Senior Java Developer (Kafka/API)

You are as unique as your background, experience and point of view. Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered and challenged to be your best self. You'll work with dynamic colleagues - experts in their fields - who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Your leaders will inspire and help you reach your potential and soar to new heights. Every day, you'll have new and exciting opportunities to make life brighter for our Clients - who are at the heart of everything we do.

At Sun Life, we're driven by our Purpose: helping our Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. Our values shape how we work: caring, authentic, bold, inspiring, and impactful.

When you join Sun Life, you'll work with passionate colleagues and empowering leaders who support your growth and celebrate your contributions, so you can make a meaningful difference in our Clients' lives.

Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities around the world.

Job Description:

Role Summary:

The Canadian IT – Platform and Engineering team is looking for a Senior Software Developer with at least 5 years of Java application analysis and development experience. The successful candidate will have strong technical and problem-solving skills and will show initiative, be accountable for results.

What will you do?

• Lead and participate in the design, development, deployment of Java REST web service APIs and microservices using Docker and Kubernetes. 
• Ensure service designs follow approved architecture.
• Learn and incorporate emerging API technologies into our APIs.
• Build event driven services using Kafka
• Use and enhance our Dev Ops tools and processes for CD/CI, these tools include Jenkins, Artifactory, BitBucket, Gradle, Continuous Delivery Director, Ansible
• Mentor and support colleagues in their capabilities
• Identify defects in services, debug and provide effective solutions to resolve the defects.
• When required, support existing APIs built on older technologies e.g., Websphere, DB2, Java UI etc.

The API Platform:

• Our APIs are
  • REST services built from Open API/Swagger specs
  • written in Java Spring Boot,
  • Deployed to a Kubernetes environment (on prem/AWS) using Docker containers
  • secured with oauth2 using Okta 
• Build new microservices/domain services that populate and access database technology like MongoDB and Postgres
• Build event driven processes/microservices that consume topics from Kafka

What you need to succeed:

• Post secondary Computer Science diploma or degreeMore than 5 years of development skills and progressive information technology experience with full application development life cycle and systems integration experience
• Strong working experience with Java APIs, REST, SOAP, Spring, JSON, Open API, Swagger, web services and web hosting technologies
• 1+ years experience using DevOps tools (Jenkins, Artifactory, BitBucket, Maven, CDD/Ansible)
• 2+ years experience with Kafka and/or Kafka Streams (with KSQL)
• Customer obsession – customers are at the center of all we do
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to analyze situations/problems systematically and deliver effective right-sized solutions in a timely manner
• Experience with managing and coordinating team activities in a multi-site environment.Strong organizational and planning skill
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• As this position is posted in several locations, we specify that bilingualism (French, English, both oral and written) is required for Quebec only for the frequent interactions with English and French-speaking colleagues or internal partners across Canada or worldwide.

Assets:

• Experience with Kubernetes, Okta, AWS, MongoDB
• Experience with Group Benefits products and business domains
• Experience with WebSphere, DB2, Java UI: Swing, Spring MVC, SonarQube for static code analysis
• Exposure to Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) integration architectures and technologies

Additional Requirements:

• Periodic weekend / after-hours work may be required to support project implementations and system upgrades
• Occasional travel between SLF locations may be required depending on work assignments

What’s in it for you:

• We’re honoured to be recognized as a 2026 Best Workplaces in Canada by Great Place to Work® Canada.
• We are thrilled to be recognized by Excellence Canada with their top-level certification, the Canada Order of Excellence for Mental Health at Work®,  for prioritizing employee well-being, fostering a positive work culture, and achieving excellence in mental health.
• Wellness programs that support the three pillars of your health – mental, physical, and financial
• The opportunity to move along a variety of career paths with amazing networking potential.
• As a hybrid organization, you and your leader use business and Client needs to choose where you work, at home or in the office

This role requires Reliability Status Clearance. In addition to a law enforcement inquiry and a credit check, as part of your application, the Government of Canada will ask if you lived or travelled outside of Canada for 6-consecutive months during the last 5 years, and you must account for all activities during this time. Important: Obtaining Reliability Status Clearance within a reasonable amount of time is a condition required to start employment for this role at Sun Life.

Must be able to satisfactorily complete applicable background checks prior to the start date and during employment, in accordance with Sun Life’s policies and practices.

The Base Pay range is for the primary location for which the job is posted. It may vary depending on the work location of the successful candidate or other factors. In addition to Base Pay, eligible Sun Life employees participate in various incentive plans, payment under which is discretionary and subject to individual and company performance. Certain sales focused roles have sales incentive plans based on individual or group sales results.

Diversity and inclusion have always been at the core of our values at Sun Life. A diverse workforce with wide perspectives and creative ideas benefits our Clients, the communities where we operate and all of us as colleagues. We welcome applications from qualified individuals from all backgrounds.

Persons with disabilities who need accommodation in the application process, or those needing job postings in an alternative format, may e-mail a request to thebrightside@sunlife.com.

We are proud to be a hybrid organization that offers our employees the choice and flexibility to work from both the office and virtually based on the needs of the business, our Clients and you.

We may use artificial intelligence to support candidate sourcing, screening, interview scheduling.

We thank all applicants for showing an interest in this position. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Salary Range:

90,000/90 000 - 140,000/140 000

Job Category:

IT - Application Development

Posting End Date:

29/09/2026