[Hiring] Senior Principal Back End Engineer @Modus Create

Role Description

Modus Create is seeking a Principal Java Software Engineer to lead the design and delivery of complex, high-performance backend systems. You'll own greenfield Spring Framework components from architecture through production, setting technical direction for the engineering team while staying hands-on with critical implementation work. This is a role for a deeply experienced Java architect who can navigate ambiguity, mentor engineers, and deliver production-grade systems that handle extreme scale and throughput demands.

• Lead technical architecture and design decisions for a complex, multi-team consulting engagement.
• Define application structure, component boundaries, and integration patterns.
• Scaffold greenfield Spring Framework application components.
• Establish coding standards, best practices, and architectural patterns that the team will follow.
• Design and implement high-performance, heavy-load Spring Framework components.
• Apply advanced JVM tuning, caching strategies, and concurrency patterns to meet demanding operational requirements.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers on technical problem-solving, code quality, and architectural thinking.
• Conduct code reviews and provide constructive feedback.
• Partner with product leaders to refine features, stories, and technical requirements.
• Translate business needs into sound technical solutions.
• Shape the team's delivery schedule and quality standards.
• Ensure code meets performance benchmarks and architectural standards before production.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical challenges—both in code and in team dynamics—that block progress.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of professional Java development experience, with demonstrated mastery of the Spring Framework ecosystem.
• 10+ years of hands-on experience designing and implementing greenfield Spring Framework applications at scale.
• 5+ years of professional experience with JavaScript/TypeScript frontend technologies, preferably React.
• Deep expertise in JVM configuration, tuning, and optimization for high-volume, heavy-load systems.
• Proven ability to architect complex, multi-component systems for performance, scalability, and maintainability.
• Strong track record mentoring and managing engineers; experience building and scaling technical teams.
• Experience creating AI-powered applications, integrating with AI tools and services, or creating/using MCP servers.
• Strong collaborative mindset; comfortable operating in flat team structures and advocating for technical decisions.
• Hands-on cloud platform experience—deploying, configuring, troubleshooting, and optimizing applications in production cloud environments.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to manage client stakeholder relationships and translate technical complexity into clear guidance.
• Demonstrated collaborative approach to team leadership—balancing autonomy with clear architectural direction.

Requirements

• Building sophisticated, high-performance Spring Framework systems from the ground up and watching them scale.
• Working with a team of talented engineers who respect deep technical expertise and are eager to learn from you.
• Solving hard JVM and architecture problems—concurrency, performance tuning, distributed system coordination.
• Having the autonomy to make significant technical decisions while also knowing your guidance directly shapes how your team thinks about code and design.
• Seeing junior engineers level up through your mentorship and start solving complex problems independently.

Benefits

• Be part of a winning squad that plays to each other’s strengths and celebrates every success together.