Junior Technical Designer
DataStaff, Inc. is seeking a Junior Technical Designer for a long-term contract opportunity with one of our direct clients in Albany, NY.
*This role is hybrid
Job Description
As a Junior Technical Designer, you will support the design, development, and enhancement of application components within a large-scale enterprise application. Working under the guidance of senior technical designers and technical design managers, you will create technical documentation, develop application features, analyze issues, and help ensure solutions follow established standards. This role offers the opportunity to develop your skills in Java, Spring, Hibernate, REST/SOAP services, DB2, and enterprise-level software development.
What you'll do
- Assist senior technical designers in preparing technical design documents, including class diagrams, sequence diagrams, API specifications, and database models.
- Help translate functional and non-functional requirements into preliminary technical designs.
- Support design sessions by taking notes, preparing documentation, and completing assigned design activities.
- Contribute to developing application components using Java, Spring, Hibernate, REST/SOAP services, and DB2 under supervision.
- Implement assigned application features, enhancements, and fixes following established coding standards and best practices.
- Develop and maintain basic application workflows, integration components, and rule logic using Drools DRL and industry-standard patterns.
- Support the creation of authentication and authorization modules for various user roles.
- Participate in code reviews and incorporate feedback to strengthen technical quality and maintainability.
- Assist with defect triage by gathering logs, reproducing issues, and documenting findings.
- Support root cause analysis efforts led by senior technical designers, helping identify logic errors, design gaps, or requirement inconsistencies.
- Contribute to preparing solution options, documentation, and basic impact assessments.
- Implement approved fixes and workarounds under guidance from senior team members.
- Participate in daily status meetings with project managers, architects, and development teams to report progress and discuss challenges.
- Work closely with mid-level and senior developers to clarify tasks, understand requirements, and ensure aligned technical delivery.
- Assist in maintaining technical documentation and updating design artifacts as changes occur.
- Provide support for proofs of concept by researching tools, preparing prototypes, and documenting results.
- Stay current with relevant technologies, design practices, and development methodologies used in the application stack.
- Seek mentorship from senior technical designers and technical design managers to enhance technical competencies.
- Apply Java design patterns and engineering principles to improve code reliability and quality.
- Learn emerging engineering techniques, design patterns, and best practices relevant to the application systems.
- Use approved AI tools to support code review, impact analysis, test case generation, and exploration of design options, validating results with senior oversight.
What you'll bring
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
- 3–6 years of software development or technical design experience, with internships and academic projects accepted.
- Familiarity with Java, Spring, Hibernate, REST/SOAP Web Services, and relational databases.
- Strong desire to learn and develop technical design skills in a large-scale system.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication abilities.
- Ability to follow instructions, ask clarifying questions, and collaborate effectively with senior technical staff.
Nice to have
- Exposure to rule engines such as Drools, API design, or enterprise application frameworks.
- Experience using AI tools for technical analysis or development support.
DataStaff offers W-2 employment opportunities with a competitive benefits package. Many of our positions include medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays. Recognizing that many of our assignments are long-term, DataStaff also offers a 401(k) retirement savings plan, with employees becoming eligible after six months of employment.