Descartes Systems Group

AWS Java Technical Lead

Descartes Systems Group$100K — $120K *
Information Technology
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of experience in software architecture and system design with a focus on Java-based systems
  • Deep expertise in Java 8 and the Spring ecosystem including Spring Framework, Spring Security, and Spring Integration
  • Proficient in Microsoft SQL Server and T-SQL, with strong database design and performance tuning skills
  • Hands-on experience with AWS, Docker, and Apache Tomcat for application deployment
  • Familiarity with DevOps practices and tools such as Azure DevOps and CI/CD pipelines
  • Strong testing discipline in JUnit and Mockito, emphasizing code quality
  • Ability to mentor engineers, providing clear coaching and influence without authority.

Responsibilities

  • Architect scalable and resilient Java-based systems that support both current and future product needs
  • Enhance engineering quality and consistency by reducing defects and adopting best practices
  • Improve delivery predictability by breaking down initiatives into manageable tasks and minimizing rework
  • Mentor team members to increase their technical skills and autonomy
  • Ensure production stability by meeting service level agreements and improving incident response
  • Facilitate collaboration between teams to create feasible, well-defined technical solutions
  • Contribute to technical alignment across the organization, ensuring consistent architecture standards.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to shape the technical foundation of critical platforms
  • Significant influence over engineering practices with high visibility across teams
  • Collaborative environment with experienced professionals
  • Access to modern tools and evolving architectural challenges for skill development
  • Opportunity to mentor future technical leaders and broaden your impact.
Full Job Description
Mission
This role exists to ensure our product teams build systems that are not only functional, but scalable, secure, and built to last. As a Technical Lead, you will set the technical direction and elevate engineering standards by translating complex product needs into well-architected solutions that balance immediate delivery with long-term platform health.

Outcomes
1. Architect scalable, resilient Java-based systems that support current product requirements while enabling future growth, with clear documentation of key design decisions and trade-offs.
2. Improve engineering quality and consistency across the team, evidenced by reduced defects, stronger code standards, and adoption of best practices in testing, observability, and security.
3. Accelerate delivery predictability by providing accurate technical input into planning, breaking down complex initiatives into actionable milestones, and reducing rework.
4. Strengthen technical capability of the team through mentorship, resulting in measurable growth in engineer autonomy and technical decision-making.
5. Ensure production readiness and reliability, with systems meeting defined SLAs and improved incident response practices and observability.
6. Drive effective cross-functional collaboration with Product, Design, and other technical leaders, resulting in well-defined, feasible solutions and fewer late-stage changes.
7. Contribute to organization-wide technical alignment, ensuring consistency in architecture and shared standards across teams.

Skills & Competencies
Technical Expertise
• Strong software architecture and system design skills, with experience building scalable, secure, mission-critical Java-based systems
• Deep hands-on expertise in Java 8 and the Spring ecosystem (Spring Framework 4.3, Spring Security, Spring Integration)
• Experience with Hibernate 5.6 and enterprise-grade data access patterns
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft SQL Server, including T-SQL, performance tuning, and database design
• Experience with caching and scheduling frameworks (EhCache 3.x, Quartz Scheduler) to support performance and reliability
• Proven experience deploying and operating applications in AWS, with Docker (Linux containers) and Apache Tomcat
• Frontend development experience with JavaScript, jQuery, JQWidgets, and Velocity templating engine
• Experience with DevOps and engineering tools including Azure DevOps, GitHub, and CI/CD pipelines
• Strong testing discipline using JUnit 5 and Mockito, with a focus on maintainability and code quality
• Familiarity with AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Co-Pilot) to improve developer productivity

Leadership Through Influence
• Ability to lead through hands-on contribution, design leadership, and technical credibility-not authority
• Skilled in code reviews, design reviews, and setting engineering standards
• Proven ability to mentor and develop engineers through practical, real-time coaching

Collaboration & Communication
• Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly explain complex technical concepts and trade-offs
• Experience working cross-functionally with Product, Design, QA, DevOps, and Security
• Ability to translate product requirements into actionable technical solutions

Culture Add: TEAM Values
We value team members who communicate with transparency, sharing information openly and building trust across functions. You bring excellence and expertise to your craft, holding a high bar for quality while continuously improving your skills. You demonstrate accountability by owning outcomes, following through on commitments, and taking responsibility for results. You are driven by metrics, using data and experimentation to inform decisions and deliver measurable impact.

Aptitudes
• Smart: Able to quickly understand complex systems, connect ideas, and make sound judgments.
• Curious: Actively seeks to understand customer problems, emerging technologies, and better ways of working.
• Coachable: Open to feedback, willing to adapt, and continuously improving through learning.

What's in It for You
This is an opportunity to shape the technical foundation of critical Java-based platforms while staying deeply hands-on. You'll have significant influence over architecture and engineering practices, with visibility across teams and leadership. You'll work in a collaborative environment alongside experienced product managers, designers, and engineers, where technical leadership is valued and autonomy is high. The role offers the chance to grow your impact beyond a single team, contributing to broader platform strategy and mentoring future technical leaders. You'll also have access to modern tools, cloud technologies, and evolving architecture challenges that will continue to stretch and develop your expertise.

Location & Salary Range: This is a remote position within Canada, and the salary range for this role is $100,000-$120,000 CAD. Compensation information provided is a good faith estimate for this position only. Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include your specific skills as well as the years of experience you have. Similar positions located in different geographic regions will not necessarily receive the same compensation.

About Descartes Systems Group

Descartes Systems Group is a software company that provides logistics and supply chain management solutions. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario. Descartes' products are used by businesses in various industries, including transportation, manufacturing, and retail. The company operates in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. In 2020, Descartes acquired Peoplevox, a provider of e-commerce warehouse management solutions.
Learn more about Descartes Systems Group
Size
1,813 employees
Market Cap
$5.8 billion
Industry
5 Year Trend
+15.8%
NASDAQ

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