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# Java Modernization Lead

- **Company:** Brooksource
- **Location:** Richmond, VA, United States
- **Experience:** Expert
- **Salary:** $156,000.0 - $176,800.0
- **Contract:** Temporary contract
- **Skills:** HTML, Java (Programming Language), JavaScript (Programming Language), Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Apache Tomcat, Server Applications, Business Logic, Oracle WebLogic Server, Databases, Continuous Integration, Java Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE), Gradle, Web Browsers, IT Management, Java Database Connectivity, Java Servlet, Apache Struts, WildFly (JBoss AS), Javaserver Pages, Apache Maven, Oracle (Applications), Open Web Application Security, Regression Testing, PL-SQL, SQL Databases, Systems Integration, Java Application Server, AI Coding Agents, Git, Codebase
- **Published:** October 23, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.careerboard.com/us/en/find-jobs-in-United-States/-A83E5EB05421D9A569/

## About the Role

* 12+ years of enterprise Java development, with recent hands-on coding.
 * Led at least 2 hands-on upgrades of Legacy Java applications (Java 5/6/8 era) to Java 11/17/21 - removed APIs, dependency upgrades, javax ? jakarta.
 * Experience with Legacy Java web stacks: JSP/Servlets and frameworks such as Struts or older Spring.
 * Strong Oracle experience from Java: SQL, PL/SQL, JDBC; ideally through a database version upgrade.
 * Git, Maven or Gradle, and CI/CD.
 * A collaborative style - you can lead and mentor while working as a peer with long-tenured developers, and explain technical decisions clearly to IT leadership.

Strongly preferred

 * Experience upgrading an Application Server (eg, WebLogic, Tomcat or JBoss).
 * Experience migrating web front ends off Internet Explorer dependencies to standards-based HTML and JavaScript.

Nice to have

 * Public sector experience, especially with state government.
 * Experience with licensing, regulatory or case management systems.
 * Automated upgrade tooling (eg, OpenRewrite) and practical experience with AI coding assistants.
 * Breaking a monolith into modules without a full rewrite.
 * Writing characterization or regression tests around Legacy code before refactoring.

## Description

We're looking for a hands-on Java Modernization Lead to assess the code base, set the upgrade approach and do a meaningful share of the engineering work. You'll work under the direction of the client's application team lead and alongside their experienced developers, who know the application deeply, and help bring it onto a modern, supported platform. This is a modernize-in-place effort, not a rewrite.

What you'll do

 * Assess the application: inventory frameworks, libraries, the app server, Front End assets, IE-specific code, database touchpoints and integrations; run dependency and deprecated-API scans (eg, jdeps, OWASP dependency-check).
 * Size and plan the work: validate effort estimates and recommend sequencing and team size.
 * Set the technical approach: recommend the target Java LTS (17 or 21) and compatible framework and app server versions; upgrade incrementally; fix compatibility at the framework level while preserving business logic; restructure the code into clearer modules where it reduces risk.
 * Write code: lead the hardest upgrades hands-on, including application-side Oracle 19c fixes (SQL, PL/SQL, JDBC).
 * Modernize the front end: remove Internet Explorer dependencies so the application runs fully in Edge and Chrome.
 * Use modern tooling: apply approved AI coding assistants and automated refactoring tools to repetitive conversion work, with careful review of all changes.