit, Cypress, WireMock, PowerMock, ArchUnit. Familiar with CI/CD tools and pipelines (DevOps mindset), application lifecycle management tools (e.g., Jira). Strong verbal and written communication, consultant-level client-facing skills, and self-starter mindset. Preferred Qualifications Prior experience in end-to-end architectural ownership of cloud or enterprise web platforms. Experience delivering high-quality software in regulated or large-scale enterprise domains. Active involvement in tech communities, workshops, or mentoring engineers. Must-Have Technologies Java (JDK 8+) Spring Boot Microservices Kafka AWS Relational databases Experience with multiple testing strategies (unit, integration, functional, contract tests) Benefits Competitive salary and performance-based bonus Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage 401(k) with match Opportunities for technical and career growth Engaging, collaborative, and innovative team culture To apply: Submit your updated resume detailing relevant experience in Java, cloud platforms, AWS, microservices, and leadership. Only candidates with strong hands-on and leadership experience in modern Java stacks will be considered. . .