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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Middleware Engineer

💰 $110,000 - $165,000

ITInfrastructureEngineeringMiddlewareDevOps

🎯 Role Definition

As a Middleware Engineer, you are the architect and guardian of our organization's digital nervous system. You will be responsible for the installation, configuration, administration, and support of the essential software that acts as the bridge between our operating systems and the applications that our business depends on. This includes application servers, messaging queues, web servers, and automation platforms. In this role, you will work closely with development, operations, and security teams to ensure seamless application integration, high availability, and optimal performance. Your expertise will be crucial in troubleshooting complex issues, automating manual processes, and evolving our middleware stack to meet the demands of a modern, scalable, and secure enterprise environment.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Systems Administrator
  • Application Support Engineer
  • Java Developer / Software Engineer
  • Junior DevOps Engineer

Advancement To:

  • Senior or Lead Middleware Engineer
  • Integration Architect
  • Cloud Architect
  • DevOps Architect

Lateral Moves:

  • DevOps Engineer
  • Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)
  • Cloud Infrastructure Engineer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Design, install, configure, and maintain enterprise middleware environments, including application servers like JBoss EAP, IBM WebSphere, Oracle WebLogic, and Apache Tomcat.
  • Administer and support messaging queue infrastructure such as IBM MQ, RabbitMQ, or Apache Kafka, ensuring reliable and asynchronous communication between distributed systems.
  • Develop and maintain robust automation scripts using Ansible, Python, or Shell (Bash) to streamline middleware provisioning, configuration management, and application deployments.
  • Proactively monitor system performance, availability, and capacity using enterprise tools like Dynatrace, AppDynamics, Splunk, or Prometheus to identify and resolve bottlenecks before they impact services.
  • Lead complex troubleshooting and root cause analysis for production incidents related to middleware components, providing timely resolution and detailed post-mortem reports.
  • Manage the entire lifecycle of SSL/TLS certificates and digital security credentials for middleware components, ensuring secure and uninterrupted data transmission.
  • Implement and maintain security best practices for all middleware platforms, including regular patching, vulnerability remediation, and system hardening in compliance with company policies.
  • Collaborate with development teams to establish best practices for application deployment and provide expert consultation on middleware configuration and performance tuning.
  • Configure and manage web servers such as Apache HTTP Server or NGINX, including reverse proxy configurations, load balancing, and URL rewrites.
  • Plan, coordinate, and execute middleware software upgrades, migrations, and patch management activities with minimal downtime.
  • Provide 24x7 on-call support on a rotational basis to address critical middleware-related production issues and ensure business continuity.
  • Engineer and support containerized middleware solutions using Docker and orchestration platforms like Kubernetes or OpenShift, facilitating a shift towards microservices architecture.
  • Document system architectures, configurations, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure knowledge is shared and processes are repeatable.
  • Perform regular performance tuning of JVMs, thread pools, and connection pools to optimize application response times and resource utilization.
  • Implement and manage high-availability (HA) and disaster recovery (DR) configurations for critical middleware infrastructure to meet stringent RTO/RPO objectives.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis related to system performance and logs.
  • Contribute to the organization's technology strategy and infrastructure roadmap by evaluating new tools and industry trends.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate functional requirements into technical specifications for middleware services.
  • Participate in sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and other agile ceremonies within the infrastructure and engineering teams.
  • Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance to cross-functional teams on middleware integration patterns.
  • Manage and maintain code repositories (e.g., Git) for automation scripts and infrastructure-as-code configurations.
  • Participate in capacity planning and forecasting to ensure middleware environments can scale to meet future business growth.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Application Servers: Deep expertise in administering JBoss EAP, IBM WebSphere Application Server, Oracle WebLogic, and/or Apache Tomcat.
  • Scripting & Automation: Strong proficiency in scripting with Python, Shell (Bash, ksh), and using automation tools like Ansible.
  • Operating Systems: Advanced knowledge of Linux (RHEL, CentOS) and a solid understanding of Windows Server.
  • Messaging Systems: Hands-on experience with messaging middleware such as IBM MQ, RabbitMQ, or Apache Kafka.
  • Containerization: Practical experience with Docker, Kubernetes, and/or Red Hat OpenShift.
  • Cloud Platforms: Familiarity with IaaS/PaaS services on public clouds like AWS (EC2, S3, VPC), Azure, or GCP.
  • Monitoring Tools: Experience with APM and logging tools like Dynatrace, AppDynamics, Splunk, Prometheus, Grafana, or the ELK Stack.
  • CI/CD & DevOps Tools: Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines and tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, or Azure DevOps.
  • Web Servers & Load Balancers: Proficiency in configuring and managing Apache HTTP Server, NGINX, and load balancers like F5 BIG-IP.
  • Networking & Security: Strong understanding of TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP/S, firewalls, and SSL/TLS certificate management.

Soft Skills

  • Analytical Problem-Solving: Ability to systematically diagnose complex technical issues and perform effective root cause analysis.
  • Strong Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to articulate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Collaboration & Teamwork: A proven track record of working effectively in cross-functional teams (Dev, Ops, Sec).
  • Ownership & Accountability: A proactive and responsible approach to managing critical systems and resolving issues.
  • Attention to Detail: Meticulous approach to configuration, documentation, and change management.
  • Time Management: Ability to prioritize tasks effectively in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree in a technical field or equivalent professional experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's Degree or relevant industry certifications (e.g., Red Hat Certified Specialist in Ansible Automation, AWS Certified SysOps Administrator).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Computer Science
  • Information Technology
  • Software Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5-8 years of dedicated middleware administration or engineering experience.

Preferred: 7+ years of hands-on experience managing large-scale, high-availability middleware systems in an enterprise environment, with a strong emphasis on automation and performance engineering.

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