Senior Backend Engineer - Core Java & Systems Integration

About Clear Labs

Clear Labs harnesses the power of next-generation sequencing (NGS) to simplify complex diagnostics for clinical and applied markets. By creating a fully automated platform that brings together DNA sequencing, robotics, and cloud-based analytics, Clear Labs democratizes genomics applications to deliver clarity. Our turnkey platform accelerates outcomes and improves accuracy from food-borne pathogens to infectious diseases.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a hands-on Senior Backend Software Engineer to join our lean, high-impact engineering team as a core platform owner. This role is a critical replacement for a key team member and focuses exclusively on the "connective tissue" of our platform—architecting robust Java backend services and low-latency integration bridges between physical lab automation hardware and our cloud ecosystem.

This is an opportunity for a purist backend systems engineer. You will own the deterministic state machine that ensures our physical robotics and cloud orchestration layers operate in perfect synchronization.

Primary Responsibilities

• Core JVM Service Development: Own, develop, and maintain a distributed matrix of 30+ microservices using Java and Spring Boot.
• Systems Integration: Analyze, design, and build bulletproof, replay-safe API integrations between Clear Labs, external bioinformatics analysis pipelines, and clinical middleware (LIMS/EHR).
• State Orchestration & Messaging: Drive architectural resilience using Domain-Driven Design (DDD) principles, leveraging Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), RabbitMQ, and GCP Cloud Pub/Sub for asynchronous event streaming.
• Data & Performance Engineering: Optimize and harden existing transactional database services (MySQL, Redis) for extreme reliability under high concurrency and massive data scale.
• On-Market Tier Support: Act as the high-level technical lead for production escalations, triaging and troubleshooting deep infrastructure bugs within our grid service layers.
• Compliance & Hardening: Implement technical security controls as we advance toward SOC2 and ISO 27001 compliance standards.

Requirements

Position Requirements

• Legal Invariant: Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Clear Labs does not provide employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future.
• Location Invariant: Able to commute daily to our San Carlos, CA headquarters for a 100% on-site schedule.
• Experience: 5+ years of professional backend software development experience in a production environment.
• Core Language: Elite proficiency in Java and the Spring Boot ecosystem (Dependency Injection, Spring Data, Transaction Management).
• Infrastructure & Messaging: Hands-on experience operating containerized workloads on cloud infrastructure (strictly GCP/GKE preferred) utilizing message brokers like RabbitMQ or Cloud Pub/Sub.
• Databases: Deep knowledge of relational databases (MySQL), including schema design, constraint invariants, query tuning, and indexing strategies.
• Testing Philosophy: A strict affinity for writing comprehensive unit and integration tests (JUnit, Mockito, TestContainers) as a mandatory definition of "done."

Nice to Have

• Prior experience building LIMS or EHR data integrations (HL7, FHIR).
• Familiarity with cybersecurity frameworks (SOC2/ISO 27001 control mapping).
• Experience writing automation scripts in Python or TypeScript.
  

Physical Requirements

• Able to sit or stand at a computer for extended periods and use monitors and related hardware comfortably.

Benefits

• Salary range: $121,500–$150,000
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employer-Sponsored Basic Life/AD&D, 60% Short-Term/Long-Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Flexible Time Off
• Stock Option Plan
• Lunch stipend for days at headquarters

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