New

Lead Java Developer

Spectraforce Technologies
United States, Illinois, Chicago
Sep 15, 2026
Job Title: Lead Java Developer Location: Chicago, IL - Hybrid Duration: 12+ months We are seeking a Senior Java Developer specializing in Event-Driven Architecture and Enterprise Messaging to design, develop, test, and deploy scalable cloud-native applications on Azure. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in asynchronous processing, event streaming, distributed systems, and enterprise messaging platforms, enabling highly resilient and scalable solutions. Role: You will be responsible for designing and implementing event-driven microservices, messaging solutions, and cloud-native applications using Java, Spring Boot, and Azure services. You will collaborate with cross-functional Agile teams to build highly scalable, secure, and resilient systems leveraging Kafka, Solace, IBM MQ, and Azure messaging technologies. Required Qualifications Core Development * 8+ years of hands-on experience with Java (J2EE), Spring Boot, and Microservices * Proven experience developing and supporting cloud-native applications on Microsoft Azure * Strong expertise in distributed systems, event-driven architectures, and asynchronous processing * Experience working in Agile and onsite/offshore delivery models Event Streaming & Messaging (Must Have) * Extensive hands-on experience with Apache Kafka, including: o Kafka Producers, Consumers, Topics, Partitions, and Consumer Groups o Kafka Streams and Event Processing o Message Ordering, Delivery Guarantees, and Scaling Strategies o Schema Registry and Event Versioning * Strong experience with enterprise messaging platforms such as: o Kafka o Solace PubSub+ o IBM MQ o Azure Service Bus o Event Hubs * Deep understanding of: o Event-Driven Architecture (EDA) o Publish/Subscribe Patterns o Event Sourcing o CQRS o Saga Pattern o Message Reliability and Error Handling o Dead Letter Queues (DLQ) o Event Replay and Recovery Strategies * Experience designing and implementing high-throughput, low-latency messaging systems API & Integration * Strong hands-on experience with REST APIs, SOAP Services, and Event-Based Integrations * Strong understanding of API lifecycle management and service integrations * Mandatory experience with API security, including: o OAuth 2.0 o JWT Validation o Secure Service-to-Service Communication Azure Cloud * Hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure, including: o Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) o Azure Container Apps o Azure Service Bus o Azure Event Hubs o Azure Functions o Azure Storage * Strong understanding of Azure networking and cloud-native architecture patterns DevOps & Automation * Experience with CI/CD pipelines using: o GitHub Actions o Jenkins o Terraform * Strong experience integrating automated testing, security scanning, and deployment automation * Experience provisioning Azure infrastructure using Infrastructure as Code (Terraform) Databases * Experience with Azure SQL, Cosmos DB, PostgreSQL, or other Azure-hosted databases * Understanding of data consistency models and transactional patterns in distributed systems Additional Programming Experience * Backend development experience with: o Python o Node.js Nice to Have * Experience with Confluent Platform * Experience implementing Event Mesh architecture using Solace * Knowledge of Domain-Driven Design (DDD) * Experience with GraphQL * Experience with observability and monitoring tools (Dynatrace, Azure Monitor, Log Analytics) * Linux and Shell Scripting * Understanding of TDD and BDD practices * Experience with Control-M, SFTP, and Mainframe integration patterns Key Responsibilities * Design and develop scalable event-driven microservices and messaging solutions. * Build, enhance, and support enterprise-grade applications utilizing Kafka, Solace, IBM MQ, and Azure messaging services. * Design event schemas, topics, queues, and integration patterns for highly distributed systems. * Ensure reliability, scalability, observability, and security of messaging platforms and integrations. * Develop and execute unit, integration, and performance testing for messaging-based solutions. * Collaborate with architects and technical leads on event-driven solution design and implementation. * Document architecture, event flows, message contracts, and operational procedures. * Support production deployments and troubleshooting of messaging infrastructure and applications. * Ensure non-functional requirements including security, performance, scalability, resiliency, and maintainability are incorporated into all solutions. * Proactively identify risks, bottlenecks, and dependencies impacting project deliverables.