Java Microservices Lead Kafka

Client: Photon Position: Java Microservices Lead Kafka Location: Dallas, TX & Charlotte, NC Duration: W2 Contract or Full time Job Description: Java Microservices Lead Kafka Role Overview: We are seeking a highly skilled Java Microservices Lead with expertise in Apache Kafka Key Responsibilities: Technical Leadership Lead and mentor a team of developers to design and implement microservices using Spring Boot and related frameworks. Establish coding standards, development best practices, and quality assurance protocols. Collaborate with stakeholders to understand business requirements and translate them into technical solutions. Microservices Development Design and develop RESTful APIs and microservices using Spring Boot and Spring Cloud. Implement microservices patterns like service discovery, circuit breakers, and centralized configuration. Ensure secure APIs by leveraging Spring Security with OAuth2/JWT for authentication and authorization. Kafka and Event-Driven Architecture Architect and implement event-driven solutions using Apache Kafka. Design and manage Kafka producers, consumers, topics, and streams for reliable and scalable data streaming. Optimize Kafka configurations for high throughput, fault tolerance, and low latency. Integrate Kafka into microservices to enable asynchronous communication and real-time event processing. Cloud-Native and Scalable Design Develop stateless and horizontally scalable microservices suitable for cloud deployment. Leverage tools such as Docker and Kubernetes for containerization and orchestration. Apply performance optimization techniques like caching, connection pooling, and load balancing. Testing and Quality Assurance Ensure robust unit, integration, and performance testing using tools like JUnit, Mockito, and Postman. Conduct code reviews to maintain high-quality standards and detect potential performance bottlenecks. Collaboration and Documentation Work closely with architects, product owners, and cross-functional teams to align deliverables with business objectives. Document technical designs, API specifications, Kafka workflows, and architectural diagrams. Provide technical support and troubleshooting for production issues related to Kafka and microservices. Continuous Improvement Stay updated with emerging technologies and best practices in microservices and event-driven systems. Drive innovation by recommending improvements to system architecture and processes. Lead efforts to refactor and optimize legacy systems into modern microservices. Key Qualifications: Technical Expertise Strong hands-on experience with Java 8/11, Spring Boot, and Spring Cloud. Proficiency in building RESTful APIs and distributed systems. In-depth knowledge of Apache Kafka, including producers, consumers, Kafka Streams, and schema management. Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and containerization tools like Docker/Kubernetes. Additional Skills Expertise in microservices patterns like service registry, API gateways, and event-driven design. Solid understanding of databases (SQL and NoSQL) and data serialization formats (JSON, Avro, Protobuf). Experience with CI/CD pipelines, version control systems, and build tools (e.g., Jenkins, Git, Maven). Preferred Skills Knowledge of monitoring and observability tools (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, ELK stack). Experience with Kafka monitoring tools like Confluent Control Center. Familiarity with message queuing systems (e.g., RabbitMQ, IBM MQ). Soft Skills Strong problem-solving and analytical skills with the ability to resolve complex issues. Excellent communication and leadership abilities to guide a team and engage with stakeholders. Ability to manage priorities and deliver under tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Education and Experience: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. 7 years of experience in software development, including 3 years of experience in microservices. 2 years of hands-on experience with Apache Kafka and event-driven architectures.