About the Role

Location: Northfield, IL

Salary: 130-140K plus benefits

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Cloud-Native Back-End Developer to lead the design and implementation of scalable, resilient, and high-performance applications. This role is pivotal in modernizing e-commerce platform, integrating with cutting-edge SaaS solutions, and ensuring systems are designed for resiliency, reliability, and operational excellence. As a senior team member, you will drive technical design decisions, mentor junior developers, and embed Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) best practices into our workflows.

Key Responsibilities

  • Cloud-Native Development
    • Architect, design, and implement innovative microservices and micro-frontends for scalable and maintainable applications.
    • Leverage frameworks like Spring Cloud and Node.js to build cutting-edge backend solutions.
    • Drive the adoption of advanced programming techniques, ensuring code quality, performance, and reusability.
  • Technical Leadership
    • Act as a thought leader in cloud-native development, championing the adoption of emerging technologies and best practices.
    • Provide strategic guidance to cross-functional teams, aligning technology efforts with business objectives.
    • Lead design reviews and architectural discussions to ensure robust, forward-thinking solutions.
  • Kubernetes Orchestration and Optimization
    • Deploy, manage, and optimize applications within Kubernetes clusters, ensuring high availability and resource efficiency.
    • Leverage advanced features like service meshes (e.g., Istio) and Kubernetes Operators to streamline microservices communication and orchestration.
    • Automate infrastructure setup using tools like Helm, Terraform, and Kustomize.
  • Event-Driven Architecture and Reactive Systems
    • Design and implement event-driven architectures using tools like Apache Kafka, RabbitMQ, or Azure AIS.
    • Apply advanced design patterns such as Event Sourcing, CQRS, and Saga for building responsive, asynchronous systems.
    • Promote the use of reactive programming frameworks like Spring WebFlux for real-time, high-throughput applications.
  • Driving Low-Code Innovation
    • Integrate and enhance enterprise applications with low-code platforms (e.g., OutSystems, Azure Functions, PowerApps).
    • Define strategies for balancing low-code solutions with custom development to maximize agility and scalability.
    • Innovate within low-code ecosystems to drive rapid prototyping and deployment of business-critical solutions.
  • Architectural Excellence
    • Define and implement modern architectural patterns like Domain-Driven Design (DDD), Hexagonal Architecture, and Strangler Fig.
    • Develop technology blueprints that align with both current and future enterprise needs.
    • Ensure scalability, security, and maintainability in all architectural decisions.
  • Cutting-Edge Programming Practices
    • Champion modern programming paradigms, such as reactive programming and functional programming, for efficiency and performance.
    • Promote code modularity, testability, and maintainability using best practices and tools.
    • Experiment with emerging tools and technologies to continuously evolve the development landscape.
  • Mentorship and Knowledge Sharing
    • Mentor developers across teams, fostering a culture of innovation and technical excellence.
    • Conduct workshops, training sessions, and code reviews to upskill team members.
    • Serve as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert in cloud-native technologies.
  • Continuous Innovation and Optimization
    • Identify opportunities for innovation in processes, tools, and technologies to maintain a competitive edge.
    • Implement monitoring and observability solutions (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, ELK Stack) to ensure system health and performance.
    • Optimize cost, performance, and scalability of cloud-native solutions.

Required Skills and Qualifications

  • Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
  • Experience: 10+ years of hands-on software development experience, with 6+ years in cloud-native and microservices architecture.
  • Proficiency in Azure, Java (Spring Cloud), and Node.js for backend development.
  • Expertise in Kubernetes, container orchestration, and service mesh technologies (e.g., Istio).
  • Extensive knowledge of event-driven architectures, messaging systems like Kafka or RabbitMQ, and reactive programming frameworks.
  • Strong understanding of modern design patterns (CQRS, Saga, DDD) and architectural principles.
  • Experience with low-code platforms and their integration into enterprise systems.
  • Familiarity with DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure as code tools like Terraform, Helm, or Ansible.
  • Proven track record of driving technical innovation and mentoring development teams.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Certifications in Kubernetes, cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), or low-code platforms.
  • Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)
  • Certified Software Architect by the International Association of Software Architects (IASA)
  • Experience with advanced frontend technologies for micro-frontends (React, Angular, Vue.js).
  • Knowledge of AI/ML integration and edge computing.