Senior Backend Engineer - Hartford, CT

QTech • Hartford, CT

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior Backend Engineer with extensive experience in backend/server-side application development, particularly with Node.js and Java. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of Node.js fundamentals, including the event loop and Promises, and demonstrated experience with Java backend services. This role requires hands-on exposure to Node.js server-side applications for backend-focused responsibilities.

Requirements

• 10-12 years of backend engineering experience with demonstrated progression in technical complexity and leadership responsibilities.
• Expert-level proficiency in Java backend development using Spring Boot, including WebFlux, Quarkus, Micronaut, or Spark Java with production deployment experience.
• Deep expertise in reactive programming paradigms using Project Reactor, RxJava, or reactive streams for building non-blocking asynchronous systems.
• Advanced Node.js development skills for building production-grade authentication services, orchestration middleware, and BFF architectures.
• Proven experience designing and implementing RESTful and GraphQL APIs at scale with a focus on performance, versioning, and backward compatibility.
• Strong GraphQL expertise, including schema design, federation patterns, N+1 query resolution, DataLoader implementation, and performance optimization.
• Advanced ORM knowledge with Hibernate, JPA, or TypeORM, including query optimization, caching strategies, L1/L2 lazy loading, and transaction management.
• Production experience with Apache Camel, implementing EIP patterns, routing, transformation, and error handling for enterprise integrations.
• Hands-on implementation of Saga patterns and compensating transactions for distributed systems in financial or mission-critical environments.
• Experience with lightweight BPMN engines or workflow orchestration frameworks for long-running business processes.
• Deep understanding of microservices architecture, domain-driven design, event-driven architectures, and distributed system patterns.
• Expertise in relational databases (PostgreSQL, Oracle), including schema design, indexing strategies, query optimization, and transaction isolation levels.
• Strong execution knowledge of authentication and authorization protocols (OAuth2, OIDC, JWT, mutual TLS) and their application in financial systems.
• Experience with message brokers (Kafka, RabbitMQ) and event streaming architectures for asynchronous processing.
• Proficiency with cloud platforms (AWS or Azure), including containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), serverless architectures, and infrastructure patterns.
• Strong understanding of observability practices, including distributed tracing, metrics, and logging.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Node.js in backend/server-side application development.
• Stronger understanding of Node.js fundamentals, including the event loop and Promises.
• Demonstrated strong experience with Java backend services.
• More hands-on exposure to Node.js server-side applications to be considered suitable for backend-focused roles.

Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and implement reactive non-blocking APIs using Java with Spring Boot WebFlux, Quarkus, Micronaut, or Spark Java for high throughput retirement account operations in a TDD iterative methodology.
• Lead development of Node.js based authentication orchestration and data aggregation layers handling complex multi-system integrations.
• Design and deliver production-grade BFF (Backend for Frontend) architectures in Node.js, optimizing data delivery for Angular/React clients and mobile applications.
• Own Apache Camel integration implementations, including enterprise integration patterns, Saga orchestration, and lightweight BPMN workflows for distributed retirement transactions.
• Architect and implement distributed transaction patterns using Saga and compensating transactions across contribution, withdrawal, rollover, and compliance workflows.
• Drive GraphQL API design, including schema evolution, query optimization, batching strategies, and resolver performance tuning for complex domain aggregations.
• Lead ORM strategy and implementation using Hibernate, JPA, or TypeORM with a focus on performance optimization, caching strategies, and database query tuning.
• Establish reactive programming patterns using Project Reactor, RxJava, or reactive streams for high-concurrency, low-latency financial operations.
• Design resilient system architectures incorporating circuit breakers, bulkheads, rate limiting, and fallback mechanisms for third-party integrations.
• Collaborate with architects and product leaders to define technical roadmaps, API contracts, and domain boundaries for retirement platform evolution.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers through code reviews, architecture discussions, and technical guidance on best practices.
• Drive quality through comprehensive testing strategies, including unit, integration, contract testing, and chaos engineering principles.
• Lead incident response, root cause analysis, and implement preventive measures for production systems.
• Champion engineering excellence by establishing coding standards, architectural patterns, and observability practices.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed