Flexible Work Model
Work from home, from the office, or in a hybrid format that supports focus and collaboration.
About the role
As a Lead Backend Engineer, you will design and build the server-side services and data pipelines behind business-critical applications for our Client, a European public sector organization. You will take technical ownership of the APIs you expose and the enterprise data moving beneath them — across Java or PHP services, relational databases with PL/SQL, and ETL pipelines — and act as the technical reference point for the team.
Responsibilities
- Design, develop, and maintain back-end services and business logic in Java or PHP
- Take technical ownership of the services you deliver, including their correctness, error handling, performance, and security in production
- Provide technical leadership to the team through code review and knowledge sharing, take part in multilingual discussions with stakeholders, and translate requirements into workable technical solutions
- Design, build, secure, and document RESTful APIs and web services, including OpenAPI/Swagger documentation, and manage how they are exposed through the API gateway
- Design and optimize relational data structures, writing complex SQL and PL/SQL for the applications and reporting that depend on them
- Build and maintain enterprise data pipelines using ETL tooling
- Analyze complex back-end issues, identify root causes, and design effective solutions
- Test and document what you deliver, working within the established Git workflows and development practices
Requirements
- A university degree at master's level (or 5 years of higher education) with a minimum of 15 years of IT professional experience
- Proficiency in back-end languages (Java, PHP), with a strong understanding of the web development cycle and of programming techniques and tools
- Very good experience in designing, building, and securing RESTful APIs and web services, including OpenAPI/Swagger documentation
- At least 5 years of practical experience with API Gateway and Postman
- At least 10 years of practical experience working with relational databases (e.g. PostgreSQL, Oracle, MySQL), including writing complex SQL queries and understanding database design
- Excellent knowledge of PL/SQL
- Excellent knowledge of ETL tools (e.g. SAP Data Services, Talend, Informatica, DataStage) for managing enterprise data pipelines
- Considered an asset: experience with frameworks such as Spring Boot, Hibernate and Node.js; experience with Python; experience with APM tools (Dynatrace, Splunk, Elastic APM) and knowledge of OpenTelemetry for metrics, logs and traces; and experience with Git workflows (GitFlow, trunk-based) together with an understanding of legacy systems using SVN
- Very good knowledge of English or French, both spoken and written, corresponding to Level B2 or higher (CEFR), with attention to detail in code correctness, error handling and documentation, the ability to analyze complex back-end issues and design effective solutions, excellent interpersonal and communication skills, good team spirit, integration into an international and multicultural environment, participation in multilingual meetings, and the ability to work both autonomously and as part of a team with a results-oriented mindset
SoftServe is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration regardless of race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, citizenship, disability, health condition, marital or family status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Role Summary
Location
Bulgaria, Poland, Romania
Work type
Remote/Office
Direction
Engineering & Technology
Subdirection
Software Development
Tech level
Lead
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About us
We are a digital engineering and technology consulting company where expertise grows alongside people. For more than 30 years, we have been elevating technology: helping organizations navigate complex business challenges by combining deep engineering knowledge with thoughtful, research-backed innovation. Our teams work across key areas: digital engineering, data and analytics, Сloud, and AI/ML. In each, we deliver practical, scalable solutions rooted in real business needs and measurable human impact.
You bring your perspective and ambition. We create an environment where your work meets clarity, confidence, and purpose.
We offer
Compensation & Benefits
Competitive, market-based pay, benchmarked by role and location — plus health coverage, paid time off, wellness support, and learning opportunities.
People-first Leadership
Approachable leaders who communicate openly, keep teams close to the strategy, and support long-term planning.
Advanced tech communities
Stay close to AI/ML, Cloud, Quantum Computing, IoT, and Robotics communities, with projects built on modern frameworks.