Lead Java Backend Engineer

Job Title: Lead Java Backend Engineer ( WebFlux, AI/GenAI)
Location: California
Experience: 13+ Years

Job Description:

We are seeking a highly experienced Lead Java Backend Engineer with strong expertise in Spring Boot, Spring WebFlux, and AI/GenAI integrations. The ideal candidate will lead the design and development of scalable, high-performance, reactive microservices and AI-powered backend systems. This role requires hands-on technical leadership, architectural decision-making, and the ability to mentor engineering teams.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead the design and development of reactive, non-blocking microservices using Java, Spring Boot, and Spring WebFlux
Architect and build scalable, high-throughput backend systems with a focus on performance and resilience
Design and implement RESTful and reactive APIs for enterprise-grade applications
Drive microservices and event-driven architecture using Kafka or similar messaging systems
Integrate AI/ML and GenAI capabilities into backend systems using LLMs such as OpenAI, Anthropic, or similar platforms
Build and manage AI-driven features such as chat systems, recommendations, and intelligent automation
Work closely with Data Science teams to productionize AI models and pipelines
Define coding standards, perform code reviews, and enforce best practices
Mentor and guide junior and senior developers
Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Product, QA, and DevOps
Ensure system reliability, scalability, and security across applications

Required Skills:

Strong experience in Core Java (Java 8/11/17+) with deep understanding of OOPs, Collections, Multithreading, and Concurrency
Extensive hands-on experience with Spring Boot, Spring MVC, and Spring WebFlux
Strong expertise in Reactive Programming (Project Reactor)
Experience in Microservices architecture and distributed systems design
Hands-on experience with event-driven architecture (Kafka, RabbitMQ, or similar)
Experience working with RESTful APIs and reactive systems
Strong knowledge of SQL and NoSQL databases (MongoDB, PostgreSQL, MySQL, etc.)
Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP
Hands-on experience with Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD pipelines
Familiarity with Linux/Unix environments and version control tools like Git

AI / GenAI Requirements:

Hands-on experience integrating AI/ML or GenAI capabilities into backend applications
Experience working with LLM APIs such as OpenAI, Anthropic, or similar
Understanding of prompt engineering, embeddings, and vector databases
Experience with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architectures is a strong plus

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience building high-scale, low-latency distributed systems
Exposure to real-time data streaming and processing systems
Prior experience in a Lead or Architect role
Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments

Education:

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or related field