Senior Middleware Engineer

Job Summary:

The Senior Middleware Specialist will lead the end-to-end upgrade and migration of the Health Information Access Layer (HIAL) technology to AWS, focusing on modernization of middleware components such as IBM DataPower and IBM App Connect Enterprise within containerized environments. This role involves hands-on technical execution, solution design, deployment, and operational support to ensure mission-critical health services remain stable and compliant throughout the migration and upgrade lifecycle. The specialist will collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver a secure, high-availability middleware platform aligned with enterprise standards.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the full implementation of the HIAL technology upgrade and migration to AWS, including hands-on system preparation, deployment, configuration, and validation.
• Develop and maintain CI/CD pipelines for containerized deployment of IBM DataPower and related middleware components on OpenShift and cloud platforms.
• Provide expert troubleshooting and resolution for complex middleware, integration, and infrastructure issues during upgrade activities.
• Coordinate with Architecture, Security, Privacy, Infrastructure, UNIX, Network, Middleware Support, Backup & Storage, and QA teams to ensure seamless upgrade execution.
• Prepare and maintain detailed technical documentation, runbooks, operational guides, and implementation plans.
• Support QA testing environments, defect resolution, and validation efforts to ensure readiness for production deployment.
• Ensure strict adherence to change and release management processes throughout all project phases.
• Identify risks early, propose mitigation strategies, and communicate impacts to stakeholders.
• Oversee the redesign and implementation of Full Message Body Logging (FMBL) components and servers.
• Manage upgrades of operating systems such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and containerized applications including Java Spring Boot microservices.

Required Skills & Certifications:

• 7 10+ years of progressive, hands-on experience in middleware engineering and integration services, with leadership in complex platform upgrades and modernization.
• Proven experience supporting large-scale, mission-critical application environments, preferably in healthcare or regulated public sectors.
• Hands-on expertise with IBM DataPower (migration from physical appliances to OpenShift Container Platform), IBM App Connect Enterprise, and Java Spring Boot microservices.
• Experience with AWS cloud services and development of CI/CD pipelines for containerized middleware deployment and automation.
• In-depth knowledge of PKI security infrastructure, digital certificates, TLS/mTLS, encryption standards, and enterprise network architecture.
• Strong troubleshooting skills for secure system-to-system communication and middleware infrastructure challenges.

Preferred Skills & Certifications:

• Experience with system administration and networking in Windows Server and Linux environments, including IP networking, routing, and firewall management.
• Familiarity with healthcare integration standards such as HL7v3; additional knowledge of HL7v2, FHIR, or SOAP-based messaging is advantageous.
• Understanding of Information Management principles including data governance, security policies, and compliance.
• Knowledge of quality assurance practices including test planning, defect management, risk assessment, and validation of middleware components.
• Experience with system monitoring, performance tuning, capacity planning, and ITIL-based incident, problem, and change management.
• Ability to provide leadership and technical guidance across cross-functional teams.
• Awareness of healthcare regulatory environments, PHI handling, and 24 7 availability requirements.

Special Considerations:

• Role requires strict adherence to change and release management protocols to minimize disruption to mission-critical health services.
• Must handle sensitive healthcare data with compliance to privacy and security standards.
• Coordination across multiple technical and business teams is essential to ensure operational stability.
• On-call or extended hours may be required to support deployment and incident resolution in a 24 7 environment.
• Work involves managing upgrades across multiple environments including Development, QA, PST, PPE, and Production.

Scheduling:

• Hybrid work model with 3 days required in-office.
• Standard business hours with potential for extended support during critical upgrade phases.