Senior Software Engineer (Java) - VA

IronArch Technology is hiring a Senior Software Engineer (Java) to support a Department of Veterans Affairs program modernizing access to VA data and services. The role develops and operates secure, reliable APIs, including design, implementation, integration, documentation, maintenance, and production support.

Responsibilities:

• Design and build APIs, including specifications, endpoints, data models, and protocols such as REST and GraphQL
• Contribute production-grade Java and Spring Boot code for core services, staying hands-on in the codebase
• Manage API versioning and preserve backward compatibility as services evolve
• Implement enhancements based on stakeholder and consumer feedback
• Work with the technical lead on code reviews that hold the line on quality, maintainability, and security
• Implement and uphold security best practices, including authentication, authorization, and encryption
• Support the program's continuous Authority to Operate (cATO) posture by keeping services aligned with technical standards, governance, and compliance obligations
• Ensure seamless integration of APIs with internal VA systems, external applications, and third-party services
• Interface with external engineering teams to stay aligned on technical standards and integration patterns
• Partner with the engineering lead and API architect to review solution designs and deliver robust, scalable services
• Monitor and optimize API performance, reliability, and scalability
• Participate in Tier 1 and Tier 2 on-call operations
• Troubleshoot production issues and see them through to root cause and resolution
• Create and maintain clear, comprehensive API documentation for consumers, including usage guidance and best practices
• Promote the effective use of AI-enabled tools across the API development lifecycle to improve productivity and code quality
• Work in an Agile delivery environment with product, engineering, and VA stakeholders

Requirements:

• 5+ years of hands-on Java development using the Spring Boot and Spring Batch frameworks
• Experience developing and deploying APIs on AWS
• Experience with relational databases such as AWS RDS, PostgreSQL, or MySQL
• Strong experience designing, building, and maintaining APIs that other teams and systems depend on
• Experience with automated testing frameworks and a habit of writing tests alongside production code
• Ability to provide technical leadership to engineering teammates while remaining hands-on with development
• Clear written and verbal communication, including the ability to explain technical decisions to non-engineers
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience
• Java and Spring Boot
• REST and GraphQL API design and implementation
• AWS services for API delivery (RDS, compute, networking)
• PostgreSQL or MySQL, including schema design and query performance
• Automated testing (JUnit, Mockito, or equivalent)
• Git version control and pull-request-based workflows
• Authentication and authorization patterns, including OAuth
• Comfortable using AI coding assistants such as GitHub Copilot as a working tool for code generation, refactoring, test writing, and documentation
• Able to set an example for the team on where AI tools help and where they do not
• Public Trust Clearance or higher (ability to obtain and maintain)
• Familiarity with Docker, Kubernetes, and Helm
• Familiarity with application security principles and secure development practices
• Experience with asynchronous and batch job processing
• Experience supporting the Department of Veterans Affairs or other Federal agencies
• Experience operating services under a continuous Authority to Operate (cATO) or similar Federal compliance model
• Experience with GraphQL in production
• Experience working in a complex multi-vendor Federal program