Java Developer

Aquent is partnering with a leading financial services institution on a major modernization of its core transactional systems and technology infrastructure. We are seeking a senior, hands-on Java developer who can combine deep cloud-native engineering experience with the practical application of generative AI across the software development lifecycle.

In this role, you will build and modernize highly available Java and Spring-based services while helping the engineering team adopt AI-assisted workflows for implementation, testing, refactoring, troubleshooting, code review, automation, and documentation. You will work closely with developers, architects, and adjacent teams to create secure, scalable solutions that support high-volume financial transactions.

The ideal candidate has experience deploying AI, machine learning, or Large Language Model capabilities into production and understands how to use generative AI coding assistants responsibly. This includes applying sound engineering judgment and maintaining ownership of security, quality, and correctness.

What You'll Do

• Design, develop, and enhance large-scale software solutions using Java, Spring, cloud technologies, and web services.
• Build highly available systems that support high-volume financial transactions.
• Apply generative AI throughout the software development lifecycle, including implementation, refactoring, unit testing, regression support, code reviews, scripting, automation, troubleshooting, and documentation.
• Use AI coding assistants to generate code and tests, support reviews, automate routine tasks, and reduce context switching while maintaining ownership of the final output.
• Implement and deploy AI, machine learning, and Large Language Model-enabled solutions in production environments.
• Develop agentic and specification-driven workflows that translate class structures, API contracts, data models, and other design artifacts into structured implementation plans.
• Create reusable prompts, custom instructions, validation practices, and team-level standards for effective AI-assisted development.
• Design, build, and maintain containerized microservices in cloud environments.
• Contribute to continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines.
• Support the modernization of legacy or monolithic systems into distributed, cloud-native architectures.
• Identify technical risks, troubleshoot complex issues, and help ensure application performance, reliability, security, and scalability.
• Collaborate with developers, architects, and cross-functional partners to deliver solutions efficiently.
• Mentor engineers and promote strong engineering, testing, documentation, and quality practices.

Must-Have Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 7+ years of professional software engineering experience, including recent hands-on development with Java and the Spring framework.
• Experience building large-scale web services and distributed applications that support high-volume transactions in highly available environments.
• Strong cloud-native engineering experience, including microservices, containers, and CI/CD.
• Hands-on experience implementing and deploying AI, machine learning, or Large Language Model-enabled solutions in production.
• Practical experience using generative AI coding assistants, such as GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, or comparable tools, within IDE- or CLI-based engineering workflows.
• Experience applying generative AI across multiple stages of the software development lifecycle, such as implementation, testing, refactoring, troubleshooting, code review, automation, and documentation.
• Ability to evaluate and validate AI-generated output for quality, security, accuracy, maintainability, and alignment with engineering standards.
• Experience with at least one major cloud platform, such as AWS, Google Cloud Platform, or Pivotal Cloud Foundry.
• Experience working with databases such as MongoDB, Aerospike, PostgreSQL, or comparable technologies.
• Experience modernizing legacy or monolithic systems into distributed architectures.
• Working knowledge of agentic workflows, specification-driven development, custom instructions, and prompt engineering.
• Understanding of financial services capabilities, transactional systems, or other highly regulated technology environments.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate with and provide technical leadership to other engineers.
• A proactive, collaborative approach to working with developers, architects, and adjacent teams.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Master's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related discipline.
• Experience in the financial services, brokerage, wealth management, banking, payments, or capital markets industries.
• Experience modernizing mainframe, COBOL, or DB2 applications into Java-based distributed systems.
• Knowledge of messaging technologies such as RabbitMQ, Kafka, or equivalent platforms.
• Experience with Test-Driven Development, automated testing, QA automation, and quality-focused engineering practices.
• Experience creating architectural diagrams, design documentation, functional and technical specifications, and automated test processes.
• Ability to research and document production and test environments, system architecture, and application dependencies.
• Knowledge of Agile methodologies and experience working within an Agile engineering environment.
• Experience with widely used project management

Please note: This position is available on a W-2 employment basis only and is not open to Corp-to-Corp (C2C) arrangements. The client is also unable to provide employment-based visa sponsorship or transfers for this role.