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. ⛷️