Java Full Stack Engineer (Contract)

Job Description

Axian is seeking a Senior Full Stack Java Engineer in the Portland Oregon area for a 3+ month contract to design, build, and modernize enterprise-grade applications and cloud platforms for our clients. 

This role combines deep hands-on software engineering expertise with architectural thinking. You will participate in development efforts across backend services, APIs, cloud infrastructure, and modern single-page application (SPA) frontends. 

A key focus of this role is building scalable, maintainable, production-grade software systems using modern Java technologies and cloud-native engineering practices. 

You will work closely with architects, project managers, analysts, and client stakeholders to deliver secure, high-quality solutions that support critical business operations and digital transformation initiatives. 

The ideal candidate is comfortable navigating ambiguity, balancing competing priorities, and adapting quickly in fast-moving client environments. 

What You’ll Do:

• Design and develop modern enterprise applications using Java, Spring Boot, and cloud-native architectures.  

• Build scalable REST APIs, backend services, and distributed application components.  

• Develop and maintain modern SPA frontends using Vue.js, TypeScript, HTML, and CSS.  

• Design and implement multi-tiered business applications and microservices architectures.  

• Integrate enterprise systems, third-party APIs, databases, and cloud services.  

• Develop secure, reliable, and maintainable software using modern engineering best practices.  

• Create automated unit, integration, and end-to-end tests to support high-quality software delivery.  

• Participate in Agile/SCRUM development teams and contribute to sprint planning, estimation, and technical design discussions.  

• Implement CI/CD pipelines and support DevOps automation practices.  

• Optimize application performance, scalability, reliability, and operational observability.  

• Contribute to cloud architecture decisions and application modernization strategies.  

• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to engineering standards and best practices across client engagements.  

• Collaborate directly with business stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into technical solutions.  

• Effectively manage multiple workstreams and shifting priorities across client engagements. 

 Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or equivalent combination of education and 7+ years of professional experience in software engineering or information technology  

• 4+ years of hands-on Java development experience  

• Strong experience with Spring Boot and enterprise Java application development  

• Strong experience building enterprise-level multi-tiered business applications  

• Strong experience building REST APIs and backend service architectures  

• Strong understanding of object-oriented design principles and software architecture patterns  

• Strong experience developing modern SPA applications using Vue.js  

• Strong JavaScript and/or TypeScript development experience  

• Strong proficiency with HTML5 and modern CSS  

• Strong experience designing and developing applications backed by relational databases such as PostgreSQL, SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, or similar enterprise platforms  

• Advanced SQL development skills, including query optimization, indexing strategies, stored procedures, and performance tuning  

• Strong experience with modern Java ORM and persistence technologies, including Hibernate, JPA, Spring Data JPA, or similar frameworks  

• Experience designing logical and physical data models for enterprise business applications  

• Understanding of transactional systems, concurrency, and data integrity patterns in distributed applications  

• Experience working with cloud platforms such as Azure or AWS  

• Experience implementing automated testing and test-driven development practices  

• Strong understanding of HTTP, REST, authentication, and web application architecture  

• Experience with Git-based source control and modern development workflows  

• Experience participating in Agile/SCRUM software development environments  

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills  

• Ability to collaborate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders  

• Ability to estimate engineering effort and contribute to technical planning activities  

• Ability to work effectively in ambiguous environments and manage competing priorities

Preferred Experience & Additional Skills:

• Experience with modern Java frameworks and tooling  

• Experience designing or supporting microservices architectures  

• Experience with containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes  

• Experience implementing CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or similar platforms  

• Experience with cloud-native development patterns and distributed systems  

• Experience with React or Angular  

• Experience with Node.js, Python, or C#/.NET development  

• Experience with message queues or event-driven architectures  

• Experience working with distributed data architectures, caching technologies, or NoSQL platforms such as Redis, MongoDB, or Elasticsearch  

• Experience integrating enterprise platforms such as SAP, NetSuite, Oracle, Workday, or Salesforce

• Experience working in consulting or client-facing engineering roles  

• Familiarity with observability and monitoring tools  

• Experience profiling and troubleshooting application performance issues  

• UI/UX design experience or strong front-end architecture skills 

What Makes You Successful in This Role: 

• You enjoy building scalable, production-grade software systems  

• You take ownership of technical solutions and engineering quality  

• You enjoy solving complex integration and modernization challenges  

• You communicate effectively with both technical teams and business stakeholders  

• You are comfortable working across both frontend and backend technologies  

• You thrive in environments with evolving requirements and competing priorities  

• You bring curiosity, adaptability, and a collaborative engineering mindset  

• You can balance technical excellence with practical business outcomes 

Location: Portland, OR