Software Engineer POST NUMBER: 465930
Lead Big Data / Backend Software Engineer
Location: Dublin, OH (Hybrid )
Type: Direct Hire
As a Lead Software Engineer in our Data Services Division, you will design, build, and scale backend data systems that power critical products used globally. This is a hands-on technical leadership role for an experienced backend engineer who can take ownership of complex systems—from inception through delivery—while guiding teams through architecture, execution, and best practices.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys leading from a technical perspective, setting direction, reviewing designs and code, preventing scalability and concurrency issues, and helping teams move faster and smarter. While you’ll remain technically strong, over time the role can evolve toward more strategic system design and technical oversight, rather than day-to-day coding.
There is no front-end work in this role—this position is 100% backend and data-focused.
We leverage modern AI tools (including Cursor) to streamline development and improve productivity. You won’t be building AI tools, but comfort using them as part of your workflow is a strong plus.
Technical Leadership & Delivery
- Own and drive end-to-end delivery of medium to large-scale backend and Big Data initiatives.
- Design systems that are scalable, resilient, and concurrency-safe, identifying risks early and addressing them through strong architecture.
- Evaluate, select, and influence technology stacks and solution approaches in partnership with Architecture teams.
- Lead teams through technical planning, execution, and refinement—ensuring progress, accountability, and clear communication.
- Review designs and code to ensure quality, performance, maintainability, and alignment with best practices.
- Design, develop, and maintain backend services using Java, Spring Boot, Python, and microservices-based architectures.
- Build and evolve Big Data solutions using technologies such as Hadoop, Spark, Kafka, and Scala.
- Implement data pipelines and services that scale reliably under load.
- Ensure high-quality delivery through unit, integration, and performance testing.
- Support CI/CD pipelines and production deployments in cloud environments.
- Serve as a technical mentor—providing guidance on system design, coding practices, and problem-solving approaches.
- Lead and participate in code reviews, helping raise the bar for quality and consistency.
- Model strong written and verbal communication, especially around technical decisions, timelines, and risks.
- Help teams adopt better ways of working, including effective use of modern tooling and AI-assisted development.
- Translate business and customer needs into well-architected technical solutions.
- Identify opportunities to improve platform scalability, reliability, and developer efficiency.
- Present complex technical concepts clearly to engineers, architects, and leadership.
- Solve cross-team technical challenges that have broad organizational impact.
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- 7 years of software development experience, including 5 years of strong Java development.
- Deep expertise in:
- Java and object-oriented design (design patterns, UML)
- Spring (IoC, Spring Boot), Maven
- REST and SOAP web services
- Backend system design and scalability
- Microservices architecture experience at scale.
- Proven ability to lead technically without direct people management responsibility.
- Experience reviewing and improving large, complex systems.
- Familiarity with using AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Cursor, copilots) to improve productivity and quality.
- Someone with depth of experience who can go beyond surface-level solutions.
- A technical leader who drives execution, communicates clearly, and keeps teams aligned.
- A strategic thinker who can design systems today that won’t break tomorrow.
- A mentor who raises the technical bar and helps others grow.
Vaco by Highspring values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.
EEO Notice
Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.
Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact HR@vaco.com .
Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.
By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.
Privacy Notice
Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries (“we,” “our,” or “Vaco by Highspring”) respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.
- California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
- Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
- Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
- Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
- Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here.
Pay Transparency Notice
Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:
- the individual’s skill sets, experience and training;
- licensure and certification requirements;
- office location and other geographic considerations;
- other business and organizational needs.
With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.