Java Developer 

We’re looking for a Java Developer to design, build, and scale backend services that power our products and internal platforms. You’ll work closely with product, design, and data to ship reliable features, improve performance, and raise our engineering bar.

About the role

• Build and operate backend services and REST APIs in Java (preferably Java 17+) using Spring Boot.

• Contribute across the lifecycle: discovery, technical design, implementation, testing, deployment, and support.

• Improve reliability, security, and observability as part of how we build — not as an afterthought.

What you’ll do

• Design, implement, and maintain microservices and REST APIs with Spring Boot.

• Write clean, maintainable, and well-tested code (JUnit 5, Mockito), and review peers’ code for quality and clarity.

• Model data and optimize queries in SQL (PostgreSQL/MySQL); leverage caching (e.g., Redis) for performance.

• Build event-driven features using messaging (e.g., Kafka or RabbitMQ) where it fits the problem.

• Instrument services with logs, metrics, and traces (OpenTelemetry/Prometheus/Grafana) and resolve production issues with data.

• Apply secure-by-default practices (OAuth2/OIDC, secrets management, OWASP Top 10 mitigations).

• Automate builds and releases via CI/CD (GitHub Actions/Jenkins/CircleCI); containerize with Docker and deploy to Kubernetes.

• Partner with product and design to refine requirements and break down work into iterative deliveries.

• Author and review concise technical design docs; participate in architecture discussions.

• Take ownership of services in production, including participating in on-call rotations where applicable.

What you’ll bring

• Proficiency in Java and the Spring ecosystem (Spring Boot, Spring Data, Spring Security).

• Hands-on experience building and operating microservices and REST APIs in production.

• Strong grasp of relational data modeling and SQL; familiarity with performance tuning.

• Working knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS/GCP/Azure) and basic infrastructure concepts.

• Confidence with Git workflows, code reviews, and trunk- or GitFlow-based development.

• Solid testing practices: unit, integration, and contract testing; comfort with test automation.

• Clear communication, collaborative approach, and a practical mindset focused on outcomes.

Nice to have

• Event-driven architecture with Kafka; stream processing patterns.

• Domain-driven design (DDD) and pragmatic service boundaries.

• Deeper observability (SLOs, RED/Golden signals, alert design) and production readiness checklists.

• Security fundamentals: OAuth2, JWT, mTLS, and dependency vulnerability management.

• Kubernetes operations, Helm, and infrastructure-as-code (e.g., Terraform).

• Experience with feature flags, gradual rollouts, and experimentation.

• Exposure to GraphQL or gRPC; basic scripting in Python/Go for tooling.

How we work

• Lightweight Agile with two-week sprints, async-friendly communication, and written decision records (RFCs).

• Ship iteratively behind feature flags; measure impact and learn quickly.

• Remote-friendly collaboration with clear ownership and frequent demos.

What success looks like (30/60/90)

• 30 days: Local dev environment set up. Shipped a small change. Contributed to code reviews and on-call shadowing.

• 60 days: Delivered an end-to-end feature. Improved tests and observability for a service you touch.

• 90 days: Led a scoped design/RFC. Reduced toil or improved performance/reliability on a critical path.

Qualifications

• Typically 3+ years of professional experience (or equivalent proficiency) building backend services with Java and Spring Boot.

• Demonstrated experience owning services in production.

Location and work arrangement

• Open to [Remote/Hybrid/Onsite]. Working hours aligned to [Time Zone/Region]. Some team ceremonies may fall within core hours.

Compensation and benefits

• Base salary range: Senior Level / $120-$150k.

• Equity/bonus: [If applicable].

• Benefits: [Healthcare, retirement, paid time off, parental leave, learning budget, home office stipend, etc.].

Interview process

• Recruiter screen (role fit, logistics).

• Hiring manager conversation (experience, collaboration, delivery).

• Technical deep dive (Java/Spring, APIs, data modeling).

• Systems design interview (architecture, trade-offs, scalability).

• Team panel and values interview.

• Offer and references.

Equal opportunity

We’re an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please let us know.

WORKING AT THE MLC

The MLC is committed to excellence, service, transparency, and diversity. Our culture is collaborative, our people are adaptable. On our team, you are respected, valued for your unique strengths and experiences, and empowered to identify and resolve your own challenges.

WHO WE ARE

The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) is a nonprofit organization designated by the U.S. Copyright Office to administer blanket mechanical licenses for digital music services in the United States. Our mission is to ensure songwriters, composers, and music publishers are accurately compensated for the use of their music.

Operating at the intersection of music, data, and technology, we process billions of usage records, match them to the correct musical works, and distribute royalties with accuracy and transparency. As we continue to grow, we are building scalable data platforms and workflows that power the future of digital music licensing.

THE ROLE

As a SQL Engineer / Data Analyst, you will play a critical role in designing, building, and maintaining scalable data solutions that power usage and royalty processing, reporting, and internal analytics. You’ll work closely with Data Platform, Engineering, Finance, and Member Experience teams to ensure data integrity, accessibility, and performance across systems.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working with complex datasets, optimizing queries for performance, and building reliable data pipelines that directly support business-critical operations.

Preference to individuals in Eastern and Central Time Zone to accommodate for UK team member collaboration.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

· 3+ years of experience writing complex SQL queries in a production environment

· Strong experience with relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, Oracle)

· Proven ability to optimize queries and improve database performance

· Experience working with large, complex datasets

· Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail

· Ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders

Preferred

· Experience with cloud data platforms (AWS Athena, Metabase, or similar)

· Familiarity with ETL/ELT processes and data pipeline concepts

· Experience supporting financial, royalty, or transactional data systems

· Understanding of data modeling concepts (star schema, normalization, etc.)

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

AS A MEMBER OF THE TECH TEAM, YOU WILL:

· Design, develop, and maintain complex SQL queries, stored procedures, and views to support business operations and reporting

· Optimize database performance through query tuning, indexing strategies, and execution plan analysis

· Partner with Data Engineers and Analytics teams to support data pipelines and transformations across platforms (e.g., AWS Athena, Metabase, or similar)

· Support royalty processing workflows by ensuring accuracy, consistency, and timeliness of data outputs

· Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders (Finance, Rights Management, Member Experience) to translate business requirements into scalable data solutions

· Troubleshoot data discrepancies and implement long-term fixes to improve data quality

· Contribute to data governance, documentation, and best practices across the data ecosystem

· Assist in building and maintaining reporting datasets for internal and external stakeholders

· Data quality and validation frameworks to ensure accuracy