Senior Enterprise API Platform Architect & Lead Java Software Engineer (Contract)

Role: Senior Enterprise API Platform Architect & Lead Java Software Engineer (Contract)

Duration: Long Term

Location: Remote

Preference for someone local, but remote EST is acceptable.

This is the engineer that will do the job after the CAD Engineer

Overview

We are seeking a Senior Enterprise API Platform Architect & Lead Software Engineer to design, architect, and build the foundation of a next-generation Enterprise API Platform. This is a highly visible, hands-on technical leadership role responsible for driving the platform from concept through production implementation.

This is not an architecture-only role. The ideal candidate will be equally comfortable defining enterprise architecture, writing production-quality Java code, mentoring engineers, and establishing engineering standards that will serve as the foundation for future API development.

The successful consultant will work closely with Product Management, Engineering, and Executive Leadership to define the technical vision while personally implementing the initial production-ready platform.

Position Overview

The Enterprise API Platform will serve as the common integration layer for a suite of SaaS applications and intelligent services by:

• Modernizing existing applications through reusable enterprise APIs
• Supporting AI agents and orchestration frameworks
• Enabling enterprise customer and partner integrations
• Supporting emerging interoperability standards such as Model Context Protocol (MCP)
• Eliminating duplicated business logic across applications
• Accelerating future product development through reusable enterprise services

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Architecture

• Design and define the enterprise API architecture that will support current and future products.
• Develop scalable, secure, cloud-native API and microservices architectures.
• Define service boundaries, integration patterns, deployment models, and reference architectures.
• Produce architecture documentation and technical roadmaps.

Hands-on Software Development

• Design, develop, test, and deploy production-quality Java applications.
• Build the reusable API platform and foundational framework.
• Develop RESTful APIs and shared enterprise services.
• Build scalable microservices leveraging AWS cloud technologies.
• Write clean, maintainable, secure, and well-tested production code.
• Participate throughout the complete software development lifecycle from design through deployment.

API Platform & Governance

• Establish enterprise API standards and governance.
• Define best practices for:
• Authentication & Authorization
• Security
• Versioning
• Logging & Monitoring
• Error Handling
• Configuration Management
• API Lifecycle Management
• Recommend technologies, frameworks, and infrastructure supporting long-term scalability.

Technical Leadership

• Serve as the technical lead throughout the engagement.
• Mentor software engineers on API design, architecture, and engineering best practices.
• Conduct architecture reviews and code reviews.
• Collaborate with Product Management to translate business requirements into scalable technical solutions.
• Help establish long-term engineering standards for future API development.

Software Development

• Develop and enhance customer-facing SaaS applications.
• Build responsive web applications using modern development technologies.
• Integrate front-end applications with enterprise APIs and backend services.
• Gather and refine technical requirements and translate them into scalable solutions.
• Research emerging technologies and recommend improvements where appropriate.
• Produce technical documentation and maintain development standards.

Documentation & Knowledge Transfer

Produce comprehensive documentation including:

• Enterprise architecture
• API standards and best practices
• API framework design and extension guidelines
• Development workflows and deployment processes
• Reference implementations
• Technical documentation enabling engineering teams to independently maintain and expand the platform

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 8+ years of enterprise software development experience
• Extensive experience with Java and enterprise application development
• Strong experience designing and implementing RESTful APIs
• Experience building enterprise API platforms and reusable services
• Strong AWS cloud development experience
• Experience with distributed systems and microservices architecture
• Strong understanding of software architecture, design patterns, and object-oriented programming
• Experience with relational databases and data modeling
• Strong understanding of web application security and authentication
• Experience leading technical initiatives from architecture through implementation

Preferred Technical Skills

• Java
• Spring Boot
• AWS
• REST APIs
• Enterprise API Architecture
• Microservices
• Distributed Systems
• HTML, CSS, JavaScript
• Modern front-end frameworks
• Docker and containerization
• CI/CD pipelines
• Cloud-native architecture
• API security and governance
• Large Language Models (LLMs) and AI-enabled applications
• Model Context Protocol (MCP) experience is a plus

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an architect who enjoys writing production code. You are equally comfortable presenting architecture to stakeholders, mentoring engineering teams, and personally implementing complex enterprise software solutions. You thrive in environments where you can influence long-term technical strategy while remaining deeply involved in hands-on development.

Success Measures

Success in this engagement will include:

• Designing and implementing a scalable enterprise API platform
• Delivering production-ready APIs and reusable services
• Establishing API standards and governance
• Producing comprehensive technical documentation
• Enabling engineering teams to independently extend and maintain the platform following the engagement

Thanks

John

Netstrive Consulting, LLC

450, E. 22^nd St, Suite 178,

Lombard, IL 60148

Direct:

Desk No: Ext-404

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Email:

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