Lead Java Developer

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Lead Java Developer (Hands-On)

Location: Toronto (4 days onsite)
Type: Contract

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly skilled Lead Java Developer with strong hands-on coding expertise to join our team. This is a technical role (not a team lead/manager position), ideal for candidates who are deeply involved in development and enjoy building scalable, high-performance systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain Java-based applications using Spring Boot
• Build and manage REST APIs and event-driven systems using Kafka
• Develop and deploy microservices architectures
• Work with Docker and Kubernetes for containerization and orchestration
• Collaborate on cloud-based deployments (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
• Optimize application performance and troubleshoot production issues
• Design and maintain data pipelines and data flow systems
• Ensure code quality, scalability, and system reliability

Must-Have Qualifications

• 6+ years of hands-on development experience
• Strong expertise in Java, Spring Boot, and REST API development
• Experience with Kafka and event-driven architecture
• Solid understanding of microservices architecture
• Hands-on experience with Docker and Kubernetes
• Experience working with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
• Strong database experience with SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, or Snowflake
• Advanced SQL and query optimization skills
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, GitHub, Terraform)
• Strong debugging, monitoring, and troubleshooting skills (Splunk, CloudWatch)

Additional Technical Skills

• Experience with Python, Scala, or Shell scripting
• Exposure to Big Data tools (Apache Spark, Hive)
• Knowledge of cloud security concepts (IAM, VPCs, subnets)
• Experience with data pipeline tools (AWS Glue, Azure Data Factory, Airflow, Snowpipe)
• Familiarity with gRPC is a plus