Lead API Developer

Overview

Lead Java API Developer responsible for designing, developing, deploying, and maintaining high-performance backend systems, RESTful APIs, and event-driven microservices. The role contributes to application systems analysis and programming, establishes or revises application systems and programs, and supports business users and technology stakeholders.

What you'll do

• Conduct feasibility studies, time and cost estimates, IT planning, risk technology, applications development, model development, and establish and implement new or revised applications systems and programs to meet specific business needs or user areas.
• Monitor and control all phases of the development process, including analysis, design, construction, testing, and implementation.
• Provide user and operational support on applications to business users.
• Analyze complex problems and issues using in-depth specialty knowledge of applications development.
• Evaluate business processes, system processes, and industry standards, and make evaluative judgements.
• Recommend and develop security measures in post-implementation analysis of business usage to ensure successful system design and functionality.
• Consult with users, clients, and other technology groups on issues.
• Recommend advanced programming solutions, and install and assist customer exposure systems.
• Ensure essential procedures are followed and help define operating standards and processes.
• Architect, build, and deploy robust RESTful APIs and event-driven microservices.
• Enforce coding standards, design patterns, modular architecture, and CI/CD best practices.
• Leverage AI-powered developer tools to automate test generation, optimize code sanctity, and achieve 100% code coverage.
• Lead code reviews, mentor junior and mid-level developers, and drive technical roadmaps.
• Collaborate with Product Owners, Architects, and cross-functional teams in an Agile environment.
• Serve as an advisor or coach to new or lower-level analysts.
• Assess risk when business decisions are made, considering the firm's reputation and safeguarding Citigroup, its clients, and assets.
• Drive compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, adhere to policy, apply sound ethical judgement regarding personal behavior, conduct, and business practices, and escalate, manage, and report control issues with transparency.
• Perform other job-related duties as required.

What you'll need

• 5-8 years of relevant experience.
• 12+ years of hands-on software development using Java (Java 17/21), Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, and Hibernate/JPA.
• Experience in systems analysis and programming of software applications.
• Experience in managing and implementing successful projects.
• Working knowledge of consulting/project management techniques/methods.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage deadlines or unexpected changes in expectations or requirements.
• Bachelor’s degree/University degree or equivalent experience.
• Proven track record designing enterprise-grade RESTful APIs with OpenAPI/Swagger specifications.
• Deep understanding of SOLID principles, Clean Architecture, Design Patterns, and concurrency/multithreading.
• Hands-on experience integrating AI-assisted coding and testing tools, such as GitHub Copilot, Cursor, or LLM-based test generation, to guarantee 100% code coverage and ensure code sanctity, mutation testing, and vulnerability prevention.
• Mastery of JUnit 5, Mockito, Testcontainers, and integration test suites.
• Strong database expertise with RDBMS, including PostgreSQL and Oracle, and NoSQL databases, including MongoDB and Cassandra.
• Experience with messaging/event streaming platforms, including Apache Kafka and RabbitMQ.
• Extensive experience in Agile/Scrum development life cycles, sprint planning, and backlog grooming.
• Proficiency with Git, CI/CD pipelines, including Jenkins, GitHub Actions, and Tekton, Docker, and Kubernetes/OpenShift.
• Ability to operate with a limited level of direct supervision and exercise independence of judgement and autonomy.
• Ability to act as an SME to senior stakeholders and/or other team members.

Nice to have

• Hands-on experience with cloud platforms, including AWS, GCP, or Azure, and serverless architectures.
• Familiarity with API Gateways, Service Mesh, and distributed caching, including Redis and Hazelcast.
• Experience with static code analysis and governance tools, including SonarQube, Snyk, and Checkmarx.
• Background in financial services, high-throughput transaction processing, or distributed ledger architectures.

Details

• Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India.
• Employment type: Full time.