Java Developer Contractor

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Java Developer Contractor to support the design, development, and maintenance of web applications, backend services, and cloud-based solutions. This role is ideal for someone who is comfortable working across the Java/Spring ecosystem, building REST APIs, integrating with AWS services, and contributing to modern CI/CD-driven development workflows.

The right candidate will be hands-on, pragmatic, and comfortable working independently while collaborating with technical and business stakeholders.

Responsibilities
Design, develop, test, and maintain Java-based applications using Java SDK 21.
Build and enhance applications using Spring Boot and the broader Spring Framework.
Develop and maintain REST APIs and JSON-based integrations.
Support smaller web applications using Thymeleaf, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Work with AWS-based infrastructure and services, including ECS, API Gateway, and DynamoDB.
Contribute to source control and development workflows using GitLab.
Build, maintain, and troubleshoot GitLab CI/CD pipelines.
Collaborate with team members on application architecture, implementation decisions, code reviews, and deployment practices.
Support infrastructure-as-code efforts, especially where Terraform is used.
Use IntelliJ IDEA as the primary development environment.
Apply sound software engineering practices, including maintainable code design, testing, documentation, and operational awareness.
Where appropriate, leverage AI-assisted coding tools to improve development productivity and code quality.

Required Qualifications
Strong professional experience developing applications with Java.
Experience with Java 21 or recent versions of the Java SDK.
Solid experience with Spring Boot and Spring-based application development.
Experience designing, building, and consuming REST APIs.
Strong working knowledge of JSON and API integration patterns.
Familiarity with front-end technologies including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Experience using Git-based source control, preferably GitLab.
Experience working with CI/CD pipelines, preferably GitLab CI/CD.
Practical experience developing, deploying, or supporting applications in AWS.
Ability to work independently, communicate clearly, and deliver high-quality work in a contractor capacity.

Preferred Qualifications
Experience with Thymeleaf for server-side templating.
Hands-on experience with AWS services such as:

Amazon ECS
Amazon API Gateway
Amazon DynamoDB
Familiarity with Terraform or other infrastructure-as-code tools.
Experience using IntelliJ IDEA in a professional development environment.
Familiarity with AI-assisted development tools such as Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, or similar tools.
Experience troubleshooting cloud deployments, application logs, build pipelines, and environment-related issues.
Understanding of secure coding practices and cloud application security concepts.

Technical Environment
Our current technology stack includes:

Java SDK 21

Spring Boot / Spring Framework

Thymeleaf

REST APIs

JSON

HTML / CSS / JavaScript

AWS, including ECS, API Gateway, and DynamoDB

GitLab repositories

GitLab CI/CD pipelines

Terraform

IntelliJ IDEA

AI-assisted coding tools, including exploration of Claude Code

Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is a strong Java developer who can move comfortably between backend development, lightweight front-end work, cloud-based deployments, and CI/CD workflows. They should be able to understand existing systems quickly, contribute clean and maintainable code, and work effectively in a modern cloud-oriented development environment.

Experience with AWS, GitLab pipelines, Terraform, and AI-assisted coding tools is highly valued.