Lead Java Developer

The Lead Developer provides hands-on technical leadership for a mission-critical, enterprise-scale application platform. This role partners closely with the Technical Manager to drive application development, cloud infrastructure design, and operational reliability across Azure-hosted environments.
This position is highly technical and execution-focused, with {
}75% or more of time spent actively writing, reviewing, and maintaining application code{}. In addition, the Lead Developer provides technical direction and oversight to senior developers, ensuring adherence to coding standards, architectural best practices, and high-quality delivery.
The role requires a balance of {
}software engineering expertise, cloud infrastructure knowledge, and development leadership{}, with a strong emphasis on system stability, scalability, and maintainability. This is a hybrid role with Tuesday-Thursday on-site days in Dearborn, MI expectation weekly.
Essential Job Functions:
h1. Technical Leadership & Oversight

• Serve as the technical lead for the platform, collaborating with technical manager on design decisions, architecture, and coding standards
• Provide guidance, direction, and oversight to senior developers and development teams
• Lead and participate in code reviews to ensure quality, security, and adherence to standards
• Establish and enforce best practices across development, testing, and deployment
• Partner with leadership to drive continuous improvement and modernization efforts

h2. Hands-On Development (Primary Responsibility)

• Actively contributes to the codebase, spending 75%+ of time on hands-on development
• Design, develop, enhance, and maintain backend applications and APIs
• Implement scalable, secure, and high-performance solutions
• Identify and address technical debt, performance bottlenecks, and system inefficiencies
• Ensure high-quality code through testing, validation, and review processes

h3. Code Quality & Engineering Practices

• Utilize tools such as SonarQube to monitor code quality and maintainability
• Promote secure coding practices and strong test coverage
• Partner with developers to improve overall code health and reduce technical debt

h4. Cloud Infrastructure & DevOps

• Collaborate with the Technical Manager to design and maintain Azure-hosted environments
• Lead the implementation of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using Terraform and Ansible
• Support configuration and management of cloud resources, including compute, storage, and networking
• Contribute to CI/CD pipeline development and optimization using Azure DevOps
• Ensure environments are scalable, reliable, and aligned with enterprise security standards

Other Responsibilities:
h1. Deployment & Operations

• Participate in release planning, deployment execution, and change management processes
• Collaborate with infrastructure, security, and vendor teams on system maintenance and improvements
• Maintain and enhance operational processes and system reliability

h2. Monitoring & Reliability

• Support applications monitored through {}24/7 monitoring tools{}, ensuring system health and availability
• Analyze alerts, system metrics, and trends to proactively identify issues
• Contribute to root cause analysis and continuous improvement efforts

h3. Documentation & Communication

• Develop and maintain clear technical documentation, including:

Application architecture and design
System workflows and processes
Deployment and operational procedures

• Communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Act as a trusted technical advisor to leadership and cross-functional teams

Minimum Qualifications and Job Requirements:
h1. Technical Skills

• Strong expertise in Java / J2EE and backend application development
• {}PHP experience required{}, including support and enhancement of production applications
• Experience with {}REST APIs{}, JSON, and service-based architectures
• Experience with {}SQL Server and MySQL{}, including performance tuning and data modeling
• Experience supporting Azure-hosted applications in production environments
• Hands-on experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using Terraform and Ansible
• Experience with NGINX and web server configuration
• Experience working in Agile / Scrum environments
• Proficiency with JIRA for Agile tracking and sprint management
• Proficiency using Azure DevOps for source control, CI/CD pipelines, and deployments
• Experience working with SonarQube or similar code quality tools

h2. Communication & Leadership

• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Proven ability to document application design, workflows, and system architecture
• Experience providing technical leadership and oversight to senior developers
• Ability to balance hands-on development responsibilities with leadership expectations

h3. Preferred Qualifications

• {}Kotlin experience preferred{}, particularly within Java-based ecosystems
• Experience supporting high-availability, enterprise-scale systems
• Experience with application monitoring and reliability tools
• Familiarity with performance tuning, caching strategies, and backend optimization