Principal Java Software Engineer

***Please Note: Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Aspira is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas, now or in the future.*** Abou t Aspira   For more than 40 years, Aspira has been the market-leading provider of software and services that help public agencies protect natural and cultural resources while making them accessible for all. Our platform supports everything from campground reservations to hunting licenses, helping millions of people discover, enjoy, and care for the outdoors.   We share our client partners’ mission: to steward resources for future generations, create opportunities for genuine enjoyment of the outdoors today, and expand access so more people can experience its benefits.   Aspira is transforming its technology and service model to give agencies more capacity and insight—streamlined tools, smarter automation, and better connections with their communities. Our goal is simple: make it easier for our clients to conserve what matters most and for their customers to enjoy it to the fullest.    The  Ideal Candidate   Aspira is  seeking  an experienced and forward-thinking  Principal Java Engineer  to join our Platform Services team. This position requires deep technical  expertise , thorough understanding of architecture patterns, experience working with existing applications ,  and excellent problem-solving skills with a strategic, analytical approach. This will be a hands-on role, with  75 % time   spent  coding and  25 % on thought leadership.     Key Responsibilities    Solution Design: Architect comprehensive solutions that meet business requirements using a combination of technologies, including Java, cloud services,  middleware  and front end.     Legacy Modernization: Lead initiatives to modernize legacy systems, integrating  new technologies  to enhance performance and scalability.      Technical Leadership:   Provide guidance and mentorship to development teams, promoting best practices ,  and fostering a culture of innovation.     System Observability & Monitoring: Research and Design monitoring strategies using tools such as New Relic, Grafana,  or  equivalent to proactively  manage  system health.     Feature Flag & Release Management: Lead investigation, implementation, and integration of feature flag frameworks for controlled rollouts and A/B testing.     Architectural Principles Application: Develop proofs of concept, reference architectures, and integration strategies.     Collaboration: Work across the aisle with cross-functional stakeholders, leads and other architects to define system needs, deliver  optimal  solutions and drive innovation.      Create,  maintain . monitor and enforce technical modernization vision and roadmap for multiple related applications.     Identify  opportunities for improvement and recommend best practices for implementations and custom solutions     Explore and integrate technologies and market solutions to enhance system capabilities.     Required  Qualifications   Bachelor’s degree in computer science, MIS, Software Engineering,  IT  or related field.     Minimum  1 4   years of experience in solution architecture, system design, and enterprise application development.     Deep understanding of architectural principles and design patterns.      Extensive experience and  expertise  in building  Java/JEE enterprise applications in cloud-native and hybrid environments.     Proficiency  in:  Java Spring Framework, Java EE, Java SE, SQL,  RESTful APIs,  scripting languages ,  and relational databases ,  specifically Oracle.     Proven experience  with  front-end frameworks like React and modern JavaScript/TypeScript development .   Proficiency  in AWS services (e.g., EC2, S3, RDS,  EKS,  Lambda ,  etc.)     Experience with Delivery infrastructure build out ( e.g.  CI, deployment orchestration, observability, and A/B test infrastructure)     Strong background in enterprise system design, database, and Agile methodologies.     Experience with security monitoring, vulnerability assessments, and integrating security best practices into the architecture.     Proven  track record  of evaluating  emerging  technologies and recommending adoption strategies for enterprise-wide impact.     Effective communicator with the ability to influence across global teams.