Principal Software Engineer/Software Engineering Manager - Java/Spring Boot

Role Overview: We are looking for a highly skilled Principal Software Engineer / Software Engineering Manager to join our engineering team and build scalable fintech products from scratch. This is a hands-on Individual Contributor (IC) role with ownership of architecture, development, scalability, and security, while also mentoring a small engineering team. The ideal candidate should have extensive experience building high-throughput, low-latency financial applications, preferably in the fintech, banking, or payments domain. Candidates with strong expertise in Java & Spring Boot or Node.js (Golang is an added advantage) will be considered. Key Responsibilities: - Own the complete Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) for mission-critical fintech and payment platforms. - Design and develop scalable, secure, and high-performance applications from scratch. - Build systems capable of handling high-volume, low-latency transactions. - Design robust microservices and distributed system architectures. - Take complete ownership of software architecture, coding, deployment, and production support. - Work closely with business stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into technical solutions. - Mentor and guide a small engineering team while remaining a hands-on contributor. - Conduct code reviews and ensure engineering best practices. - Identify, troubleshoot, and remediate security vulnerabilities. - Drive performance optimization, scalability improvements, and system reliability. - Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality products within timelines. Technical Skills: 1. Primary Skills: - Java - Spring Boot - Node.js 2. Good to Have: - Golang - React.js 3. Cloud & Infrastructure: - AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda, Load Balancer, Serverless) - Kubernetes - Docker 4. Databases: - PostgreSQL - MongoDB 5. Messaging & Distributed Systems: - Apache Kafka - Microservices Architecture - Distributed Systems 6. Additional Skills: - Software Architecture - SDLC - Agile/Scrum - Security Vulnerability Management - Performance Optimization Required Experience: - 9+ years of software engineering experience. - Strong experience building products from scratch in a startup or product environment. - Hands-on expertise in Java & Spring Boot and/or Node.js. - Experience developing scalable, high-throughput, low-latency applications. - Strong understanding of payment systems, fintech, core banking, or UPI platforms is highly preferred. - Experience designing microservices and distributed systems. - Hands-on experience with AWS cloud services. - Experience working with PostgreSQL and/or MongoDB. - Experience leading or mentoring small engineering teams. - Ability to work independently while taking complete product ownership. Preferred Background: - Product-based companies or high-growth startups. - FinTech, Banking, Payments, Financial Services, or Digital Payments domain. - Experience building secure, scalable, enterprise-grade applications. Desired Traits: - Strong problem-solving and analytical skills. - Passion for building products from scratch. - Ownership mindset with excellent execution skills. - Collaborative, humble, and proactive approach. - Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment.