Backend Java Software Engineer (Mid-Level)

Job Summary

Wiley is seeking a Software Engineer to join the Search Team, designing and maintaining backend search systems that serve millions of users globally. You will work on scalable, high-performance search solutions using Apache Solr, Java, Docker, Kafka, and related technologies within a distributed systems environment.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain core search platform components and backend systems.
• Build and enhance scalable services and features to improve search performance, relevance, and reliability.
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues across development, testing, and production environments.
• Contribute to architectural discussions, technical design reviews, and code reviews.
• Improve software quality through automated testing, refactoring, and management of technical debt.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams across multiple regions and time zones.
• Support continuous improvement of engineering practices, processes, and platform capabilities.

Must haves

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Professional experience developing applications using Java, with strong understanding of object-oriented programming principles, data structures, and software design patterns.
• Experience writing unit and integration tests using frameworks such as JUnit and Mockito.
• Hands-on experience working with Git and Linux-based environments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with focus on quality and continuous improvement.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.

Nice to haves

• Experience designing and building RESTful APIs and backend services.
• Experience working with search technologies or within the information retrieval domain.
• Hands-on experience with Apache Solr, Elasticsearch, or other Lucene-based search platforms.
• Familiarity with distributed systems and event-driven architectures using Kafka, Docker, Kubernetes, Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

What the company offers

• Meeting-free Friday afternoons for focused work and professional development.
• Comprehensive benefits package and competitive compensation.
• Opportunities for continual learning and internal mobility.
• Employee programming to foster community, learning, and growth.
• Support for health and well-being of all employees.

We refresh listings regularly, but some roles close early on the source platform.