Java Developer - IRIS Consulting Corporation

The Minnesota Department of Information Technology Services (MNIT) partnering with Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), seeking a senior contractor developer experienced in both legacy and modern Java technology to assist with replacing Struts based application screens with modern Java Spring MVC screens. This modernization effort will involve re-writing several application screens and underlying screen technology within the CLiCS application using the Spring MVC framework. The custom-developed CLiCS application is the technology system used by Nutrition Program Services (NPS) to administer most nutrition program-related activities including sponsor applications, meal claims, payments, direct certification, and the Food Distribution Program.

MNIT/MDE is responsible for building and maintaining the IT infrastructure, applications, data systems, and services to extend capabilities and improve usability of the application.

At a high level, the resource will work closely with Nutrition Program Services (NPS) staff and the MNIT/MDE team to build and implement modern screens and functionality within the application.

As the statewide administrator for USDA Child Nutrition programs, the Nutrition Program Services (NPS) Division of the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is concerned with maintaining and improving the automated information technology systems used to operate and manage all Child Nutrition (CN) Programs (i.e., School Meal Programs, Summer Food Service Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program). MNIT/MDE would like to ensure the NPS can successfully continue statewide administration of USDA nutrition programs by regularly maintaining the CLiCS application, and when necessary, improve with enhancements. The goals of this project are to:

• Increase user satisfaction regarding the CLICS sponsor and site application features.
• Improve CLiCS' viability, sustainability and maintainability relating to the sponsor and site application areas.
• Help ensure that Minnesota is in compliance with USDA regulations related to sponsor and site applications.

Sample Tasks

• Collaborate with business users, business analyst and developers to produce software designs
• Provide work estimates to project manager, provide frequent status updates and track progress against the project work plan
• Formulate technical design, program specifications and basic prototypes
• Elicit/refine requirements and transform software designs and specifications into high functioning code in the appropriate language
• Architect, design and Integrate individual software solutions to higher level systems
• Use web-based tools to create and advance applications
• Test code periodically to ensure it produces the desirable results and perform debugging when necessary
• Collaborate with business, development, and QA teams to develop testing and acceptance procedures
• Perform upgrades to make software and systems more secure and efficient
• Collaborate with business analyst, developers, and management to provide training, knowledge transfer, and documentation for technical support staff.
• Work independently to design, build, and implementation of software applications and features
• Provide project leadership, mentoring and training to other software developers on the team
• Provide knowledge transfer.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Desired Skills

• Five (5) Years of experience developing complete object-oriented Java web applications including analysis, design, implementation, build scripting, unit testing of user interface, controller, business logic, and data tiers using the Spring Framework.
• Five (5) Years of experience working directly with business users to design user interfaces in Java web application and implementation including HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, JSP and Bootstrap.
• Three (3) Years of experience of developing web applications using Groovy/Grails.
• Two (2) Years of software architecture experience with designing and developing scalable complex applications
• Five (5) Years of experience developing software both independently and leading/guiding a team
• Three (3) Years of SQL relational database design and coding experience
• Experience with Java frameworks including Spring MVC, Java Server Pages (JSP), and Hibernate
• Experience developing APIs, web services
• Experience working directly with business users to elicit, refine and document requirements
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills