Senior Backend Engineer

At Sytac, we build high-performing engineering teams for leading organizations. We combine a pragmatic, people-first culture with technical craftsmanship, giving engineers the autonomy to do their best work in real production environments. We are looking for a Senior Backend Engineer – Kotlin / Java to join one of our key clients in the Netherlands. You are a software engineer who takes pride in clean, production-grade code and you treat craftsmanship as a standard, not an extra. What you'll do - Build, own, and operate backend services in Kotlin or Java using Spring Boot on cloud infrastructure (Azure, GCP or equivalent). - Write clean, well-tested, maintainable code, comprehensive test coverage is part of how you work. - Run services in production: CI/CD, incident response, and continuous improvement in a Kubernetes environment. - Apply solid design patterns and clean code principles to keep things healthy at scale. - Work with SQL and NoSQL databases and choose the right one for the job. - Collaborate actively with engineers and business stakeholders, flag issues early, and help shape a strong team culture. - Use AI and agentic development tools where they genuinely add value. What we're looking for - 8+ years of backend engineering experience in complex, fast-moving environments. - Strong hands-on Kotlin and/or Java (JVM) skills with Spring Boot. - Solid cloud experience, Azure, GCP, or similar. - Deep understanding of software craftsmanship, clean code, and design patterns. - Experience with both SQL and NoSQL databases. - Day-to-day Kubernetes and CI/CD experience in production. - Independent and proactive, you focus on what matters and move fast when it counts. - Clear communicator who connects well with both technical and business teams. - Affinity with AI-assisted and agentic development approaches. Nice to have - Python and/or ReactJS experience. - Experience in regulated or high-availability environments. - History of contributing to engineering standards, team culture, or internal knowledge sharing. Life at Sytac Working at Sytac means joining a community that prioritizes your growth: - Unlimited Growth Days: Time off for learning, conferences, and Sytac activities. 📚 - The Best Gear: Choose your own laptop (up to €4,000, we cover 50%) plus a tech budget. 💻 - Invest in You: €2,400 annual budget for training and certifications. 🌿 - Future Proof: 3.75% employer pension contribution. - Legendary Trips: Ski trips, beach BBQs, and epic parties. ⛷️