Staff Backend Software Engineer

This is a remote position. JOB ID #936 Ad Hoc is a technology company that empowers organizations to deliver scalable, impactful digital services. Using modern, agile methods, our team creates products that meet people's needs and transform their experience of government. Work on things that matter Our collaborations have shaped some of the defining moments in public-sector service delivery. We've helped build products that connect Veterans to tailored services, help millions access affordable health care, and support important programs like Head Start. As we work with agencies to deliver critical services, we're also changing how the government approaches technology. Built for a remote life Our culture, communications, and tools are built for remote work, enabling us to bring together top talent nationwide. At Ad Hoc, remote life empowers our teams to design work environments that fit their lives and that foster flexibility and collaboration to achieve positive outcomes for our customers. Committed to high expectations and a welcoming culture Ad Hoc values acceptance, accountability, and humility. We aren't heroes. We learn from our mistakes and improve the process for the next time. We build small, inclusive teams to collaborate closely with our partners to solve the right problems and deliver software that works. The Veterans Affairs business unit helps transform the VA into a modern digital services organization where Veteran outcomes are at the center of every effort. We partner with the VA to design and deliver seamless user experiences for Veterans, their families and caregivers, and VA employees. By applying better practices in service design, product management, and technology, we enable the VA to increase the use, quality, and reliability of services and decrease the time Veterans spend waiting for outcomes. About The Program This role supports the Veterans Enrollment System Enrollment Eligibility (VESEE) program for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Information & Technology. These systems support Veteran health care eligibility and enrollment and serve more than 16,000 users across the Health Eligibility Center and VHA Office of Community Care. The program is actively modernizing a large, mission-critical enterprise Java application into a microservices-based architecture. This modernization is happening in phases, with several phases still ahead. You will join active, in-flight modernization work, building modern backend services while the legacy platform remains in production and continues to require enhancement and sustainment. The modern and legacy stacks coexist and interoperate, and this role will work across both environments to help move the platform forward while maintaining the reliability of systems Veterans depend on today. Primary Responsibilities As a Staff Software Engineer, you will serve as a senior individual contributor and emerging subject matter expert, operating with a high level of trust, autonomy, and technical ownership. With minimal oversight, you will be responsible for meeting scope, schedule, and delivery commitments while helping guide technical decisions within the team. You will represent the software engineering practice in planning and technical discussions, advocate for sound engineering solutions, and clearly communicate technical tradeoffs to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Primary Responsibilities Include Design, develop, and maintain backend services within a microservices architecture using Java 17+, Spring Boot, JPA/Hibernate, and REST APIsDesign and implement REST and SOAP-based services, including integrations between the modernized platform and existing systemsSupport the enhancement and sustainment of the legacy enterprise Java platform using technologies including Java, Spring Framework, Struts, JSP, EJB, JMS, WebLogic, Hibernate, and OracleAnalyze, troubleshoot, and resolve complex software defects and production issues across modern and legacy systemsDevelop and optimize SQL queries, data access patterns, and database integrations with OracleCollaborate with architects and senior engineers on modernization initiatives, technical design, and implementation strategyReduce technical ambiguity through clear documentation, thoughtful refactoring, automated testing, and improvements to existing systemsContribute to automated testing, CI/CD processes, application deployments, and overall engineering qualityParticipate actively in Agile ceremonies, including sprint planning, standups, reviews, and retrospectives, as well as planning and technical discussions with partners and key stakeholdersConduct code reviews, share technical knowledge, and mentor junior and mid-level engineersPlan and execute technical roadmaps and complex engineering work with minimal guidance from technical leadershipPresent technical topics effectively, clearly articulating implementation complexity, tradeoffs, risks, and costs to help inform business and technical decisionsCommunicate effectively about existing systems, design decisions, and program history in support of technical demonstrations, bid writing, and other client-facing activitiesParticipate in technical interviews and help evaluate engineering candidatesPeriodically travel to collaborate with and present to clients, partners, and stakeholders Basic Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field and 10+ years of professional software development experienceRelevant professional experience may be substituted for education8+ years of hands-on Java development experience5+ years of hands-on experience with Spring Framework and/or Spring Boot5+ years of hands-on experience developing REST APIs and web services within a microservices architecture5+ years of experience working with Oracle or another relational databaseExperience designing, developing, troubleshooting, and supporting production enterprise applicationsExperience working within Agile/Scrum development environmentsExperience using Git-based source controlStrong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skillsStrong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to work directly with teammates, partners, and stakeholders in a distributed environment Preferred Qualifications Experience with event-driven architectures and technologies such as KafkaExperience with caching technologies such as RedisExperience designing resilient external integrations using patterns such as circuit breakers, retry logic, timeout handling, and graceful failureFamiliarity with legacy J2EE technologies such as Struts, JSP, EJB, JMS, and WebLogicExperience with containerized application development using Docker and KubernetesStrong automated testing practices using tools such as JUnit and MockitoExperience modernizing or decomposing large monolithic applications into microservicesExperience supporting environments where legacy and modernized architectures must operate concurrentlyPrior experience working in FedRAMP, FISMA, HIPAA, or similarly regulated environments To learn more about working at Ad Hoc, please visit: https://adhocteam.us/join Benefits Company-subsidized health, dental, and vision insuranceFlexible PTO401K with employer matchPaid parental leave after one year of serviceEmployee Assistance Program Ad Hoc LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, age, pregnancy, disability, work-related injury, covered veteran status, political ideology, marital status, or any other factor that the law protects from employment discrimination. We value the unique skills gained through military service and encourage veterans and transitioning service members to apply. In support of various state and city equal pay transparency laws, Ad Hoc job descriptions feature the starting range we reasonably expect to pay to candidates who would join our team with little to no need for training on the responsibilities we've outlined above. Actual compensation is influenced by a wide range of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and responsibility. The range of starting pay for this role is $130,000 - $160,000. Our recruiters will be happy to answer any questions you may have, and we look forward to learning more about your salary requirements. Job Reference https://adhoc.team/