Senior Product Engineer

Senior Product Engineer - Contract - Glendale, CA/Hybrid - $80.00 - $92.20/hr

The final salary or hourly wage, as applicable, paid to each candidate/applicant for this position is ultimately dependent on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the candidate's/applicant's qualifications, skills, and level of experience as well as the geographical location of the position.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Sponsorship not available.

Our client is seeking a Senior Product Engineer in Glendale, CA

Role Description

We are looking for a Senior Product Engineer who is dedicated to help us implement high-quality applications used in the development and production of film and direct-to-consumer content. As part of this role, you would also be integrating these applications with other third-party applications using APIs, gRPC, and using MCP (Model Context Protocol) to connect AI models to external tools and data. We're a casual shop that values passion, community involvement and exceptional software. If this is you, we want you to join our team.

This is a backend engineering role with end-to-end feature ownership. You're a seasoned backend engineer-comfortable with APIs, databases, system architecture, and complex integrations-who uses AI development tools (Claude, Cursor, etc.) to deliver complete features without depending on frontend specialists.
You'll work alongside a frontend specialist who maintains UI standards and handles complex interface challenges, but you're self-sufficient for your feature work. Whether it's a standard CRUD interface, a complex dashboard with real-time data, or an interactive workflow, you use AI tools to bridge the frontend gap and ship production-quality features from database to UI.
This isn't about being a traditional full-stack engineer-it's about being a backend expert who leverages modern AI tooling to deliver complete product features autonomously.
Analysis & Design
Gather requirements with stakeholders, Product Owners, and Business Analysts.
Collaborate with UX/UI Designers.
Design complex web components, software, and database objects.
Establish and document development standards, procedures, and deployment processes.
Development & Testing
Design and develop backend services, APIs, and data models.
Develop complete features-from backend APIs and data models through AI-assisted frontend implementation-according to UX/UI requirements.
Ensure production-quality, standards-compliant, cross-browser UI using AI development tools.
Integrate web interfaces with backend services.
Integrate applications with third-party systems.
Connect AI models with external tools and data.
Delivery & Installation
Prepare release documentation and manage change control processes.
Support deployment and configuration of new systems.
Production Support
Conduct functional analysis and troubleshoot production issues.
Perform application tuning, maintenance, and repairs.
Collaborate with IT for integrated system support.
Administrative
Actively participate in a cross-functional team.
Communicate project plans, status, and issues with management.
Follow departmental standards, policies, and best practices

Skills & Requirements

Strong Java backend experience (Spring Boot).
Cloud-based development tools (e.g., Cursor/Cloud).
Minimum 4 years of experience developing multi-tier applications in a business environment.
Minimum 4 years of experience developing applications using Java and Spring Boot framework.
Minimum 4 years of experience with backend systems, APIs, and database design.
Demonstrated track record of shipping complete features end-to-end using AI development tools (Claude, Cursor, or similar).
Backend Engineering (Core Expertise)
Proficient in developing RESTful APIs and web applications using Java and Spring Boot framework.
Experienced with Spring Security, including authentication, authorization, and secure data access.
Skilled in PostgreSQL: relational database design, performance tuning, and advanced SQL.
Knowledgeable in Amazon S3 for file uploads/downloads, versioning, and security best practices.
Strong experience securely integrating custom applications with third-party applications using APIs, gRPC, or current technologies; minimum Basic Auth.
Experience using Model Context Protocol (MCP) for connecting AI models to external tools and data.
Proficient with Git and collaborative workflows (GitLab).
Experienced in setup and use of CI/CD pipelines in GitLab.
Familiarity with Docker and Kubernetes for containerization and orchestration. AI-Augmented Development (Required Proficiency)
Proven ability to build production-quality frontends using AI tools-not just prototypes, but features that ship to users.
Experience with prompt engineering, API integration, and AI-assisted workflow automation.
Frontend Development (AI-Enabled)
Proven ability to deliver production-quality UIs of varying complexity using AI development tools.
Understanding of frontend fundamentals: component architecture, state management, responsive design.
Experience with Angular, Angular Material, and Bootstrap (built with or without AI assistance).
Proficient in software testing, including unit, integration, and security testing across frontend and backend.
General Engineering
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to communicate effectively across teams.
Experience creating applications that integrate AI models.
Bachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science or related field.
Knowledge of broader AWS cloud infrastructure for deployment and scaling.
Experience working in Agile or Scrum environments.
Experience in industry is a plus.

Benefits/Other Compensation

This position is a contract/temporary role where Hays offers you the opportunity to enroll in full medical benefits, dental benefits, vision benefits, 401K and Life Insurance ($20,000 benefit).

Why Hays?

You will be working with a professional recruiter who has intimate knowledge of the industry and market trends. Your Hays recruiter will lead you through a thorough screening process in order to understand your skills, experience, needs, and drivers. You will also get support on resume writing, interview tips, and career planning, so when there's a position you really want, you're fully prepared to get it.

Nervous about an upcoming interview? Unsure how to write a new resume?

Visit the Hays Career Advice section to learn top tips to help you stand out from the crowd when job hunting.

Hays is committed to building a thriving culture of diversity that embraces people with different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better we serve our candidates, clients, and employees. We are an equal employment opportunity employer, and we comply with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, creed, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, marital status, genetic information, HIV-positive status, as well as any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. One of Hays' guiding principles is 'do the right thing'.
We also believe that actions speak louder than words.
In that regard, we train our staff on ensuring inclusivity throughout the entire recruitment process and counsel our clients on these principles. If you have any questions about Hays or any of our processes, please contact us.

In accordance with applicable federal, state, and local law protecting qualified individuals with known disabilities, Hays will attempt to reasonably accommodate those individuals unless doing so would create an undue hardship on the company. Any qualified applicant or consultant with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of the job should call or text .

Drug testing may be required; please contact a recruiter for more information.

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