We are looking for a highly experienced **Lead Software Engineer** to join our dedicated **Digital Services team based in Chennai** . In this critical role, you will **take ownership of the technical design, architecture, and technical communication and documentation** for our new **green-field application focused on Vehicle Data, Residual Values, and Marketing Programs for Ford Credit Europe** . You will be embedded within the development squad, providing hands-on technical leadership and ensuring the solution is robust, scalable, and well-aligned with both business needs and broader technical standards. Ford Credit Europe is building several new Digital Services products on our Google Cloud Platform. **Your primary focus will be the new application suite** providing critical enterprise data services for Vehicle & Residual Value Data, and Marketing Program setup, serving our Digital Experiences. This suite of applications is key to the future success of our EU modernisation program, and **your technical leadership will be instrumental in its success.** **Role & Responsibilities:** + **Lead the technical design and architecture** **_within_** **the dedicated squad** for the Vehicle Configuration Service, Residual Data, and Marketing Program applications. + **Collaborate closely with the Product Lead, Business Analysts, Architects, and European Stakeholders** to understand requirements and **translate them into robust, scalable, and efficient** **_application-level_** **technical solutions** on GCP. + **Develop and maintain key application architecture documentation** , including component designs, sequence diagrams, API specifications, and technical design documents, ensuring clarity and alignment with best practices. + **Ensure the application's design evolves effectively and aligns with relevant enterprise architecture standards and patterns** , liaising with the central Architecture team as needed, but focusing primarily on project-level implementation. + **Provide hands-on technical leadership and guidance to the development team** (senior and junior engineers), mentoring them on best practices, performing code reviews for critical components, and overseeing the implementation of architectural designs. + **Act as the primary technical communication bridge:** Clearly and concisely explain complex technical concepts, architectural decisions, trade-offs, and potential risks/benefits to diverse audiences, including non-technical product managers, business stakeholders in Europe, and senior management. + **Perform technical feasibility studies, evaluate technology choices, frameworks, and patterns specifically** **_for the application_** , ensuring they meet functional and non-functional requirements. + **Actively participate in hands-on development for proofs-of-concept, complex features, or critical troubleshooting** to drive progress and resolve technical challenges. + Champion technical excellence, code quality, and sound engineering practices within the team. **Required Skills and Selection Criteria:** + Minimum of 8+ years’ experience in technical engineering roles, with **significant, demonstrable experience in designing, developing, and architecting complex, cloud-native applications.** + Deep understanding of cloud-first strategies and design principles, specifically with **hands-on experience building applications on Google Cloud Platform (GCP) or one of the other major cloud platforms.** + Good knowledge of strategic, new, and emerging technology trends, and the practical application and evaluation of them **within the context of specific application requirements.** + **Proven hands-on expertise** working with applications using **Java frameworks (especially Spring Boot/Spring MVC/Spring Batch).** + Strong **application architecture knowledge** designing solutions with **API Gateways (like Apigee)** and designing **RESTful APIs and/or GraphQL.** + Strong **application architecture knowledge** designing with **GCP serverless technologies (e.g., Cloud Run, Cloud Functions, App Engine).** + Experience migrating and/or building applications in modern cloud hosting environments, specifically leveraging Google Cloud Platform services. + Strong knowledge of **application-level architecture design patterns** , secure interoperability standards, and modern software development practices (CI/CD, TDD, etc.). + **Exceptional technical leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.** Proven ability to **clearly articulate complex technical ideas to both technical and non-technical audiences** (developers, product owners, business stakeholders, management). Strong problem-solving skills. + **Beneficial:** Understanding of Big Data, Machine Learning (ML), and AI concepts/technologies, as the architecture you design needs to anticipate and support near-term plans for leveraging these technologies to enhance data maintenance efficiency. + Experience working with PostgreSQL. **Nice to Have** + Google Professional Cloud Architect certification + Master’s degree in computer science / engineering, Data science or related field + Experience in Banking, Finance, or Automotive Finance domains. + Commercial development experience using front-end frameworks like React or Angular (for understanding full-stack implications). + Ability to work on multiple related components within the application suite in a fast-paced & dynamic environment. + Experience with No-SQL and BigQuery databases is a plus. **Requisition ID** : 44547