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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # IT - Lead Java Developer - **Company:** Everforth Apex - **Location:** Chicago, IL, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Java (Programming Language), Agile Methodology, Application Integration Architecture, Application Performance Management, User Authentication, Automation of Tests, Microsoft Azure, Behavior-Driven Development, Cloud Computing, Cloud Engineering, Databases, Command-Query Responsibility Segregation (Software Development), DevOps, Digital Architecture, Distributed Data Store, Distributed Systems, Java Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE), Github, IBM WebSphere MQ, Python (Programming Language), PostgreSQL, Linux System Administration, Log Analysis, Mainframes, Enterprise Messaging Systems, SQL Azure, Node.Js, NoSQL, OAuth, Performance Tuning, Queue Management Systems, Shell Script, Software Deployment, Data Streaming, Systems Integration, Management of Software Versions, Azure Service Bus, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Enterprise Software Applications, Test-Driven Development (TDD), Spring Cloud, Delivery Pipeline, Concurrency, Spring-boot, Software Security, SOAPAPI, Core Api, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), Backend, Event Driven Architecture, Build Management, Information Technology, Low Latency, Deployment Automation, Complex Event Processing, Apache Kafka, Cosmos DB, Azure AKS, Graphql, Event Sourcing, Restful APIs, Terraform, Domain Driven Design, Dynatrace, Serverless Computing, Jenkins, Confluent, Vulnerability Analysis, Microservices, Control M - **Published:** September 17, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.dice.com/job-detail/ef42ca19-f875-42ea-903a-f1affd9b9698 ## About the Role Core Development * 8+ years of experience developing enterprise applications using Java (J2EE). * Strong experience with Spring Boot and Microservices Architecture. * Extensive experience building and supporting cloud-native applications. * Strong understanding of distributed systems, concurrency, and asynchronous processing. * Experience working within Agile development environments and globally distributed teams. Event Streaming & Messaging (Required) * Deep hands-on experience with Apache Kafka, including: + Producers and Consumers + Topics and Partitions + Consumer Groups + Kafka Streams + Event Processing + Schema Registry + Event Versioning + Message Ordering and Delivery Guarantees + Performance Tuning and Scaling * Strong experience supporting enterprise messaging technologies, including: + Kafka + Solace PubSub+ + IBM MQ + Azure Service Bus + Azure Event Hubs * Proven experience implementing: + Event-Driven Architecture (EDA) + Publish/Subscribe Models + Event Sourcing + CQRS + Saga Patterns + Message Reliability Strategies + Dead Letter Queue Management + Event Recovery and Replay API & Integration Development * Strong experience building and consuming: + REST APIs + SOAP Services + Event-Based Integrations * Experience with API security including: + OAuth 2.0 + JWT Authentication and Validation + Secure Service-to-Service Communication Azure Cloud * Hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure services including: + Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) + Azure Container Apps + Azure Service Bus + Azure Event Hubs + Azure Functions + Azure Storage * Strong understanding of cloud-native design patterns and Azure networking concepts. DevOps & Automation * Experience building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines. * Hands-on experience with: + GitHub Actions + Jenkins + Terraform * Experience implementing Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions. Databases * Experience working with: + Azure SQL + PostgreSQL + Cosmos DB + Other cloud-hosted relational or NoSQL databases * Understanding of: + Transaction management + Data consistency models + Distributed data patterns Additional Development Experience * Experience developing backend solutions using: + Python + Node.js Preferred Qualifications * Experience with Confluent Platform. * Experience implementing Solace Event Mesh solutions. * Understanding of Domain-Driven Design (DDD). * Experience with GraphQL APIs. * Experience with observability and monitoring platforms such as: + Dynatrace + Azure Monitor + Azure Log Analytics * Linux administration and Shell scripting experience. * Familiarity with Test-Driven Development (TDD) and Behavior-Driven Development (BDD). * Experience with: + Control-M + SFTP Integrations + Mainframe Integration Patterns Education * Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field. * Equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience will also be considered. Ideal Candidate The ideal candidate is a highly technical Java engineer who has built and supported event-driven distributed systems at enterprise scale. They have deep expertise across Kafka, messaging platforms, microservices, Azure cloud technologies, and modern integration patterns, and can confidently design resilient architectures while supporting mission-critical production environments. This individual thrives in collaborative Agile teams and enjoys solving complex technical challenges involving scalability, performance, reliability, and system integration. ## Description * Design, develop, test, and deploy enterprise-scale microservices and cloud-native applications using Java, Spring Boot, and Azure. * Build scalable event-driven solutions utilizing asynchronous processing and messaging technologies. * Develop and maintain RESTful APIs, event-based integrations, and backend services. * Collaborate with architects, technical leads, and business stakeholders to implement modern integration and messaging patterns. Event Streaming & Messaging * Design and implement event-driven architectures using Kafka and enterprise messaging platforms. * Develop and support messaging solutions utilizing: + Apache Kafka + Solace PubSub+ + IBM MQ + Azure Service Bus + Azure Event Hubs * Create and maintain messaging topics, queues, schemas, and event contracts. * Implement reliable messaging patterns including: + Publish/Subscribe + Event Sourcing + CQRS + Saga Pattern + Dead Letter Queues (DLQ) + Event Replay and Recovery Strategies * Optimize messaging systems for high throughput, low latency, scalability, and reliability. Cloud & Platform Engineering * Design and support cloud-native solutions within Microsoft Azure environments. * Build and deploy applications utilizing: + Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) + Azure Container Apps + Azure Functions + Azure Service Bus + Azure Event Hubs + Azure Storage Services * Partner with DevOps teams to build scalable and maintainable cloud infrastructure. DevOps & Automation * Support CI/CD pipelines and deployment automation processes. * Utilize tools including: + GitHub Actions + Jenkins + Terraform * Implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices for Azure resource provisioning. * Integrate automated testing, deployment, and security scanning into delivery pipelines. Production Support & Continuous Improvement * Troubleshoot and resolve application, integration, and messaging platform issues. * Monitor application performance and system health. * Participate in release support and production deployments. * Identify risks, bottlenecks, and improvement opportunities across platforms and services. * Document architecture designs, event flows, integration patterns, and operational procedures. ## Related Videos - [Keeping applications secure by evolving OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100152-keeping-applications-secure-by-evolving-oauth-2-0-and-openid-connect) - [Leveraging Real time data in FSIs](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/806-leveraging-real-time-data-in-fsis) - [Shifting Stress to Progress— Understanding DevOps to do DevOps Better](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/268-shifting-stress-to-progress-understanding-devops-to-do-devops-better) - [Next Level Enterprise Architecture: Modular, Flexible, Scalable, Multichannel and AI-Ready?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1017-next-level-enterprise-architecture-modular-flexible-scalable-multichannel-and-ai-ready) - [Delay the AI Overlords: How OAuth and OpenFGA Can Keep Your AI Agents from Going Rogue](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1637-delay-the-ai-overlords-how-oauth-and-openfga-can-keep-your-ai-agents-from-going-rogue) - [Inside Bitpanda's Tech Stack: Scaling a European Fintech Leader - Markus Dorner](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1979-inside-bitpanda-s-tech-stack-scaling-a-european-fintech-leader-markus-dorner) ## Related Articles - [How We Built a Worry-Free System That Runs for 10+ Years – And What We’d Do Again](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/751-how-we-built-a-worry-free-system-that-runs-for-10-years-and-what-we-d-do-again) - [What Are The Top Skills Required For Azure Developers?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/77-what-are-the-top-skills-required-for-azure-developers) - [Top Must-Visit Developer Conferences in the US in 2026](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/679-top-must-visit-developer-conferences-in-the-us-in-2026) - [Why Attend a Developer Event in 2026?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/688-why-attend-a-developer-event-in-2026) - [Is Software Engineering Over-Saturated?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/418-is-software-engineering-over-saturated) - [Dev Digest 121 - AI goes offline](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/456-dev-digest-121-ai-goes-offline)