Backend Developer

Job Description

Job Title: Lead Java Backend Developer with Kafka

Location: Pittsburgh, PA/ Cleveland, OH/ Dallas, TX

Job Type: Full-Time

Job Summary:

We are seeking a skilled Lead Java Backend Developer with hands-on experience in Kafka to design, develop, and maintain scalable backend systems. The ideal candidate will be proficient in building microservices, real-time data pipelines, and enterprise-grade backend platforms using Java and Kafka.

Key Responsibilities:

Develop and maintain high-performance Java-based microservices and REST APIs.

Design, implement, and manage Kafka-based messaging systems for real-time data streaming and processing.

Collaborate with architects, DevOps, and frontend teams to design scalable backend solutions.

Ensure systems are secure, scalable, maintainable, and performant.

Write unit, integration, and performance tests to ensure system quality.

Monitor and troubleshoot production issues and participate in on-call support if required.

Participate in code reviews and ensure best practices are followed.

Work in Agile/Scrum development environments and contribute to sprint planning and retrospectives.

Required Skills:

10+ years of backend development experience with Java 8/11/17

Strong experience with Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, and REST APIs

Hands-on experience with Apache Kafka – producers, consumers, topics, partitions, offsets, etc.

Experience with Kafka Streams or Kafka Connect is a plus

Familiarity with event-driven architectures

Strong understanding of microservices architecture, asynchronous messaging, and distributed systems

Experience with SQL and NoSQL databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Cassandra)

Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, Docker, and Kubernetes

Familiarity with monitoring/logging tools (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, ELK, Splunk)

Proficient with Git, Maven, or Gradle

Solid understanding of system design and performance tuning

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience working with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)

Exposure to schema registry, Avro/Protobuf, or Kafka security (SSL, SASL)

Understanding of OAuth2, JWT, and security best practices

Bachelor’s or master’s in computer science, Engineering, or related field

Full-time