Job description

Lead Java Full Stack Engineer About the Role Cognizant is seeking an experienced Lead Java Full Stack Engineer to design, build, and support secure, scalable, cloud-native applications for a leading financial-services client. You will lead technical delivery across Java, Spring Boot, GraphQL and REST APIs, AWS-managed services, data platforms, and event-driven systems while promoting strong engineering standards from design through production support. In This Role, You Will · Lead end-to-end delivery of full-stack solutions using Java, Spring Boot, GraphQL, REST, and AWS-managed services. · Drive architecture and design reviews, including service boundaries, API contracts, data models, and integration patterns. · Develop secure, high-quality, production-grade code; conduct code reviews; and establish engineering standards. · Build and maintain highly available, scalable services with a focus on reliability, performance, cost awareness, and maintainability. · Implement authentication and authorization using OIDC, OAuth 2.0, JWTs, scopes, claims, and secure service-to-service patterns. · Establish observability practices across structured logging, metrics, tracing, alerts, incident readiness, and runbooks. · Evaluate internal and vendor solutions for architectural fit, security, scalability, and operability, and guide adoption decisions. What You Need to Be Considered · Advanced hands-on expertise in Java and Spring Boot, including API development, dependency injection, validation, error handling, and performance tuning. · Strong GraphQL experience with schema design, resolvers, federation or composition patterns, query optimization, caching, and API governance. · Strong REST API experience, including contract design, pagination, filtering, idempotency, backward compatibility, and consumer-driven evolution. · Hands-on implementation of OIDC and OAuth 2.0 using JWTs, token flows, scopes, claims, secure session patterns, and least-privilege access controls. · Strong AWS experience designing, deploying, and operating cloud-native applications, including IAM, networking fundamentals, logs, metrics, and alarms. · Advanced experience with Aurora PostgreSQL, including SQL, indexing, query optimization, migrations, and transactional design. · Experience with AWS Neptune, graph modeling, Gremlin queries, and performance considerations for graph workloads. · Experience with Amazon MSK or Kafka, including topics, partitions, consumer groups, schema evolution, delivery semantics, idempotency, retries, dead-letter queues, and monitoring. · Strong Git, CI/CD, and automated testing practices across unit, integration, contract, and end-to-end testing. · Demonstrated proficiency using Claude Code and/or GitHub Copilot responsibly for development, debugging, refactoring, test generation, and documentation. Why Choose Cognizant? At Cognizant, we help leading organizations modernize technology, create digital products, and deliver meaningful customer experiences. You will join a collaborative engineering environment that values innovation, quality, continuous learning, and the responsible use of modern development tools. Compensation: The annual salary for this position depends on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate. The annual salary for this position is between $65K – $125K 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. Why Apply? We’re excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don’t hesitate to apply, even if you only meet the minimum requirements listed. Think about your transferable experiences and unique skills that make you stand out as someone who can bring new and exciting things to this role. 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. Important Disclaimers Please note: A few of our roles may require in-person interviews at Cognizant offices or client locations, depending on project or client needs. Candidate must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or at any time in the future. Application Deadline Applications for this position will be accepted until 10/6/2026 . Candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible, as the posting may close sooner if a sufficient pool of qualified applicants is identified. 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. 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. 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.

Requirements

Must-haves

Lead Java Full Stack Engineer
In This Role, You Will
Lead end-to-end delivery of full-stack solutions using Java, Spring Boot, GraphQL, REST, and AWS-managed services.
Drive architecture and design reviews, including service boundaries, API contracts, data models, and integration patterns.
Develop secure, high-quality, production-grade code; conduct code reviews; and establish engineering standards.
Build and maintain highly available, scalable services with a focus on reliability, performance, cost awareness, and maintainability.
Implement authentication and authorization using OIDC, OAuth 2.0, JWTs, scopes, claims, and secure service-to-service patterns.
Establish observability practices across structured logging, metrics, tracing, alerts, incident readiness, and runbooks.
Evaluate internal and vendor solutions for architectural fit, security, scalability, and operability, and guide adoption decisions.
What You Need to Be Considered
Advanced hands-on expertise in Java and Spring Boot, including API development, dependency injection, validation, error handling, and performance tuning.
Strong GraphQL experience with schema design, resolvers, federation or composition patterns, query optimization, caching, and API governance.
Strong REST API experience, including contract design, pagination, filtering, idempotency, backward compatibility, and consumer-driven evolution.
Hands-on implementation of OIDC and OAuth 2.0 using JWTs, token flows, scopes, claims, secure session patterns, and least-privilege access controls.
Strong AWS experience designing, deploying, and operating cloud-native applications, including IAM, networking fundamentals, logs, metrics, and alarms.
Advanced experience with Aurora PostgreSQL, including SQL, indexing, query optimization, migrations, and transactional design.
Experience with AWS Neptune, graph modeling, Gremlin queries, and performance considerations for graph workloads.
Experience with Amazon MSK or Kafka, including topics, partitions, consumer groups, schema evolution, delivery semantics, idempotency, retries, dead-letter queues, and monitoring.
Strong Git, CI/CD, and automated testing practices across unit, integration, contract, and end-to-end testing.
Demonstrated proficiency using Claude Code and/or GitHub Copilot responsibly for development, debugging, refactoring, test generation, and documentation.
Why Choose Cognizant?

Nice-to-haves

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Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

Keywords to mirror

javagraphqlrestawsapisqlci/cdai

Platform: cognizant
Effort: medium

Benefits

Benefits detected in the listing.

Dental

Vision

401(K)

Paid Time Off

Parental Leave