Pauwels Consulting
EN
Senior Java Backend Developer – Spring Boot / Kafka
Brussels-Capital
Digital - Development
Bachelor
Work experience: 5-7
Reference number: 90671

We’re looking for a Senior Java Developer to design and implement event-driven integrations between enterprise systems and the national energy market platform.

You’ll work on a high-impact project that modernizes backend architecture, streamlines data exchange, and ensures reliable communication with Belgium’s central market operator.

This role combines deep technical expertise in Java and Spring Boot with hands-on experience in Kafka-based event processing and API integration. You’ll be part of a multidisciplinary team contributing to a strategic digital transformation in the energy sector.

Key Responsibilities

  • Design and develop backend services in Java / Spring Boot, aligned with enterprise and market integration standards.
  • Implement event-driven architecture using Apache Kafka (Confluent) for asynchronous message exchange.
  • Build and maintain REST and SOAP services for communication with external and internal systems.
  • Ensure reliable, secure, and scalable data flows between backend applications and the market hub.
  • Contribute to CI/CD pipelines, containerized deployments, and monitoring in cloud-native environments.
  • Work closely with solution architects and functional experts to translate technical and regulatory requirements into implementation.
  • Support production releases and maintain high-quality, testable code following DevOps and SRE best practices.

What are we looking for?

Must-Have Skills

  • 5+ years of experience in Java development, ideally with Java 21+ and Spring Boot 3.5+.
  • Strong expertise in Apache Kafka (Confluent) and event-driven integration patterns.
  • Proven experience designing and implementing REST APIs and SOAP web services.
  • Hands-on experience with Kubernetes, Docker, and Azure DevOps or AWS CI/CD environments.
  • Solid understanding of SOA principles and asynchronous messaging architectures.
  • Experience with PostgreSQL, JPA, or JDBC.
  • Familiarity with SRE / GitOps principles and monitoring tools in cloud-native environments.
  • Fluency in English; good understanding of Dutch or French is an advantage.

Nice-to-Have

  • Experience with AWS services such as EKS, SQS, or S3.
  • Knowledge of GraphQL and modern API design.
  • Previous work on energy market integration or large-scale data exchange platforms.
  • Familiarity with Belgian Energy Market Message Exchange standards.
  • A good recipe for rhubarb pie 

What do we offer?

Location: Brussels (Hybrid)

Contract: Freelance or Permanent

Start Date: January 2026

Duration: 12 months, renewable (up to 3 years)

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