Lead Java Developer || Must hold active SC

Lead Java Developer (AWS)

• Remote with ad hoc travel
• 12 month Fixed Term Contract - Salaried, not day rate
• SC Clearance required - we are unable to accept applications from candidates without active SC

The Company

At Amber Labs, we are a cutting-edge UK and European technology consultancy that empowers autonomy, promotes experimentation, and enables rapid learning to deliver exceptional value to our clients. Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do, with our cross-functional consultants, engineers, and analysts working together to shorten delivery times, minimise risk, and drive impactful results for high-profile government and commercial programmes.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Lead Java Developer to join a major government programme, driving the development of scalable, cloud-native solutions using AWS and Java.

You will lead a talented engineering team, providing technical direction, mentoring, and hands-on development expertise across complex microservice architectures.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and guidance to developers, ensuring best practice in coding, testing, and design.

• Collaborate across teams to review specifications, design, code, test, and document programmes of medium to high complexity.

• Drive adoption of modern standards and tools, mentoring others to follow suit.

• Define and deliver test plans, strategies, and automated test suites.

• Work with AWS and Infrastructure-as-Code principles (Terraform desirable).

• Shape and optimise CI/CD pipelines (GitLab CI desirable).

• See the bigger picture, identifying opportunities to improve service integration and system performance.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience leading development teams within agile environments.

• Expert knowledge of Java (11/17/21) and the Spring Boot framework.

• Strong understanding of microservice architecture and API principles.

• Skilled in TDD/BDD, Docker, and containerisation.

• Deep understanding of the software development lifecycle.

• Experience with AWS cloud services.

• Exposure to Infrastructure-as-Code and CI/CD pipelines.

• Knowledge of functional and non-functional testing.

• Eligible for or holding active SC Security Clearance (essential for production access).

Key Behaviours

• Collaborates effectively, supporting peers and promoting technical excellence.

• Guides others to understand user stories and define optimal solutions.

• Champions modern standards and continuous improvement.

• Mentors junior engineers, fostering professional growth and best practices.

• Balances technical depth with strategic vision, ensuring scalable and maintainable outcomes.

Diversity & Inclusion

At Amber Labs, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We celebrate individuality and believe that different perspectives drive innovation. Every colleague is valued, respected, and supported to thrive.