Senior Java Software Engineer

Senior Backend Engineer – Java / Spring Boot / Distributed Systems Up to £120,000 | Permanent | Hybrid – Warminster area, circa 3 days per week I’m partnering with a global software product business delivering mission-critical platforms across defence, government and resilience , and we’re looking for a Senior Backend Engineer to join a major long-term UK programme. This is a role for someone who wants to do more than pick up tickets. You’ll be working on complex, production-grade systems where architecture, resilience, security, scalability and engineering quality genuinely matter . You’ll remain hands-on while having real influence over technical decisions, system design and how the platform evolves. The core environment is centred around modern Java, Spring Boot, REST APIs, PostgreSQL, Kafka/event-driven systems, AWS, Docker and Kubernetes . We’re particularly interested in engineers who enjoy understanding why a system is designed in a certain way, can reason about trade-offs and are comfortable owning difficult engineering problems through to production. What we’re looking for Strong commercial experience with Java and Spring Boot Experience designing and building REST APIs and microservices Strong understanding of distributed systems Experience with event-driven architecture , ideally Kafka or similar messaging technologies Strong SQL experience, ideally PostgreSQL Experience building and operating services in AWS or another major cloud environment Hands-on experience with Docker and Kubernetes Strong automated testing practices using tools such as JUnit, Mockito and TDD Experience thinking about resilience, scalability, performance and fault tolerance Exposure to architecture, system design or technical decision-making Someone who takes ownership beyond simply completing assigned development tasks Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with engineers, product teams and customer stakeholders Experience within defence, government, aerospace, financial services, healthcare or another highly regulated environment would be useful, but isn’t essential. You’ll need to be comfortable working around Warminster approximately three days per week , and candidates will need to hold or be eligible for the appropriate UK security clearance . Why this one is different The attraction here is the level of technical ownership. You’ll be joining a major multi-year programme where engineering decisions have real consequences, and where Senior Engineers are expected to contribute to more than just implementation. You’ll have the opportunity to influence architecture, engineering standards, reliability and technical direction , while continuing to remain genuinely hands-on. There is also a clear route towards Staff / Technical Lead level for engineers who want broader technical influence without moving away from engineering. If you’re a Senior Backend Engineer who enjoys Java/Spring Boot, distributed systems, event-driven architecture and solving difficult production problems , this is worth a conversation. Salary: up to £120,000 Location: Warminster area – hybrid, circa 3 days per week Employment: Permanent Apply directly or message me confidentially for more information.