Middleware / Integration Engineer

A leading Consulting Firm is seeking a Middleware / Integration Engineer for a 6+ month contract-to-hire role. We are seeking an experienced Middleware / Integration Engineer to design, develop, and modernize secure, scalable, and cloud-ready API, data, and enterprise integration solutions. In this role, you'll work with modern technologies including Python, Apache Kafka, REST APIs, Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD automation to build reliable integration services that connect applications, data, and platforms across the enterprise. You'll have the opportunity to strengthen API security, advance event-driven architecture, modernize legacy integration patterns, and improve engineering efficiency through automation and emerging technologies. The ideal candidate combines strong hands-on software and integration engineering skills with an understanding of API security, event-driven architectures, microservices, containerized deployments, and DevOps practices. Experience with technologies such as Apigee, IBM App Connect Enterprise (ACE), Databricks, and AI-assisted development tools is especially valuable. Location: Onsite at the client location in the Salt Lake City, UT area Your future duties and responsibilities How You'll Make an Impact As a Middleware / Integration Engineer, you will help modernize the technologies and engineering practices that connect critical enterprise systems. You will: . Design, develop, test, deploy, and maintain scalable middleware, REST API, data, and enterprise integration services using Python and modern integration patterns. . Develop secure APIs and implement enterprise API security standards, including OAuth/OAuth 2.0, JWT, JWE, HMAC, authentication, authorization, and secure service to service communication. . Design and implement Kafka based event driven integrations, including producers, consumers, topics, message processing, exception handling, resiliency, and connectivity with enterprise applications. . Build and deploy containerized middleware and integration services using Docker and Kubernetes, applying cloud native, microservices, scalability, availability, and resiliency best practices. . Design, enhance, and maintain automated CI/CD pipelines, source control practices, automated testing, release automation, and DevOps processes that enable reliable and repeatable software delivery. . Develop and support REST/JSON based integrations while working with enterprise integration technologies such as Apigee Edge/Hybrid, IBM App Connect Enterprise (ACE), SOAP, XML, XSD, and WSDL where appropriate. . Troubleshoot complex integration and production issues, conduct root cause analysis, optimize performance, and improve the reliability and observability of production services. . Participate in periodic on call support and collaborate with engineering and operations teams to resolve critical production incidents. . Partner with application, data, cloud, security, and architecture teams throughout the Agile software development lifecycle to deliver integrated enterprise solutions. . Evaluate and apply emerging technologies and engineering practices, including AI/GenAI, GitHub Copilot, Databricks, Data as a Service (DaaS), and modern API management capabilities, to improve development efficiency and solution quality. . Contribute to reusable integration patterns, engineering standards, automation, and technical documentation that improve consistency and accelerate future delivery. Required qualifications to be successful in this role What You'll Bring . Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related discipline, along with relevant professional experience in middleware, software engineering, API development, or enterprise integration. . Strong hands-on development experience with Python, REST APIs, and JSON, including designing, developing, testing, troubleshooting, and supporting enterprise-grade integration services. . Strong knowledge of secure API design and API security technologies, including OAuth/OAuth 2.0, JWT, JWE, HMAC, authentication, authorization, and service-to-service security patterns. . Hands-on experience with Apache Kafka and event-driven architectures, including developing and supporting message-driven integration solutions. . Experience building and deploying applications or integration services using Docker, Kubernetes, containers, microservices, and cloud native architectural patterns. . Experience with CI/CD, DevOps, Git/source control, automated testing, and release automation in modern software delivery environments. . Experience working within Agile and/or SAFe SDLC environments, collaborating effectively with cross-functional engineering teams. . Strong analytical and troubleshooting capabilities, including experience supporting production systems, performing root cause analysis, and resolving complex integration issues. . Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across application, data, cloud, infrastructure, security, and architecture teams. We're especially interested in candidates with experience in: . Enterprise API management platforms such as Apigee Edge or Apigee Hybrid. . IBM App Connect Enterprise (ACE) or comparable enterprise integration/middleware platforms. . Enterprise web service technologies including SOAP, XML, XSD, and WSDL. . Modern data platforms and integration patterns involving Databricks and Data as a Service (DaaS). . API lifecycle management, governance, reusable integration patterns, and enterprise API standards. . Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) and other automated testing practices. . Monitoring, observability, performance optimization, and production reliability for distributed integration services. . AI/GenAI and AI-assisted software engineering tools, including GitHub Copilot. What Makes You Successful You'll thrive in this role if you enjoy solving complex integration challenges and working at the intersection of applications, APIs, data, cloud, and security. You bring an engineering mindset to integration?building solutions that are not only functional, but also secure, observable, automated, resilient, and maintainable. You are comfortable moving between hands on development and production troubleshooting, collaborating with multidisciplinary technical teams, and continuously looking for opportunities to simplify delivery through automation and reusable engineering practices. If you're excited about modernizing enterprise integration, building secure APIs and event driven solutions, and applying cloud native and AI assisted engineering practices to meaningful technology challenges, we'd like to hear from you.