Senior Software Engineer - Java

W.W. Grainger - Lake Forest, IL

Full-time - Mid Level

Lake Forest, IL

Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods

About the position

The Senior Software Engineer - Java position at Grainger is a critical role within the Product Information Management group. This team is responsible for developing, supporting, and enhancing a suite of Java applications that manage product data across Grainger's operations in the US, Canada, and Mexico. The primary goal of this role is to contribute to the development and configuration of the Product Information Management system, which encompasses workflows, business rules, security protocols, and the production of paper catalogs. Additionally, the engineer will be involved in the development and support of various applications, including the New Product Introduction Web Application, STEP Portal, Asset Tool, and Integrated Product Viewer. This position is hybrid, requiring onsite presence in either Lake Forest, IL, or Chicago, IL. In this role, you will engage with various layers of the technology stack to enhance backend services and build user interfaces. You will work with a range of technologies, including Java, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Kubernetes, React, Next.js, Kafka, and AWS cloud services (such as S3 and EKS). Collaboration is key, as you will be expected to build both front-end and back-end components of the systems, support the systems you develop as part of an on-call rotation, and contribute to the CI/CD pipelines. The position emphasizes a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging pair programming and experimentation with workflows to enhance productivity and quality. The ideal candidate will have a strong focus on delivering high-quality functionality quickly, with a user-centric approach to product development. You will be expected to have a deep understanding of REST and HTTP, robust API development, and distributed system design. Experience with cloud-native design patterns and production support is essential, as is a commitment to quality and ownership in your work. Grainger values team members who can navigate obstacles and drive tasks to completion, ensuring that the systems built are reliable and effective for users.

Responsibilities

• Develop, support, and enhance Java applications for product data management.
• Collaboratively build front and back-end components of the systems.
• Support the systems as part of the on-call rotation.
• Contribute to the CI/CD pipelines.
• Engage in pair programming and continuous improvement of workflows.
• Develop functionality with speed and high quality.
• Build products that address user needs and enhance their experience.

Requirements

• 3+ years of experience as a full stack engineer building mission-critical systems.
• Deep understanding of REST and HTTP for robust API development.
• Experience in designing and building production-grade distributed systems.
• Familiarity with producer/consumer design patterns and messaging frameworks like Kafka.
• Experience with cloud services such as AWS or Google Cloud and understanding of cloud-native design patterns.
• Some experience with CI/CD pipelines and opinions on best practices.
• Experience with production support and observability practices.
• A belief in quality as a shared responsibility and strategies for validating software systems.
• Ownership mindset with the ability to navigate obstacles and drive tasks to completion.

Benefits

• Health and safety benefits starting from day one.
• Programs providing choice to meet individual needs of team members.