JAVA MODERNIZATION & APPLICATION TRANSFORMATION
Lead the teams to build the next-generation warehouse management platform.
Who We Are:
United States Cold Storage owns and operates one of the most complex temperature-controlled logistics networks in North America. Every day, our systems coordinate the storage and movement of food on a national scale across a network of state-of-the-art distribution centers, including multiple highly automated warehouse facilities.
We continue to advance our core warehouse and logistics platforms. Our current focus is on modular, event-driven, API-first, and cloud architecture. We are also strengthening site reliability engineering and responsible AI practices to improve system reliability and engineering productivity. This investment supports continued innovation and operational excellence across our facilities.
If you want to build durable systems that operate in the physical world at scale, this is the opportunity.
The Role:
The Software Development Manager - Modernization will lead multiple engineering teams responsible for modernizing US Cold’s warehouse management platform. This role requires a highly technical software leader with deep experience in Java application development, enterprise architecture, and large-scale application modernization.
Your teams will incrementally transform a large, production Java monolith built with Spring and Hibernate into an API-first, event-driven microservices architecture on Microsoft Azure. You will remain actively involved in architecture discussions, technical design reviews, code reviews, and engineering decisions. You will help teams make sound tradeoffs that balance delivery speed, reliability, security, and long-term maintainability.
You will partner closely with Architecture, Platform, Site Reliability Engineering, Quality Assurance, Product, and business stakeholders. You will also own team performance, execution, hiring, vendor accountability, and delivery outcomes while serving as a credible technical voice with senior leadership.
This role blends technical architecture with traditional people management. The successful candidate must be able to challenge designs, guide implementation, assess code quality, and lead engineers through complex modernization work.
What You Will Own:
- Manage two engineering teams of approximately 3–6 engineers each, including a new internal team and an established European-based consulting team.
- Build and staff for the new internal team, define the technical hiring bar, and own the full hiring process.
- Lead and own delivery performance for both teams.
- Provide coaching, performance feedback, and career development for the internal team.
- Establish measurable objectives and key results at the team and individual level.
- Own roadmap execution, delivery outcomes, technical quality, and production readiness.
- Champion standards for architecture, observability, reliability, and operability.
- Communicate technical decisions, tradeoffs, risks, and resource needs clearly to leadership.
- Drive alignment across Architecture, Platform, Quality Assurance, and Product.
- Create an environment of accountability, clarity, and continuous improvement.
Technical Environment:
- Legacy enterprise Java monolith using Spring and Hibernate, backed by Oracle, actively being decomposed into microservices.
- Java and Spring Boot services deployed to Microsoft Azure.
- Cloud-native, API-first, event-driven architecture and distributed systems.
- Relational and fit-for-purpose non-relational data stores.
- Multi-region high availability for operationally critical systems.
- Infrastructure as Code using Terraform and Ansible.
- Jenkins and GitHub Actions for continuous integration and delivery.
- Observability using Dynatrace and Azure Monitor.
What We’re Looking For:
- 10+ years of software development experience with 5+ years of leadership experience.
- Demonstrable experience in modernization of monoliths to microservices.
- Expertise in the Java ecosystem: Spring, Hibernate, etc.
- Strong understanding of system design principles including 12-factor app methodology, observability, and performance optimization.
- Experience with Azure or a similar cloud platform.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, Engineering, or related field. Master’s degree preferred.
Why This Role Is Different:
You will:
- Inherit an established team while building a new internal engineering team.
- Play a lead role in a highly visible project to modernize the warehouse management platform that drives US Cold.
- Combine people leadership, delivery ownership, vendor management, and meaningful technical involvement.
- Build systems whose performance affects real-world warehouse and logistics operations on a national scale.
Compensation & Structure:
- Salary Range: $160,000.00 - $190,000.00/yr.
- Bonus Eligible
- Location: Hybrid, Camden, NJ
- Travel: Less than 10%
- Reports to: Associate Director, Software Development
Operational Context:
This role is primarily technical and office-based, with occasional interaction in operational environments depending on system needs.
Benefits Include:
If annual hours are attained, these benefits may apply. Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription, Legal Insurance, Pet Discount, Critical Illness, Accident Insurance, Hospital Indemnity, Long Term Care + Permanent Life Insurance, Identity Theft Protection, Short Term Disability Insurance, Long Term Disability Insurance, Supplemental Disability Insurance, Basic Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Supplemental Life Insurance, Supplemental Spouse Life Insurance, Child Life Insurance, Loan Solution, Health Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Flexible Spending Account, Telemedicine, Virtual Primary Care, Prescription Savings Plan, Prescription Specialty Copay Assistance Program, Weight Management Program, Chronic Condition Management, Care Navigator Program, 24/7 Nurse Line, Expert Medical Opinion, Precious Additions Maternity Program, Health Advocacy, Employee Assistance Program, Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Digital Physical Therapy, Behavioral and Mental Health Platforms, Auto and home discount program, Secure Travel Protection, Discount Programs, 401(k) plan, Education Assistance, Paid Time Off, Referral program & Commuter Benefit (NJ ONLY).
Physical & Operational Context:
May require physical effort associated with using the computer to access information, or occasional standing, walking, lifting needed to carry out everyday activities. Effective communication, vision, and hearing are essential for safety and productivity. Operate scanners, tablets, radios, phones, computers, and other essential equipment as required. Additional work hours may be requested by management to help manage employee production, projects, and/or special events. Engage in frequent personal interaction and communication. Attend in-person meetings and/or training on a regular basis. Possess strong arithmetic and reading skills. Follow verbal instructions, written instructions, and company policies. Work independently and coordinate with others. Fast-paced environment, managing stress and meeting productivity standards.
Additional Information:
Job functions may vary based on the area of operation. This description outlines the most common tasks required for the job. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties. This job description may not encompass all tasks necessary to complete the role.
#INDIT
Equal Opportunity EmployerThis employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
Skills Required
- 10+ years of software development experience
- 5+ years of leadership experience
- Experience modernizing monoliths into microservices
- Expertise in the Java ecosystem, including Spring and Hibernate
- Strong understanding of system design principles, 12-factor applications, observability, and performance optimization
- Experience with Azure or a similar cloud platform
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field
- Master’s degree
United States Cold Storage Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about United States Cold Storage and has not been reviewed or approved by United States Cold Storage.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered fair or competitive for the work and area by many. Frontline warehouse and forklift roles often describe the pay as very fair or even strong for relatively straightforward work.
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Healthcare Strength — Medical coverage begins shortly after hire and is described as excellent with low monthly premiums. The offering includes medical with prescription plans plus dental, vision, telemedicine, wellness programs, and an EAP.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) with employer match is part of the package, with profit sharing and even pension noted in some cases. These retirement elements are presented as a strong component of the total rewards.
United States Cold Storage Insights
What We Do
For more than 125 years, United States Cold Storage (USCS) has protected America’s food supply through a national network of 39 world‑class, temperature‑controlled facilities across 14 states. Today, that mission is driven as much by software as it is by steel and concrete. Behind every truck, pallet, and movement is a modern, in‑house engineering organization building the mission‑critical systems that run our warehouses. Our teams develop and operate the technology that tracks inventory in real time, optimizes labor and throughput, integrates automation and robotics, and connects seamlessly with our partners’ supply chains. We work across multiple clouds and databases, leverage modern data platforms like Snowflake, and solve complex computer science problems—from optimization to routing at scale. With more than 4,300 employees and a 200+ person IT organization operating like a modern product and engineering group, USCS offers the rare combination of stability, scale, and complex technical challenges. We do whatever it takes to help our partners profitably reach their goals—whether that’s primary cold storage or fully integrated third‑party logistics—because when the temperature matters, getting it right matters even more. Our facilities are located in: California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.
Why Work With Us
USCS is a family built on trust, teamwork, and pride. From freezer floors to engineering, everyone helps build the next generation of cold storage with practical tech that makes operations safer and smarter—because here, you don’t just keep food moving—you build how it moves next.
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