Technical Lead (Java) at Vanguard
Rate: $68/hr C2C either $58/hr on W2
Location: Malvern, PA
Interview Process: Internal Screen, Client Round
Must Complete a solutions screening prior to sending to the client. Onsite in PA only.
โข Act as the lead developer and technical authority
โข Create architecture designs and technical roadmaps
โข Define and negotiate service/API contracts with partner teams
โข Ensure solutions meet enterprise standards, security, and resiliency
โข Review code and enforce quality and technical standards
โข Be hands-on in development, especially during implementation phases
Core technical skills (priority order):
1. Java (primary)
2. AWS (ECS, Lambda, S3, Glue, etc.)
3. Angular (UI)
4. GraphQL (important but learnable)
โข Python needed on the team, though not mandatory for every developer
โข DynamoDB required; other databases TBD
Torc Job Type
Primary Timezone
timeOverlap
Job Description
Role Overview
We are seeking a hands-on Tech Lead to act as the technical authority for one or more strategic initiatives. The Tech Lead will define architecture, service contracts, and technical roadmaps while providing strong engineering leadership across backend, cloud, and frontend concerns.
The short-term emphasis of this role is technical discovery, solution design, and planning, laying the foundation for successful downstream delivery and team scaling.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Leadership & Architecture
โข Serve as the lead developer and technical authority for the initiative(s)
โข Design system architectures and define technical roadmaps
โข Decompose ambiguous problem spaces into clear, actionable technical plans
โข Define, document, and negotiate service and API contracts with partner teams
โข Ensure solutions meet enterprise standards for security, resiliency, and maintainability
โข Identify technical dependencies, risks, sequencing, and trade-offs
Hands-On Engineering
โข Remain hands-on in development, particularly during implementation phases
โข Review code and enforce engineering best practices and quality standards
โข Support complex technical problem-solving across the stack
Collaboration & Planning
โข Work closely with product, partner teams, and stakeholders to shape scope and priorities
โข Help determine which initiative to start first based on technical readiness and risk
โข Inform decisions on future team composition and required skillsets
Team & Delivery Model
โข Work within a single cross-functional team supporting multiple initiatives (initially not in parallel)
โข Support a flexible staffing model with engineers rotating in or out based on phase and needs
โข Contribute to APIs that are primarily internal-facing, with some UI components potentially external-facing
โข Influence when and how additional engineers are added as scope and priorities become clearer
Core Technical Skills (Priority Order)
Required
โข Java (primary development language)
โข AWS experience, including services such as:ECS, Lambda, S3, Glue
โข DynamoDB (required)
Preferred / Learnable
โข Angular (UI development)
โข GraphQL (important but learnable)
โข Familiarity with Python (needed on the team, but not mandatory for every developer)
โข Experience with additional databases (to be determined)
Ideal Candidate Profile
โข Strong technical depth with a solution-oriented mindset
โข Proven experience providing technical leadership while remaining hands-on
โข Strong background in resilient system and cloud-native design
โข Ability to work effectively across: Backend services, Cloud infrastructure, Frontend/UI concerns
โข Comfortable operating in environments with high ambiguity and evolving requirements
Job Responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
Technical Leadership & Architecture
โข Serve as the lead developer and technical authority for the initiative(s)
โข Design system architectures and define technical roadmaps
โข Decompose ambiguous problem spaces into clear, actionable technical plans
โข Define, document, and negotiate service and API contracts with partner teams
โข Ensure solutions meet enterprise standards for security, resiliency, and maintainability
โข Identify technical dependencies, risks, sequencing, and trade-offs
Hands-On Engineering
โข Remain hands-on in development, particularly during implementation phases
โข Review code and enforce engineering best practices and quality standards
โข Support complex technical problem-solving across the stack
Collaboration & Planning
โข Work closely with product, partner teams, and stakeholders to shape scope and priorities
โข Help determine which initiative to start first based on technical readiness and risk
โข Inform decisions on future team composition and required skillsets
Team & Delivery Model
โข Work within a single cross-functional team supporting multiple initiatives (initially not in parallel)
โข Support a flexible staffing model with engineers rotating in or out based on phase and needs
โข Contribute to APIs that are primarily internal-facing, with some UI components potentially external-facing
โข Influence when and how additional engineers are added as scope and priorities become clearer
Core Technical Skills (Priority Order)
Required
โข Java (primary development language)
โข AWS experience, including services such as:ECS, Lambda, S3, Glue
โข DynamoDB (required)
Preferred / Learnable
โข Angular (UI development)
โข GraphQL (important but learnable)
โข Familiarity with Python (needed on the team, but not mandatory for every developer)
โข Experience with additional databases (to be determined)
Ideal Candidate Profile
โข Strong technical depth with a solution-oriented mindset
โข Proven experience providing technical leadership while remaining hands-on
โข Strong background in resilient system and cloud-native design
โข Ability to work effectively across: Backend services, Cloud infrastructure, Frontend/UI concerns
โข Comfortable operating in environments with high ambiguity and evolving requirements