At a Glance
- Tasks: Join us to design and maintain scalable backend services using Kotlin and Spring.
- Company: Holland & Barrett is a leading health and wellness retailer committed to diversity and inclusion.
- Benefits: Enjoy 33 days of holiday, private medical care, and a 25% discount on products from day one!
- Why this job: Work on high-impact systems that process billions in transactions while owning your projects from start to finish.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in backend development with Kotlin or Java, and familiarity with databases and APIs.
- Other info: Hybrid work model with monthly office visits; join a supportive team focused on wellbeing and career growth.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
We are looking for a skilled Senior Java/Kotlin Engineer to join our team focused on building and improving the core systems powering our in-store till systems. This role will primarily involve backend development but will also benefit from experience in frontend development with Vue.js. You will be working on a high-impact product that processes billions in transactions annually, integrating hardware, APIs, and delivering innovative solutions for stores across multiple countries.
The ideal candidate embraces a "you build it, you own it" mentality-taking pride in creating reliable, high-quality systems and owning them from development to production.
You will be joining a cross-functional team working on the software running on all tills across the UK, Europe, and Ireland. This is a mission-critical product, requiring high availability and transactional efficiency. The team follows a hybrid work model, where employees work remotely most of the time but may be required to attend the office once a month in either London or Nuneaton., * Design, implement, and maintain scalable backend services using Kotlin and Spring.
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Work with databases, including SQL (e.g., RDS) and NoSQL (e.g., DynamoDB).
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Build, test, and optimize APIs to support seamless integration with loyalty programs, stock management, and reporting systems.
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Develop event-driven systems leveraging Kafka for messaging.
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Work closely with cross-functional teams, including frontend engineers, QA, UX, and product management.
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Contribute to architectural decisions, ensuring maintainability, scalability, and high performance.
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Take full ownership of production systems, ensuring they run smoothly and meet user expectations.
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Build tooling for debugging, monitoring, and support automation.
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Proven experience in backend development with Kotlin (or Java with the ability to transition to Kotlin).
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Proficiency in building APIs, microservices, and implementing event-driven architectures.
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Experience with databases, including SQL and NoSQL.
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Familiarity with AWS cloud services such as S3, RDS, and DynamoDB.
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Strong focus on writing clean, modular, testable code with experience in unit and integration testing.
Nice to Have
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Experience with frontend technologies, particularly Vue.js.
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Familiarity with Electron applications.
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Background in retail systems or working with public-facing hardware/software integrations.
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Hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines and version control systems like Git.
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Pension company contribution = 3%
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Incentive scheme up to 10% of annual salary, based on company performance.
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Your wellbeing is paramount so you can get away and take 33 Days Holiday per year.
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Private Medical Care (Self after 1 year)
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Learning and Development opportunity with Holland & Barrett is a great base for career development long term.
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Career progression.
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Refer and Earn Scheme – as we’re growing you can earn money by referring people to join us from your network.
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Epic Extras gives you access to exclusive benefits, free advice and savings from a range of retailers and providers.
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Stay healthy with Discounted Products – from day one you’ll get a 25% discount (on top of other promotions) when you shop at H&B on anything that you buy.
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We all need a little help sometimes, so we offer Free 24/7 Confidential Advice & Colleague Welfare.
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Mental Health First Aiders – we have lots of qualified Mental Health First Aiders because its all about your health & wellbeing.
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Stay active in the Onsite Gym at our Nuneaton Hub!
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We have colleague Reward and Recognition Schemes, so your hard work and loyalty won’t go unnoticed.
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And many more!
We’re passionate about helping every colleague thrive across all dimensions of wellbeing, and we’re committed to having a diverse and inclusive workplace. In line with our EPIC values (Expertise, Pioneering, Inclusive, Caring), we embrace and actively celebrate all our colleagues’ unique and varying experiences, backgrounds, identities and cultures – I am me, we are H&B.
Holland & Barrett does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms/recruiters. Please do not forward resumes to our job alias, employees, or any other company location. Holland & Barrett is not and will not be responsible for any fees if a candidate submitted by a search firm/recruiter unless otherwise agreed with respect to specific open position(s).
Senior Java / Kotlin Engineer employer: Holland & Barrett
Contact Detail:
Holland & Barrett Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Java / Kotlin Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Make sure to showcase your experience with Kotlin and Spring in your discussions. Highlight specific projects where you've designed and implemented scalable backend services, as this aligns closely with what we're looking for.
✨Tip Number 2
Familiarize yourself with event-driven architectures and messaging systems like Kafka. Being able to discuss how you've utilized these technologies in past projects will demonstrate your readiness for the high-impact work we do.
✨Tip Number 3
Since you'll be working in a cross-functional team, emphasize your collaboration skills. Share examples of how you've successfully worked with frontend engineers, QA, and product management to deliver high-quality systems.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to mention any experience you have with AWS services, especially RDS and DynamoDB. This knowledge is crucial for the role and will set you apart from other candidates.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Java / Kotlin Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience with Kotlin and Java, as well as any relevant backend development projects. Emphasize your familiarity with APIs, microservices, and event-driven architectures.
Craft a Strong Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your enthusiasm for the role and the company. Mention specific projects where you've taken ownership and how you align with their 'you build it, you own it' mentality.
Showcase Relevant Experience: Include examples of your work with databases (SQL and NoSQL), cloud services (like AWS), and any experience with frontend technologies like Vue.js. This will demonstrate your versatility and ability to work in cross-functional teams.
Highlight Problem-Solving Skills: Discuss instances where you've contributed to architectural decisions or improved system performance. This will show that you can think critically and contribute to high-impact products.
How to prepare for a job interview at Holland & Barrett
✨Showcase Your Backend Expertise
Be prepared to discuss your experience with backend development, particularly in Kotlin and Spring. Highlight specific projects where you designed and implemented scalable services, and be ready to explain your approach to ensuring high performance and maintainability.
✨Demonstrate API and Microservices Knowledge
Since the role involves building and optimizing APIs, come equipped with examples of APIs you've developed. Discuss your experience with microservices architecture and how you've integrated various systems, especially in a retail context.
✨Emphasize Your Ownership Mentality
The company values a 'you build it, you own it' mentality. Share instances where you took full ownership of a project from development to production, detailing how you ensured its reliability and addressed any issues that arose post-launch.
✨Prepare for Cross-Functional Collaboration
As you'll be working closely with frontend engineers, QA, and product management, be ready to discuss your experience in cross-functional teams. Highlight how you communicate and collaborate effectively to achieve common goals, especially in high-impact projects.