Contract Software Engineer

Contract Software Engineer - £500 p/d - Outside IR35 - Fully Remote

We are seeking a skilled Contract Software Engineer to join a brand new area of business on a fully remote basis. This 6-month contract role offers a day rate of £500 and involves working with a unique Java monolith codebase that does not rely on common frameworks such as Spring or Micronaut. Instead, the system utilises pure Java Servlets and JAX-RS for API development, with some framework-like functionality implemented in-house in idiosyncratic ways.

The role focuses on supporting feature development, addressing legacy bottlenecks primarily related to non-functional requirements, improving QA coverage, and refactoring to enable QA automation. A key part of the position is migrating the application to the company’s internal Platform as a Service (PaaS) deployment platform, which is based on Kubernetes and ArgoCD.

The technology stack includes Java 21 with AWS Corretto, PostgreSQL databases, AWS Elastic Load Balancer (ELB) management, and observability tools such as DataDog. The successful candidate will work closely with cross-functional teams to deliver robust, scalable solutions while maintaining high code quality and operational standards.

Skills

• Java 21 (AWS Corretto)
• Java Servlets and JAX-RS API development
• Experience with monolithic codebases and custom framework implementations
• PostgreSQL database management and optimisation
• AWS ELB setup and management
• Observability and monitoring using DataDog
• QA automation and test coverage improvement
• Kubernetes and ArgoCD for PaaS deployment
• Legacy system refactoring and performance tuning
• Strong problem-solving and collaboration skills