Java Application Developer (Denver)

Java Developer — Spring Boot & AWS (Contract)

Location: Denver, CO — hybrid, onsite Tuesdays. Must be local to the Denver metro area.

Type: Contract — $60.00–$66.90/hr W2 (plus benefits), or $76.00/hr 1099/C2C

Duration: December 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027, with extension possible

Application window: expected to close October 31, 2026

About the Role

Our client in Denver is hiring a Java developer to design, build, and support web applications, RESTful microservices, and cloud-hosted services. The work is Java 21 and Spring Boot on the backend, Thymeleaf for server-rendered UI, and AWS underneath it — Amazon ECS, API Gateway, and DynamoDB — with Terraform and GitLab CI/CD handling infrastructure and deployment.

This is a build-and-own role rather than a hand-off one. The same person writing the Spring Boot service writes the Terraform that provisions it and the pipeline that ships it. If you’ve spent your career handing code to a platform team at the merge, this is a wider job than you’re used to. If you’d rather own the whole path from endpoint to environment, that’s exactly what this is.

The team develops in IntelliJ IDEA and actively uses AI-assisted coding tools — Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, and Cursor are all in the workflow, not on a pilot.

One day a week onsite in Denver on Tuesdays, remote Monday and Wednesday through Friday. Core hours are 8:00–5:00 MST. You need to be living in the Denver metro area — this is not a remote role.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, test, and maintain Java backend applications using Java SDK 21 and Spring Boot
• Develop, document, and consume RESTful APIs and JSON integrations for backend and third-party systems
• Build and support server-rendered web interfaces using Thymeleaf, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• Deploy, support, and troubleshoot applications in AWS — Amazon ECS, API Gateway, and DynamoDB
• Manage source code, branching strategy, and CI/CD automation pipelines in GitLab
• Write and maintain Infrastructure-as-Code configurations using Terraform
• Apply unit testing, logging, and modern development practices, including AI-assisted coding tools

Required Qualifications

• Hands-on professional experience in Java application engineering, with proficiency in Java SDK 21 or a recent LTS release
• Strong experience with Spring Boot, REST API development, and JSON data structures
• Practical experience deploying and managing applications in AWS
• Demonstrated experience with Git-based version control and CI/CD pipelines
• Living in the Denver, CO metro area and able to work onsite on Tuesdays
• Authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship, now or in the future

Preferred

• GitLab specifically, rather than another Git platform
• Terraform, or comparable Infrastructure-as-Code experience
• Thymeleaf, or other server-side templating
• Amazon DynamoDB, or other NoSQL data stores
• Experience working with AI-assisted development tools

Additional Requirements

Selection is contingent on a background check — criminal history and identity verification — and a drug screen.

Benefits (employee contribution)

• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• Life insurance
• Retirement plan

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Rate of pay within the stated range will depend on the qualifications of the applicant.