Lead Java API Developer

Software Guidance & Assistance, Inc., (SGA), is searching for a Lead Java API Developer for a CONTRACT TO HIRE assignment with one of our premier INSURANCE clients in Hartford, CT;
Columbus, OH; or Charlotte, NC. Hybrid schedule in office/remote.

• Provide technical oversight, technical designs and documentation, and hands‑on engineering for the Policy Booklet Generation module within the broader policy administration platform.
• Assess and simplify the current application architecture, identifying areas of redundancy, inefficiency, and technical debt.
• Develop technical designs at application level for a scalable, modular, and maintainable Policy Document Management module that is aligned with Solution Architecture Conceptual designs and Enterprise Architecture standards & patterns.
• Design an extensible data model and framework capable of supporting multiple employee benefits product types.
• Define integration patterns, API specifications, and interface contracts with upstream/downstream systems.

• Lead and mentor a cross‑functional development team, providing guidance on engineering best practices and coding standards.
• Drive technical decision‑making across the development lifecycle, ensuring solutions meet performance, reliability, and security requirements.
• Oversee the implementation of new software components and refactoring of legacy components.
• Conduct code reviews and architecture reviews.
• Partner with product managers, business analysts, solution architects and stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical designs.

• Analyze existing data structures, content‑translation rules engines, and document templates to propose an optimized, simplified design.
• Introduce approaches for modern document configuration, versioning, composition, and rendering.
• Lead efforts to decouple content, rules, and formatting for easier maintenance.
• Implement strategies for centralizing content and metadata.

• Ensure seamless integration with policy admin components such as product configuration and document management.
• Ensure seamless integration with The Hartford's enterprise document generation engine (PDA) and document repository (Documentum).

• Define and enforce standards for data governance, metadata structures, and API interactions.
• Promote modernization technologies such as microservices, micro‑frontends, cloud deployment models, and automation pipelines.

• Collaborate with solution architects, product owners, and engineering leadership to align on technical strategy.
• Communicate technical decisions, trade‑offs, and roadmaps to leadership.
• Partner with QA and Dev Ops to ensure robust testing and deployment processes.

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• 8+ years of software engineering experience with 4+ in a technical lead or architect role.
• Experience designing large‑scale enterprise applications, preferably in insurance or financial services.
• Expertise in data modeling, architectural simplification, and legacy modernization.
• Hands‑on experience with API development, microservices, and cloud platforms (AWS/Azure).
• Experience with document generation frameworks and content management systems.
• Strong communication and leadership capabilities.

• Experience with policy administration systems or document generation modules.
• Knowledge of rules engines, metadata‑driven architectures, or dynamic content assembly.
• Familiarity with domain‑driven design, event‑driven architectures, and CI/CD.
• Understanding of employee benefits product structures and regulatory requirements.

• Java Certifications such as Oracle Certified Professional:
  Java SE 11 Developer or Java SE 17 Developer.
• AWS Certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate or Professional; AWS Certified Developer – Associate.
• Architectural or engineering certifications such as TOGAF 9/10 Certification.

SGA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of Race, Color, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Religion, National Origin, Disability, Veteran Status, Age, Marital Status, Pregnancy, Genetic Information, or other legally protected status. We are committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment. Visit our EEO page for further information.