Staff Engineer (Java) - Dubai

We are looking for a Staff SDE – Java Backend who will serve as a technical leader, driving architectural direction, multi-team initiatives, and the development of highly scalable distributed systems. You will partner with Product, Architecture, DevOps and cross-functional engineering teams to deliver impactful technology solutions across a complex digital ecosystem. You will independently define and deliver large-scale, multi-phase projects, mentor engineers, and shape technical strategy. The role also includes leveraging LLMs and GenAI-driven tools to enhance engineering productivity, reduce cycle time, and build the next generation of internal developer experience tools. RESPONSIBILITIES Technical Leadership · Drive technical strategy and architecture for complex distributed systems and core platform components. · Own end-to-end delivery of high-impact, multi-team engineering initiatives. · Translate ambiguous business requirements into clear, pragmatic technical solutions. · Define technical roadmaps, sequence projects into phases, and ensure timely execution across teams. Software Engineering & System Design · Architect, develop, and optimize microservices using Java, Spring Boot, Spring Cloud. · Design scalable, resilient, secure cloud-native applications using Azure/AWS. · Lead system design reviews, architecture discussions, and technical deep dives. · Solve complex cross-system issues through deep debugging, performance tuning, and root cause analysis. · Build frameworks and shared libraries to accelerate development across squads. AI & Engineering Productivity · Champion adoption of AI-assisted development practices and LLM/GenAI tools across engineering teams to enhance workflows, improve cycle time, and automate routine tasks. · Define clear guidelines, training, and standards for effective and secure use of AI tools, including prompt engineering, code generation, and review expectations. · Integrate AI-driven capabilities such as code generation, unit test creation, log analysis, documentation summarization, and code review assistance into the development workflow. · Establish and enforce engineering best practices for AI-generated code, including human-in-the-loop reviews, coding standards, test automation, secure coding, and design-first development. · Measure and optimize engineering productivity using AI-related metrics (cycle time, PR throughput, AI-code adoption, defect escape rate, developer satisfaction) and continuously identify opportunities to reduce bottlenecks with AI. Collaboration & Cross-Functional Impact · Work closely with Product Owners, Architects, QE, DevOps, and peer engineering teams. · Communicate technical trade-offs, risks, and decisions clearly to non-technical stakeholders. · Coordinate across teams to resolve dependencies and align on architectural standards. · Influence technical direction beyond your immediate team. Team Leadership & Mentoring · Mentor engineers across multiple teams, guiding them in design, coding, debugging, and best practices. · Participate actively in hiring and talent development. · Raise the engineering bar through code reviews, design critiques, and technical leadership. · Help define and uphold engineering best practices, coding standards, and architectural principles. Ownership & Operational Excellence · Take full ownership of systems from development to deployment, monitoring, and maintenance. · Ensure engineering deliverables meet performance, reliability, and security criteria. · Proactively identify areas for improvement and propose scalable, maintainable solutions. · Lead incident response, post-mortems, and continuous improvement initiatives. SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS Must-Have · 10+ years of professional experience in Java Backend Development. · Deep expertise in Java, J2EE, Spring, Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, and building microservices-based architectures. · Proven experience shipping scalable, high-availability, high-performance systems in a microservices environment, including load handling, horizontal scaling, observability, and fault-tolerant design. · Experience with Kafka, JMS, distributed system patterns, caching, asynchronous processing. · Hands-on experience with Docker, Kubernetes / OpenShift, and CI/CD pipelines. · Strong knowledge of working with databases: Oracle, MySQL, MongoDB, Cassandra, etc. · Experience designing and scaling systems on Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud. · Excellent problem-solving skills, debugging capabilities, and system-level thinking. · Strong communication skills, both verbal and written. · Ability to lead teams, influence stakeholders, and drive technical initiatives. Good-to-Have · Experience applying LLMs/GenAI to improve engineering productivity and developer workflows. · Prompt engineering experience and familiarity with integrating models into applications. · Experience with Domain-Driven Design, event-driven systems, CQRS, or enterprise integration patterns. · Familiarity with Linux systems and container-based deployment architectures. · Experience with application servers such as Tomcat. · Contributions to internal platforms or open-source projects. Personal Attributes · Strong leadership qualities with the ability to influence without authority. · High levels of self-motivation, ownership, and drive. · Critical thinking abilities and a strong problem-solving mindset. · Excellent team collaboration skills and a positive, proactive attitude. · Adaptability, willingness to learn, and continuous improvement mindset. · Ability to work under pressure and handle multiple competing priorities effectively.