Onsite Engineering Leader

Onsite Engineering Leader - Java Applications Location - Onshore / OHIO (Onsite)Role SummaryWe are seeking an experienced Onsite Engineering Leader to own and run end-to-end delivery engagements for customers with Java-based enterprise applications. This role is accountable for customer satisfaction, engineering excellence, delivery governance, and commercial health of the account.The ideal candidate is a hands-on engineering leader who can partner with customer stakeholders, guide distributed offshore teams, and ensure predictable, high-quality outcomes while continuously improving productivity, quality, and operational maturity.Key ResponsibilitiesCustomer & Engagement LeadershipAct as the primary onsite engineering and delivery leader for the customer's Java application portfolioBuild strong, trusted relationships with customer executives, product owners, architects, and operations leadersTranslate customer business goals into clear delivery plans, engineering roadmaps, and execution prioritiesLead regular governance forums (status, architecture reviews, risk mitigation, roadmap discussions)Proactively identify risks, issues, and dependencies and drive early resolution and escalationEngineering & Technical LeadershipProvide technical leadership across Java, Spring Boot, microservices, REST APIs, databases, and cloud-native architecturesGuide teams on engineering best practices, including design patterns, performance, security, resiliency, and scalabilityEnsure adherence to SDLC standards, coding guidelines, architecture principles, and quality gatesReview critical designs, production issues, and complex solution approaches when requiredChampion modern engineering practices such as CI/CD, DevOps, automation, observability, and cloud adoptionDelivery & Account ManagementOwn end-to-end delivery for onsite + offshore teams (Build, QA, Release, and Run/Support if applicable)Ensure commitments on scope, timelines, quality, and SLAs are met consistentlyDrive predictable delivery metrics (velocity, defect leakage, change failure rate, availability)Manage staffing, skill mix, and ramp-up/ramp-down in line with engagement needs and commercialsActively manage account health, including margin awareness, productivity improvement, and cost optimizationProductivity, Quality & Continuous ImprovementDrive engineering productivity improvements through tooling, automation, and AI-assisted development where applicableEnsure quality guardrails to prevent regressions (test automation, code reviews, CI checks, production readiness)Lead root-cause analysis for incidents and ensure sustainable corrective actionsPromote a culture of continuous improvement, learning, and engineering ownership across teamsPeople & Stakeholder LeadershipMentor and coach technical leads, architects, and senior engineersEnable collaboration between onsite, offshore, and client teamsFoster an accountable, outcome-driven engineering culture aligned to customer expectationsSupport talent development, performance feedback, and succession planning within the accountRequired Skills & QualificationsCore Technical SkillsStrong experience with Java / J2EE, Spring / Spring Boot, RESTful services, and microservices architectureSolid understanding of databases, integration patterns, and cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP preferred)Experience with DevOps pipelines, CI/CD tools, and modern SDLC practicesAbility to review architecture and guide teams on non-functional requirements (performance, security, scalability)Leadership & Delivery Experience10+ years of overall IT experience with significant onsite/customer-facing leadership exposureProven experience leading large or mid-scale Java application engagements with offshore delivery teamsStrong background in program/delivery management, release governance, and stakeholder communicationAbility to manage complex, multi-workstream accounts effectivelyClient & Commercial AcumenDemonstrated capability to run accounts onsite, including customer satisfaction, governance, and escalation managementComfort working in client environments, influencing decisions, and managing expectationsUnderstanding of commercial constructs such as rate cards, productivity, cost optimization, and value realizationSoft SkillsExcellent communication, executive presence, and relationship-building skillsStrong problem-solving mindset and decision-making abilityAbility to balance technical depth with business outcomesHigh ownership, accountability, and customer-first mindsetSuccess MeasuresHigh customer satisfaction and stakeholder confidencePredictable delivery with improved quality and reduced incidentsSustained productivity improvements without quality regressionStrong team stability, capability uplift, and leadership benchHealthy commercial performance and long-term account growth