IT Software Engineer 4 Senior Backend Java Engineer AWS

Role: IT Software Engineer 4 – Senior Backend Java Engineer – AWS
Location: Chicago, IL or Peoria, IL.
Work Arrangement: Hybrid (2 days onsite per week)

Let’s create our future together at The AES Group!

About The AES Group
The AES Group is a premier technology and engineering consulting company that has been bringing businesses and talent together for over 20 years to deliver innovative solutions that have the greatest positive impact on society. AES has helped over 40 business enterprises, including Fortune 500 companies, engage their customers, empower their employees, and transform their business operations with the power of cloud, data, AI, engineering, and other emerging technologies.

Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced IT Software Engineer 4 to join client software engineering organization. This role will focus primarily on backend software development, cloud technologies, application architecture, integration, testing, and production support.

The engineer will work as part of an Agile/Scrum team, independently handling complex software development assignments while also providing technical guidance and mentoring to other team members.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, debug, integrate, and maintain high-complexity software applications.

• Develop major application modules and systems based on business and technical requirements.

• Focus primarily on backend development and distributed/cloud-based applications.

• Configure and customize complex commercial software solutions when required.

• Design and develop software using appropriate programming languages, architecture patterns, and development standards.

• Develop and maintain applications deployed in AWS cloud environments.

• Perform system integration, integrated testing, and customer acceptance testing.

• Troubleshoot complex application and technical issues and implement effective solutions.

• Participate actively in Agile/Scrum ceremonies, including standups, sprint planning, backlog grooming, retrospectives, and demos.

• Conduct and participate in code/PR reviews.

• Collaborate with Scrum teams, customers, architects, and other technical teams.

• Provide technical leadership, guidance, mentoring, and assistance to other team members.

• Support application and infrastructure change-management activities.

• Assist customers with documentation, training, and usability efforts.

• Provide production support, including occasional off-shift or weekend support when required.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related field with 8+ years of experience.

• OR Master’s degree in Computer Science or a related field with 6+ years of experience.

• 8+ years of software development experience with strong hands-on Java development.

• 8+ years of Java application development, or 6+ years with a relevant Master’s degree.

• Strong backend software engineering experience with limited reliance on front-end development.

• Strong knowledge of Data Structures and Algorithms.

Required Technical Skills

Java & Backend Development

• Strong hands-on experience with Java.

• Experience designing and developing scalable enterprise software applications.

• Strong understanding of application architecture and software design.

• Experience with Microservices, MVC, Event-Driven Architecture, or similar patterns.

• Experience developing RESTful APIs.

AWS / Cloud

At least 3 years of AWS development experience, including several of the following:

• AWS CloudFormation

• ECS

• Lambda

• Fargate

• Amazon Elasticsearch / OpenSearch

• S3

• IAM roles and policies

Databases & Data Technologies

Experience with relational and/or NoSQL databases, such as:

• DynamoDB

• MongoDB

• Cassandra

• Redis

• Elasticsearch

• MySQL

• Oracle

Messaging & APIs

Experience with technologies such as:

• AWS SQS

• AWS SNS

• AWS Kinesis

• RESTful API development

• Swagger

• Postman

• Assertible or similar API testing tools

DevOps & Testing

• CI/CD tools such as Jenkins or Azure DevOps.

• Software deployment and maintenance in AWS/Azure/Google Cloud Platform.

• Test-Driven Development (TDD).

• Behavior-Driven Development (BDD).

• Selenium.

• Cucumber.

• Integration of automated testing into CI/CD pipelines.

Generative AI

• GenAI experience applied to software development is required.

Preferred Experience

• Experience designing, developing, deploying, and maintaining software at scale.

• Strong understanding of distributed systems and cloud-native application development.

• Experience with automated testing and quality engineering.

• Experience working in an Agile/Scrum environment.

• Experience providing technical leadership or mentoring to software engineers.

Soft Skills

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

• Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities.

• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

• Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to work effectively under pressure and meet time constraints.

• Passion for technology and eagerness to contribute within a team-oriented environment.

• Strong mentoring and knowledge-sharing capabilities.

Work Environment & Team

• Reports to a Software Engineering Manager.

• Works closely with a Scrum team and other application/technical teams.

• Significant participation in Scrum ceremonies and PR/code reviews.

• Strong collaborative environment with opportunities to provide technical leadership and guidance.

• Work may involve development and maintenance of mobile, web, cloud, server, and computing systems, with the primary focus on complex backend/software engineering responsibilities.

Critical Candidate Requirements

Must Have

• Local to Peoria, IL or Chicago, IL.

• Willing to work hybrid, 2 days onsite per week.

• Strong Java backend development experience.

• 8+ years of software development experience, or 6+ years with a relevant Master’s degree.

• 3+ years of AWS experience.

• Experience with AWS CloudFormation, ECS, Lambda, Fargate, Elasticsearch/OpenSearch, S3, and IAM.

• Experience with GenAI for software development.

• Strong CS fundamentals, particularly Data Structures & Algorithms.

• Strong coding ability; candidate must be prepared for a 90-minute technical/coding interview.