Lead Software Engineer

Empower • Overland Park, KS

16d • $114,000 - $165,300 • Onsite

About The Position

We are looking for a highly skilled Lead Software Engineer with strong expertise in backend technologies and modern architectures to design, develop, and deliver scalable, high-performance enterprise applications. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in Java 11+, SQL/NoSQL databases, Spring ecosystem, microservices, and real-time streaming applications with Apache Kafka, along with a solid understanding of TDD and BDD practices. This role also requires proven leadership capabilities to guide engineering teams and influence technical direction.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• 7+ years of professional software development experience, including 2+ years in a lead/mentorship role.
• Strong expertise in Java (Java 11 or later).
• Solid hands-on experience with Spring, Spring Boot, and RESTful web services.
• Deep understanding of microservices architecture and distributed systems.
• Proven experience in building real-time streaming applications with Apache Kafka.
• Strong experience in SQL (MySQL, PostgreSQL, or similar) and NoSQL databases (MongoDB, Cassandra, etc.).
• Proficiency in Hibernate, JPA, and ORM concepts.
• Strong understanding and application of TDD and BDD methodologies.
• Solid understanding of software design patterns and system architecture.
• Experience with version control (Git) and CI/CD practices.
• Excellent problem-solving, debugging, and leadership skills

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of gRPC for high-performance service-to-service communication.
• Knowledge of AWS technologies (EC2, RDS, S3, Lambda, etc.).
• Experience with containerization tools (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of microservices-based architectures using Spring and Spring Boot.
• Architect and build real-time streaming applications using Apache Kafka.
• Define technical strategy and oversee the full software development lifecycle, from requirements to deployment.
• Mentor and guide engineers, conducting design and code reviews to ensure high standards.
• Champion TDD and BDD practices, ensuring code quality and maintainability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver secure, reliable, and scalable software.
• Drive adoption of best practices in system design, testing, DevOps, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Optimize performance of applications and resolve complex technical issues.
• Ensure systems are built for high availability, scalability, and maintainability.
• Contribute to architectural decisions and align technical initiatives with business goals.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• Retirement savings – 401(k) plan with generous company matching contributions (up to 6%), financial advisory services, potential company discretionary contribution, and a broad investment lineup
• Tuition reimbursement up to $5,250/year
• Business-casual environment that includes the option to wear jeans
• Generous paid time off upon hire – including a paid time off program plus ten paid company holidays and three floating holidays each calendar year
• Paid volunteer time — 16 hours per calendar year
• Leave of absence programs – including paid parental leave, paid short- and long-term disability, and Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)
• Business Resource Groups (BRGs) – BRGs facilitate inclusion and collaboration across our business internally and throughout the communities where we live, work and play. BRGs are open to all.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior