Java Engineer

This role is no longer open

We are not accepting applications for this position at the moment. The description below is kept for reference. See our current openings, or send us your CV at contact@stepto.net and we will get in touch when something similar opens up.

About the Role

We're looking for a skilled Java Engineer with 3+ years of experience to design, build, and scale resilient backend services and APIs. You'll take ownership of backend architecture, from crafting robust microservices with Spring Boot to ensuring reliability in production, working closely with cross-functional teams, product owners, and AI engineers.

This is a hands-on engineering role based in a hybrid setup (2 days in our Belgrade office, 3 days remote). You'll embed with project teams, taking ownership of core backend infrastructure on both greenfield projects and high-scale existing systems.

You should be comfortable writing clean, maintainable Java code, managing asynchronous workflows, and communicating transparently about technical tradeoffs and delivery timelines.

What You'll Do

• Design and maintain scalable, high-performance microservices and RESTful/gRPC APIs using Java, Spring, and Spring Boot.
• Write robust, well-tested code (unit, integration, and end-to-end tests) and maintain clean application performance.
• Instrument services for production monitoring, trace performance bottlenecks, and build dashboards for observability (experience with Grafana is a big plus).
• Collaborate with AI/ML engineers to integrate intelligent models, LLM APIs, and smart automation workflows into backend pipelines.
• Work with relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) and messaging queues/event streams (e.g., Kafka, RabbitMQ).
• Participate in automated CI/CD pipelines, containerized deployments (Docker, Kubernetes), and modern cloud infrastructure practices.

What We're Looking For

• 3+ years of professional software development experience building backend applications with Java, Spring, and Spring Boot.
• Solid understanding of OOP design principles, microservice architecture, and database management (SQL / NoSQL).
• Familiarity with RESTful API design, authentication/authorization patterns, and concurrency.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills for effective collaboration.
• Located in or near Belgrade, Serbia, comfortable with a hybrid schedule (2 days/week in the Belgrade office).
• Nice to have: hands-on experience setting up metrics, logging, and observability dashboards using Grafana (and Prometheus/OpenTelemetry).
• Nice to have: interest or hands-on exposure to AI/ML integration (e.g., Spring AI, OpenAI/LLM API integrations, vector databases).

What We Offer

• Hybrid work: 2 days in our Belgrade office, 3 days working from home.
• Experienced team: work alongside engineers with 5–15 years of experience. High autonomy, low friction, and a strong focus on engineering craft.
• Competitive compensation: top-of-market salary tied to impact, reviewed annually and paid in EUR.
• Learning budget: €1,500/year for conferences, certifications, books, and courses.
• Work-life balance: 25 days PTO, flexible hours, and a company culture that respects your personal time.