Application Developer

ASCEND Program Information

Southern Company is committed to building the future of energy for the customers who depend on us, the communities we serve and the industry we lead. The ASCEND program will transform how we do business, helping us elevate the customer experience, adapt to industry changes, and implement technology that offers new capabilities with more agility. It will involve implementing multiple applications, including the replacement of our meter data management (MDM) and customer service systems (CSS) with a new, Oracle customer information system (CIS) called customer to meter (C2M).

Additionally, it includes implementing an advanced analytics platform (AAP), customer experience (CX) and customer engagement platform (CEP).

The new platform will be rolled out to Alabama Power, Georgia Power, and Mississippi Power this year. We are building an ASCEND organization dedicated to helping the electric operating companies realize the vision for a modernized, efficient, digital customer experience to deeply engage with our customers and provide a more personalized experience. ASCEND will be one of the most comprehensive Customer Service and Marketing transformation initiatives in our company’s history.

The Application Developer is responsible for system analysis and implementation of business shared services in support of integrations. The candidate needs to have in-depth, hands‑on experience developing integrations for enterprise applications and deep knowledge of integration standards and best practices. In‑depth Oracle Utilities Application Framework (OUAF), C2M Inbound Web Services, Java, and Groovy experience is a plus. The candidate should possess the capability of leading comprehensive integration solutions using OUAF as the core and provide technical consulting to management, business analysts, and technical associates, while working in coordination with internal architects, environment analysts and vendor partners.

This position is responsible for the daily analysis and identification of system problems and the appropriate corrective actions. The role is also responsible for the stability, performance, and scalability of the C2M Inbound Web Services. The candidate is expected to be a reliable technical professional that can handle job responsibilities autonomously in a team environment and demonstrate the capability to be innovative and strategic.

• Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field is desirable or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 2 – 5 years hands‑on experience implementing and supporting enterprise application integrations is preferred, ideally using OUAF and C2M Inbound Web Services
• Experience with REST and SOAP interfaces
• Excellent understanding of XML, XSD, XSLT, WSDL, and WSDL versioning best practices.
• Strong understanding of Service Oriented Architecture concepts.
• Experience with designing reusable, high performing object‑oriented solutions.
• Working knowledge of a full software development lifecycle
• Excellent understanding of Enterprise RDBMS, ER Diagrams, and developing SQL programs.
• Strong analysis skills with ability to identify and document detailed business requirements
• Excellent root cause analysis skills & problem‑solving skills
• Excellent customer service skills
• Effectively organizes tasks, manages multiple priorities/details, and meets tight deadlines
• Effective communication (oral/written) and leadership skills for effective interaction between power users within business units and other IT counterparts
• Builds productive relationships with a focus on cooperation & teamwork

• Deliver integration solutions leveraging the capability of C2M’s OUAF Inbound Web Services for clients across application processes while adhering to the enterprise architecture, data security and data management standards
• Implement integration solutions leveraging tools within OUAF including Groovy, application scripting, REST and SOAP
• Diagnosing and troubleshooting issues leveraging middleware consoles, alerts, system logs, and other monitors and responding to errors and other problem conditions in a timely and…