Backend Lead; Java Microservices + GCP

Title: Backend Lead (Java Microservices + GCP)
Location: Springfield, MO / Dallas, TX / Chicago, IL / New York, NY (Onsite)
Duration: 12 months
Position type: W2 contract

We are seeking an experienced Backend Lead with strong expertise in back‑end (Java, Spring Boot, Microservices) and cloud platforms (GCP). This role requires a highly skilled professional who can lead end‑to‑end architecture, design, and delivery of scalable, cloud‑native applications. The ideal candidate will drive technical strategy, mentor teams, and ensure engineering excellence across the full software development lifecycle while leveraging Google Cloud Platform services.

• Lead the design, development, testing, release, and maintenance of scalable full‑stack applications.
• Design and build backend services using Java, Spring Boot, and microservices architecture.
• Develop and deploy cloud‑native applications on GCP.
• Leverage GCP services such as Cloud Run, GKE, Pub/Sub, Cloud SQL, and Big Query for scalable solutions.
• Collaborate with product managers, designers, and stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical solutions.
• Present high‑level and low‑level design approaches before development begins.
• Contribute to architectural decisions, technical strategy, and engineering roadmaps.
• Ensure application performance, scalability, security, and reliability across front‑end and back‑end systems.
• Implement monitoring, logging, and alerting solutions to proactively identify issues.
• Write clean, reusable, and maintainable code following best practices.
• Develop and execute unit, integration, and system tests to ensure code quality.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical and performance issues.
• Drive CI/CD pipelines and automate build, test, and deployment processes.
• Work in Agile teams, contributing to sprint planning, estimation, and delivery.
• Mentor and guide junior and mid‑level engineers across full‑stack development.
• Document as‑is and to‑be processes and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.

Experience: 8-10+ years in software development with strong full‑stack expertise; proven experience leading technical teams and driving architecture decisions.

• Strong proficiency in Java and Spring Boot.
• Experience designing and building microservices and distributed systems.
• Expertise in RESTful APIs, API gateway patterns, and event‑driven architecture.
• Strong knowledge of database design, querying, and integrations.

• Hands‑on experience with Google Cloud Platform services such as Cloud Run, GKE, Pub/Sub, Cloud SQL, and Big Query.
• Experience designing, deploying, and managing cloud‑native applications.
• Strong understanding of cloud architecture, scalability, and cost optimization.
• Familiarity with IAM, networking, and security best practices in GCP.

• Experience with Docker and Kubernetes for containerization and orchestration.
• Strong exposure to CI/CD tools such as Jenkins, Git Hub Actions, or Bitbucket Pipelines.
• Experience with monitoring and logging tools (e.g., Sentry, Stackdriver/Cloud Monitoring).

• Strong understanding of SDLC, Agile methodologies, and Dev Ops practices.
• Experience in building scalable, resilient, and secure systems.
• Strong debugging, troubleshooting, and performance optimization skills.

• Experience with AWS or Azure in addition to GCP.
• Knowledge of other front‑end frameworks (React or Angular).
• Understanding of accessibility standards and cross‑browser compatibility.
• Experience with CDNs and web performance optimization techniques.
• Familiarity with real‑time analytics and observability tools.
• Proficiency with Git and version control best practices.