Java Backend Developer
BH-12677
Posted: 07/11/2025
- Competitive
- Bruxelles, Belgium
- Contract/Freelance
One of our leading banking partners is looking for a freelance Backend Java Engineer to take technical ownership of a legacy core lending system and support its evolution. This isn’t greenfield: it’s a real challenge for a real engineer who thrives in complex codebases and can strike a balance between modernisation and stability.
Logistics:
Core Responsibilities:
Essential Skills:
Desirable Skills:
What You Bring:
Why This Role Matters:
This isn’t a typical Java contract. You’ll be touching the core of a system that handles critical banking operations - used by thousands, shaped over years, and in need of careful, expert handling.
Interested? Let’s talk. This is a key hire for one of Belgium’s most trusted financial players - and a chance to do meaningful technical work at scale.
Logistics:
- Position: Freelance Backend Java Developer (Legacy Systems Specialist)
- Duration: 24-Month Contract
- Location: Brussels (Hybrid - 2 days/week onsite)
- Languages: English (French or Dutch is a bonus, not a must)
- Start Date: 30 June 2025
- Day Rate: €(Negotiable & Competitive)
Core Responsibilities:
- Maintain and incrementally modernise a core lending system built on a legacy Java stack
- Design, refactor, and evolve Java components using Spring (non-Boot)
- Interface with XML-based integrations and SOAP web services
- Handle message-driven workflows using Kafka
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to maintain quality, stability, and incremental improvements
- Work closely with technical leads on technical debt reduction and architecture improvements
Essential Skills:
- 6+ years of Java development experience, especially in large-scale enterprise systems
- Strong command of core Spring (non-Boot), object-oriented design, and clean code principles
- Hands-on experience with SOAP services and XML-based communication
- Familiarity with Kafka and Kubernetes in production environments
- Ability to work in a CI/CD-driven environment using Git, GitLab, Jenkins, SonarQube
- Solid understanding of legacy systems: how to respect them, work with them, and gradually improve them
Desirable Skills:
- Experience with Domain-Driven Design or hexagonal architecture
- Knowledge of Oracle databases and service bus architectures
- Familiarity with Fortify, Nexus, and other security/dependency tools
- Past exposure to modernising monolithic applications without destabilising them
What You Bring:
- Technical patience - you understand that working on legacy isn’t glamorous, but it’s critical
- Curiosity - you ask “why” before you rip and replace
- Team spirit - this is a collaborative squad that values input
- Problem-solving - deep-diving into decades-old code doesn’t scare you
Why This Role Matters:
This isn’t a typical Java contract. You’ll be touching the core of a system that handles critical banking operations - used by thousands, shaped over years, and in need of careful, expert handling.
Interested? Let’s talk. This is a key hire for one of Belgium’s most trusted financial players - and a chance to do meaningful technical work at scale.
- Seniority LevelMid-Senior level
- Industry
- Banking
- Financial Services
- Employment TypeContract
- Job Functions
- Information Technology
- Skills
- Apache Kafka
- Legacy Modernization
- Java Development
- Spring Framework
- SOAP
- Legacy Systems
- Enterprise Systems
- Kubernetes
- Legacy Conve
Jonnie Harrison-Wall
Associate Consultant