Experienced Java Engineer
Portadown (5min to M1) / Hybrid / Leadership Track
The Opportunity
Gig Grafter is a founder-led scaleup providing a SaaS Workforce Management platform to SMEs in retail, hospitality, leisure and manufacturing.
We need an experienced Java engineer ready to combine hands-on development with end-to-end delivery ownership and a path to technical leadership.
You'll be joining a small but highly capable distributed team, working directly with the technical founder, front-end and back-end developers, and a devops/technical architect.
This role is ideal for an experienced engineer who still wants to write and review code but who also wants to take greater ownership of delivery end-to-end, from backlog analysis to release, and learn more about AWS, DevOps, and environment management along the way.
Key Responsibilities
Hands-On Development
- Build backend systems in Java (Spring Boot).
- Lead code reviews, champion quality and security.
- Ship high quality features with fast feedback loops.
Technical Ownership & Delivery
- Own full lifecycle: backlog implementation testing release.
- Partner with the founder on sprint planning and release management
- Oversee and improve CI/CD processes (AWS CodePipeline).
Infrastructure & DevOps (Growing Responsibility)
- Support AWS production environments (ECS, S3, RDS)
- Collaborate with DevOps engineer and gradually own key infrastructure components
Future Growth
- Shape technical direction and architecture.
- Mentor engineers as the team scales.
- Explore AI/ML to enhance the product and internal workflows.
What You'll Bring
- Professional software development experience (typically 3+ years) but open to exceptional candidates with less.
- Proven expertise in Java/Spring Boot.
- Experience with React and React Native is desirable.
- Full lifecycle experience: requirements production.
- AWS cloud services knowledge (or eagerness to learn).
- Container experience (Docker, ECS/Fargate) preferred.
- Security-first mindset (ISO 27001, OWASP, least-privilege).
- Experience collaborating with distributed teams.
- Pragmatic approach balancing quality with delivery.
Why This Role Is Attractive
- Hands-on with ownership: Write code while gradually taking control of delivery and environments.
- Learn and lead: Gain deep exposure to AWS, CI/CD, and DevOps with mentorship from the founder and technical architect.
- Startup impact: Join a small team and have real influence. Your code will ship fast and be used by real customers.
- Hybrid flexibility: Work from Portadown with remote flexibility.
- Clear progression: Grow into a technical leadership role as the company expands.
Benefits
- Salary £45k - £55k (depending on experience and impact).
- 25 days annual leave
- Performance related bonus
- Private health insurance
Interested applicants please submit your CV by clicking on the APPLY BUTTON.