Senior Software Engineer (Java)

Black Swan Data is a leading provider of data, software, and consulting services for the consumer goods industry. Our technology uses AI and social data to power the insight and innovation capabilities of CPG brands like PepsiCo and General Mills.

We are a values-driven company that is committed to our employee’s wellbeing and growth. We believe that our people are our greatest asset, and we want to create an environment where they can thrive.  

Job Summary:

The Senior Software Engineer will play a critical role in designing, building, and maintaining high-performance services supporting our suite of SaaS products. This role requires a strong understanding of Java, Spring Boot, microservices architecture, and cloud computing. The successful candidate will work closely with product managers, designers, data scientists, and other engineers to ensure we deliver the right value at the right time. They will excel in an agile development environment and drive continuous improvement and adoption of best practices. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Design, develop, and maintain high-quality backend systems 

• Work with a cross functional team to deliver projects on time and within budget 

• Participate in all phases of the software development lifecycle, from requirements gathering to testing, deployment and evolution 

• Stay up to date on the latest technologies and trends in the software industry 

• Mentor and train junior engineers 

• Work with engineers to design and implement full-stack solutions 

Requirements: 

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent work experience). 

• Extensive experience with building Java services in the Spring (Boot) ecosystem with a focus on efficiency and maintainability. 

• Experience building and deploying scalable architectures in a cloud environment (AWS Preferred), including Kubernetes 

• Solid experience in testing frameworks (Mockito, Junit) 

• Strong understanding of CI/CD governance and principles 

• Strong problem solving and analytical skills to identify, diagnose, and resolve complex technical issues effectively. 

• Strong sense of ownership to take initiative, be accountable for assigned tasks, and deliver high-quality results. 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills to collaborate effectively with team members, stakeholders, and clients. 

• Experience working in accordance with agile and XP principles, and in frameworks such as Scrum & Kanban 

Advantageous skills: 

• Microservices Architecture: Understanding of microservices architecture and experience building microservices applications. 

• Containerization Technologies: Familiarity with containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes for deploying and scaling applications. 

• CI/CD Pipelines: Experience with building and maintaining CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery) tools and pipelines for automated builds, testing, and deployments. 

• Helm 

• Infrastructure as code: Terraform or Cloudformation 

• GraphQL 

• Mongo 

• Kafka 

• Python knowledge for some integration work 

• Exposure to LLM tooling and prompt engineering  

What makes a Swan? We want people fanatical about creating innovative solutions inspired by data. We know Black Swan’s DNA is different, it’s what helps us find new perspectives on our clients’ problems. Working in a fast paced, energized environment, our bar is set high, and an ability to build long lasting partnerships both internally and externally is vital. We have made a difference at our core and that is embedded in our values.

• We believe in long-term partnerships through transparency and honesty.

• We believe in leaving the world in a better place than we found it.

• We believe anyone can achieve great things. We do not put people in boxes.

• We listen more than we talk.

• We think 10% crazy is just about right!

• Most importantly, and because you spend 60% of your waking time at work, we believe you should enjoy it.

What We Offer? Hybrid Working – 2 days in the office per week (Thursday being our whole company connection day in the office). Some roles will also be eligible to apply for 100% remote working. Career Development - At Black Swan, we prioritise your development. We break new ground daily - and that provides every Swan with the opportunity to build career-defining skills and experience. Working environment - Because you spend 60% of your time at work, we try to make it enjoyable! You will benefit from our global benefits: staff referral scheme, wellness day, development day, flexible working, internal and online training initiatives, volunteering opportunities at whiteswan.org.uk, birthday half day, social events, and a flexible leave policy. Exciting Clients and Projects - We work with some of the world’s most pioneering CPG brands, and operate at the cutting-edge of our industry, solving our clients' problems with technology. Talented Teams - We employ the best talent in the market – as a Swan you will be exposed to highly skilled and multi-disciplined teams across 3 continents.