The Lead Developer programs and configures software to meet TIAA business needs. Under minimal supervision, this job identifies and analyzes complex business software needs, writes and reviews complex code to optimize the performance and efficiency of the organization's IT platform/infrastructure, and conducts testing to ensure programs are functioning properly. This job is considered a subject matter expert in the Applications Development & Support area and provides technical leadership across the development lifecycle.
Key Responsibilities and Duties- Leads the design and development of production-quality Java solutions (microservices, batch pipelines, APIs) that serve enterprise financial and insurance platforms, with a focus on externally-facing, partner-integrated capabilities
- Provides technical leadership across the development lifecycle, including architecture decisions, code review, and mentoring of other developers on the team
- Partners with business analysts, partner integration teams, and downstream data consumers to design, develop, and troubleshoot complex end-to-end technical solutions supporting SIA product portability
- Designs, secures, and maintains external customer-facing APIs at enterprise scale, ensuring performance, security, and reliability standards are met
- Leads containerization and deployment strategy using AWS EKS, working across CI/CD tooling (Jenkins/Cloudbees/ArgoCD) to drive delivery velocity and platform stability
- Applies, validates, and stress-tests AI-generated code in a production-grade, externally-facing environment, ensuring quality and security are never compromised
- Performs maintenance programming and correction of identified defects across own work and the work of the broader team
Educational Requirements- Bachelor's Degree Required
Work Experience- 5+ Years Required; 7+ Years Preferred
Physical Requirements- Physical Requirements: Sedentary Work
Career Level 9IC
Required Skills - 5 or more years of experience with Java development (Java 17+), with deep expertise in Spring Boot and Spring Batch
- Hands-on experience developing and securing external customer-facing APIs at enterprise scale
- Hands-on experience with AWS EKS, containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), and CI/CD tooling (Jenkins, Cloudbees, ArgoCD)
- Experience with REST API design and integration; deep familiarity with contract-first approaches (OpenAPI/Swagger)
- Demonstrated ability to leverage AI-assisted development tools (Copilot, Kiro, or similar) to drive SDLC quality and delivery velocity
- Experience with production-support incident triage using Splunk, Dynatrace, or similar observability tools
- Proven track record providing technical leadership and mentorship to development teams
Preferred Skills - Proficiency in Python for scripting, automation, and/or data-processing tasks supporting platform and integration workflows
- Message-based integration experience (IBM MQ, Apache ActiveMQ Artemis, Kafka, or JMS)
- Broader cloud infrastructure experience: AWS (ECS, S3, Glue, Lambda), OpenShift, Terraform
- Secrets management and authentication chains (CyberArk Conjur, Kerberos, or equivalent)
- Financial services or insurance industry domain exposure
- BPMN / workflow orchestration (Flowable, Camunda, or similar)
- Agile/Scrum practices in a Jira-based SDLC
- Ability to work across technical and business teams to translate strategic platform goals into engineering execution
Related Skills
Agile Methodology, Continuous Integration and Deployment, Data Analysis, Debugging, DevOps, Enterprise Application Integration, Operating Systems Management, Problem Solving, Programming, Software Development, Software Development Life Cycle, Web Application Development
Anticipated Posting End Date:2026-10-16
Base Pay Range: $128,000/yr - $153,000/yr
Actual base salary may vary based upon, but not limited to, relevant experience, time in role, base salary of internal peers, prior performance, business sector, and geographic location. In addition to base salary, the competitive compensation package may include, depending on the role, participation in an incentive program linked to performance (for example, annual discretionary incentive programs, non-annual sales incentive plans, or other non-annual incentive plans).
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Company Overview Every worker deserves a secure retirement. For more than 100 years, TIAA has delivered it for millions of people. Founded to help educators retire with dignity, today we're a market-leading retirement company fueled by world-class asset management. But we're not just another legacy financial services firm. We're fighting harder than ever before for our clients and the many Americans who need us.
Our Culture of Impact At TIAA, we're on a mission to build on our 100+ year legacy of delivering for our clients while evolving to meet tomorrow's challenges. We equip our associates with future-focused skills and AI tools that enable us to advance our mission. Together, we are fighting to ensure a more secure financial future for all and for generations to come. We are guided by our values: Champion Our People, Be Client Obsessed, Lead with Integrity, Own It, and Win As One. They influence every decision we make and how we work together to serve our clients every day. We thrive in a collaborative in-office environment where teams work across organizational boundaries with shared purpose, accelerating innovation and delivering meaningful results. Our workplace brings together TIAA and Nuveen's entrepreneurial spirit, where we work hard and work together to create lasting impact. Here, every associate can grow through meaningful learning experiences and development pathways-because when our people succeed, our impact on clients' lives grows stronger.
Benefits and Total Rewards The organization is committed to making financial well-being possible for its clients, and is equally committed to the well-being of our associates. That's why we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package designed to make a positive difference in the lives of our associates and their loved ones. Our benefits include a superior retirement program and highly competitive health, wellness and work life offerings that can help you achieve and maintain your best possible physical, emotional and financial well-being. To learn more about your benefits, please review our .
Equal Opportunity We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. TIAA does not discriminate against any candidate or employee on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, sex, religion, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other legally protected status.
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