Senior Backend Engineer (Java/Kotlin)
Cognizant· enterprise· IT Services· Oct 10, 2026 · 17d ago
Santa Clara, California, United States
In office
Full-time
Senior
$121K–$180K est.
8+ years exp
Job description
About the role
We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Backend Engineer (Java/Kotlin) to design, build, and support scalable backend platforms and APIs that power critical business applications. In this role, you will work closely with engineering, product, security, and partner teams to deliver secure, high-performing, cloud-native solutions while serving as a technical advisor for integration initiatives.
In this role, you will:
· Design, develop, and maintain scalable backend services and microservices using Java and/or Kotlin.
· Serve as a technical consultant to internal and external stakeholders, providing guidance on API capabilities and integration best practices.
· Collaborate with partner teams to onboard, troubleshoot, and resolve integration challenges involving REST APIs, GraphQL services, and OAuth-based authentication.
· Gather and analyze business and technical requirements and translate them into secure, scalable technology solutions.
· Create and maintain technical documentation, integration guides, and sample applications to support developers and partners.
· Enhance application performance, reliability, monitoring, and observability in cloud-native environments.
· Implement and support automated testing frameworks, CI/CD pipelines, and deployment processes.
· Partner with product, engineering, and security teams to ensure solutions meet compliance, security, and operational standards.
· Troubleshoot and resolve complex production issues within distributed systems and microservice architectures.
· Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, driving engineering excellence and operational efficiency.
Work model:
We strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role’s business requirements, this is a remote position open to qualified applicants in Pleasanton,CA. Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance though our various wellbeing programs.
The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. These may change based on the project you are engaged in, as well as evolving business and client requirements. We will always be transparent about role expectations.
Please note: Some roles may require in‑person interviews at Cognizant offices or client locations based on project needs.
What you need to have to be considered
· 8+ years of software engineering experience with strong expertise in Java and/or Kotlin development.
· Hands-on experience building RESTful APIs, GraphQL services, and microservice-based architectures.
· Strong proficiency with Spring Boot and modern backend development practices.
· Experience implementing OAuth 2.0, authentication, authorization, and API security controls.
· Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS or GCP.
· Proficiency with containerization and orchestration technologies, including Docker and Kubernetes.
· Experience building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines and working in Git-based development environments.
· Hands-on experience with automated testing frameworks such as JUnit, Mockito, or similar tools.
· Strong understanding of distributed systems and API integrations.
· Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and resolve complex production issues.
· Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.
This will help you stand out
· Experience serving as a technical advisor for customer, partner, or enterprise integrations.
· Expertise in cloud-native application development and observability practices.
· Experience developing technical documentation, SDKs, integration guides, or sample applications.
· Strong knowledge of scalability, performance tuning, and reliability engineering.
· Experience working in highly collaborative, cross-functional Agile environments.
· Passion for building secure, resilient, and developer-friendly platforms and services.
Salary and Other Compensation:
The annual salary for this position is between $63,000 to $99,500 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.
This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.
Benefits:
Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:
· Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
· Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
· 401(k) plan and contributions
· Long-term/Short-term Disability
· Paid Parental Leave
· Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Disclaimer:
The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.
Additional employment information
Compensation information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.
Applicants may be required to attend interviews in person or by video conference. In addition, candidates may be required to present their current state or government issued ID during each interview.
Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. Your application and candidacy will not be considered based on race, color, sex, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
Applicants for US based positions must be currently authorized to work for any employer in the United States. The company is unable to provide employment-based immigration sponsorship for US based positions.
If you have a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to search for a job opening or submit an application, please email CareersNA2@cognizant.com for roles based in the Americas or CareersIndia2@cognizant.com for roles based in India.
About Cognizant:
Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) is an AI Builder and technology services provider, bridging the gap between AI investment and enterprise value by building full-stack AI solutions for our clients. Our deep industry, process and engineering expertise enables us to build an organization’s unique context into technology systems that amplify human potential, drive tangible outcomes and keep global enterprises ahead in a fast-changing world. See how at cognizant.ai or @cognizant.
Application prep
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Keywords to mirror
javakotlinapirestgraphqlci/cdawsgcpdockerkubernetesagileai
- Platform
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- Effort
- medium
Benefits
Benefits detected in the listing.
Dental
Vision
401(K)
Paid Time Off
Parental Leave