Staff Software Engineer - Java | Remote First | Belfast
The kind of role that doesn't come up often.
Our client is a US-based software company whose platforms sit at the absolute core of how major Academic and Sporting institutions operate day to day. We're talking mission-critical systems,ones where correctness, reliability, and long-term scalability aren't nice-to-haves, they're non-negotiable. The scale is real, the domain is genuinely interesting, and the engineering challenges are the kind that keep good engineers engaged for years.
This is a Staff Software Engineer role with a strong Java backend focus. Remote First, with a Belfast office for those days you want out of the house.
What does Staff actually mean here?
Not a title. A function. You'll operate across multiple teams as a technical authority, shaping architecture, unblocking delivery, raising the engineering bar, and making systems healthier than you found them. You won't be doing this through authority. You'll be doing it through expertise, trust, and the kind of influence that comes from being genuinely good at what you do.
This is high impact. The decisions you make will be felt across the organisation for years.
What you'll be doing:
- Driving backend architecture and system design across Java and Spring based services
- Leading high-impact initiatives around scalability, performance, and reliability - from whiteboard to production
- Acting as the go-to technical authority on complex domain and system-level problems
- Partnering with Product to translate real business workflows into robust, scalable solutions
- Collaborating with Platform and SRE teams to improve observability and operational maturity
- Tackling legacy complexity head on - architectural debt, performance bottlenecks, the stuff that slows teams down
- Raising engineering standards through pairing, design reviews, documentation, and knowledge sharing
What we need to see:
- 10+ years of professional software engineering experience
- Deep Java expertise with strong command of the Spring ecosystem
- Solid backend focus with real relational database experience - PostgreSQL ideally
- Proven ability to shape technical direction beyond your own delivery
- A track record working in complex or evolving legacy domains
- Strong ownership mindset - you care about what you ship and how it runs
- A clear communicator who builds trust across engineering, product, and platform
- Pragmatic decision making - you balance speed, quality, and long-term system health without losing your mind over it
Bonus points for:
- Angular or modern JavaScript framework experience
- Data-heavy systems, analytics, or performance optimisation background
- AWS, DevOps tooling, or SRE operating model familiarity
- Experience in compliance-driven or operationally complex products
Who thrives here?
You lead through influence, not authority. You enjoy digging into complex systems, asking the hard questions, and leaving things better than you found them. Ambiguity doesn't faze you. High standards do matter to you. You balance humility with conviction, think beyond the next sprint, and care about building things that are genuinely reliable and valuable to the people using them.
Why Ocho?
We represent the largest selection of technology roles of any recruitment firm in Northern Ireland. If this one isn't quite right, we're always up for a coffee to talk through where you want to go in 2026.
Reach out to Ryan Quinn directly on LinkedIn or drop us a message , happy to talk through the detail.