Principal Cloud Engineer Tech Lead (Java + Azure Data Engineering)

Job Title: Principal Cloud Engineer Tech Lead (Java + Azure Data Engineering)

Drive enterprise cloud transformation as a hands-on technical leader architecting scalable Java microservices and Azure data platforms. Lead 8-12 person engineering teams while mentoring developers and presenting strategic roadmaps to executives.

Toronto, ON, Canada

Key Responsibilities

• Lead design and implementation of Java microservices (Spring Boot, Spring MVC, Spring Security) deployed on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Azure App Service, or Azure Container Instances.
• Architect event-driven architectures using Apache Kafka (Streams, Connect, KSQL) integrated with Azure Event Hubs or Azure Service Bus for real-time data processing.
• Drive Azure data engineering solutions leveraging Azure Data Factory, Azure Databricks, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Azure Data Lake Gen2 for enterprise-scale data platforms.
• Mentor and lead development teams of 8-12 engineers through code reviews, technical standards establishment, and full SDLC ownership.

Required Technical Expertise

Leadership Requirements

• Proven tech lead experience managing 8+ developers through complete SDLC with demonstrated success in code reviews and technical mentorship.
• Executive communication: Present architecture decisions, roadmaps, and technical strategies confidently to C-level stakeholders.
• Stakeholder mastery: Strong collaboration across engineering, product management, and business teams using JIRA, Confluence, and Agile/Scrum ceremonies.

Experience Profile

• 10+ years software engineering including 5+ years cloud-native Java development
• Either: Strong Kafka (3+ years hands-on) + basic Azure OR Strong Azure Data Engineering (3+ years) + basic Kafka exposure
• Multiple long-term enterprise projects (2+ years each) demonstrating sustained technical leadership

Keywords: Principal Cloud Engineer, Tech Lead, Java SE/EE, Spring Boot, Spring MVC, Spring Security, Spring Cloud, Microservices, REST APIs, JPA/Hibernate, Maven, Gradle, JUnit, Mockito, Azure Kubernetes Service, AKS, Azure App Service, Azure Functions, Azure Data Factory, Azure Databricks, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Lake Gen2, Apache Kafka, Kafka Streams, Kafka Connect, KSQL, Schema Registry, Azure Event Hubs, Azure Service Bus, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, ARM Templates, CI/CD, Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, Jenkins, Azure Monitor, Application Insights, Prometheus, Grafana, tech lead, team leadership, code review, stakeholder management, executive presentation, Agile, Scrum, JIRA, Confluence, Toronto, Canada, cloud-native Java, event-driven architecture, data engineering, microservices architecture

About VDart Group
VDart Group is a global leader in technology, product, and talent solutions, serving Fortune 500 clients in 13 countries. With over 4,000 professionals worldwide, we deliver innovation, operational excellence, and measurable outcomes across industries. Guided by our commitment to People, Purpose, and Planet, VDart is recognized with an EcoVadis Bronze Medal and as a UN Global Compact member, reflecting our dedication to sustainable practices.