IT Software Engineer 5 (2x Positions) (81356-1)
Cullerton Group has a new opportunity for an IT Software Engineer 5. The work will be done on a hybrid schedule in Chicago, IL (2 days per week onsite). This is a long-term 12-month position that can lead to permanent employment with our client. Compensation is up to $110/hr + full benefits (vision, dental, health insurance, 401k, and holiday pay).
Job Summary
Cullerton Group is seeking two highly experienced Senior Java Software Engineers to lead backend development efforts for a large-scale digital platform. These engineers will work independently on complex systems, drive the design and development of backend services, and act as technical leaders within geographically distributed teams. Responsibilities include solving advanced system problems, mentoring junior developers, enforcing best practices, and delivering high-value features in a high-performance environment. This role is ideal for backend specialists who excel in cloud-native development, distributed systems, and technical leadership.
Key Responsibilities
Lead backend design and development using Java 17, ensuring scalable, maintainable, and reliable solutions
Provide technical leadership, guidance, and mentorship to distributed development teams
Work independently on complex systems or infrastructure components used across multiple applications
Develop RESTful services and cloud-enabled backend components
Resolve complex technical issues, including occasional off-shift or weekend production support
Conduct integration testing, customer acceptance testing, and quality validation
Participate in technology evaluations and architecture discussions
Drive continuous improvement, maintain coding best practices, and identify growth areas for the team
Collaborate with internal customers to refine requirements, validate solutions, and support debugging
Required Qualifications
Bachelors degree or higher in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
Minimum 10+ years of Java backend software development experience
At least 3+ years leading geographically dispersed engineering teams
Strong expertise with Java 17, backend architecture, and RESTful API development
Hands-on experience with AWS services including IAM, Kinesis, DynamoDB, SQS, SNS, API stack, KMS
Strong SQL skills (Slick), DevOps familiarity, and experience designing high-availability systems
Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and maintain high performance standards
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with distributed systems, event-driven architectures, and cloud-native platforms
Strong architectural thinking with experience designing enterprise-level backend solutions
Ability to mentor, lead code reviews, and influence engineering best practices
Why This Role?
This position offers the opportunity to lead backend development for a major digital transformation initiative. You will work with modern cloud technologies, tackle complex architectural challenges, and influence technical direction across multiple teams. Cullerton Group provides a professional and growth-oriented environment where experienced engineers can expand their leadership, contribute to large-scale systems, and strengthen their backend engineering expertise.