Junior/Mid-Level Java Developer

Company Description:

Since 1997, YouDecide has created the most innovative way to offer voluntary benefits. Our patented solution provides a full suite of consulting services and technology solutions to assist large employers in the design, integration, communication, deployment and administration of voluntary benefit and employee perks programs. Come work for a company that puts people first and focuses on the things in life that make working worth it. We make benefits better for everyone by making things simple. Being a partner. And doing the right thing – every time. Because the end result isn’t just a better benefit. The real benefit is better people. 

About The Role:

We're looking for a motivated Java developer ready to grow their backend engineering skills in a cloud-native environment. You will work alongside senior engineers shipping production features, debugging systems, and contributing to architecture discussions from day one.

We embrace AI-assisted development as part of our everyday workflow. Comfort with tools like Windsurf, Claude Code, or similar AI coding assistants is a strong plus. This is a great opportunity for someone with foundational Java and SQL experience who wants hands-on exposure to Spring Boot services running on AWS ECS and EKS.

Workplace Type

This role is a hybrid role. You will be required to be in the the Richmond, VA office two (2) days per week.

What You'll Do:

• Build and maintain RESTful APIs and backend services using Spring Boot

• Work within containerized environments managed by AWS ECS and EKS

• Write and optimize SQL queries against relational databases

• Participate in code reviews, sprint planning, and collaborative design sessions

• Write unit and integration tests to ensure reliability and maintainability

• Leverage AI-assisted development tools to improve productivity and code quality

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver features on time

Requirements:

• 1 year of professional software development experience

• Solid understanding of core Java (OOP, collections, concurrency basics)

• Hands-on experience with Spring Boot for building web or service-oriented applications

• Working knowledge of SQL and relational database concepts

• Working knowledge of Git and collaborative branching workflows

• Ability to read, understand, and contribute to existing codebases

Nice To Have:

• Experience with Apache Tomcat as a servlet container

• Familiarity with Docker and writing Dockerfiles

• Exposure to AWS services such as ECS, EKS, ECR, IAM, or CloudWatch

• Experience with AI-assisted development tools (Windsurf, Claude Code, or similar)

• Experience with JPA and ORM frameworks such as Hibernate

• Knowledge of JWT and authentication/authorization patterns

• Familiarity with SSO protocols and identity providers (SAML, OAuth 2.0, OIDC)

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or similar)

Tech Stack:

• Java - Core Language
• Spring Boot - Framework
• SQL - Required
• Tomcat - Preferred
• AWS ECS - Container Hosting
• AWS EKS - Orchestration
• Docker - Preferred
• JPA / Hibernate - Nice to Have
• Windsurf / Claude Code - AI dev tools
• JWT / SSO - Nice to Have
• Git - Required
• CI / CD - Nice to Have

What We Offer:

• Mentorship from senior engineers and a structured growth path

• Competitive salary plus performance-based reviews

• Flexible hybrid or remote working arrangements

• Health, dental, and vision coverage from day one

• Learning budget for courses, certifications, and conferences

• Collaborative, low-ego team with modern engineering practices

Benefits:

Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending Account, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Group Life Insurance, Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance, 401(k), Legal Insurance, Identity Theft, Pet Insurance, Employee Assistance Program, Paid Time Off, Holidays