Team Lead Java Development (m/f/d)

Your mission

Your mission is to lead our Java Development team within the Software Engineering department, both technically and as a disciplinary manager, and to build scalable, reliable, and maintainable software together with your team as part of OKAPI:Orbits' end-to-end solutions. You will support a team of currently five Java developers in designing, implementing, and sustainably operating modern services and event-driven systems.

In this role, you combine genuine technical contribution with strong people leadership. You write and review code alongside your team, create clarity in priorities, actively invest in the growth of your team members, and ensure that technical decisions align with company goals and customer needs. In doing so, you directly contribute to enabling satellite operators and space agencies to efficiently plan, monitor, and control their missions in an increasingly dynamic orbital environment.

Studies show that women are less likely to apply for a role if they do not meet 100 percent of the requirements. Please know that we still strongly encourage you to apply if you bring leadership potential, enthusiasm for software development, and a genuine interest in space technology. OKAPI:Orbits already brings together a highly diverse team and is actively committed to expanding this diversity further, as diverse teams consistently achieve better results and foster innovation.

Your tasks and responsibilities

• Technical contributions
• Actively contributing to the design, implementation, and further development of Java-based services and event-driven systems as a hands-on member of the team
• Taking responsibility for technical quality across the team's output, particularly in architecture, maintainability, testing, and operations
• Driving technical decisions, conducting code reviews, and continuously improving development processes and team workflows
• Supporting the further development of best practices around software engineering, deployment, monitoring, and operations
• People leadership and team development
• Disciplinary leadership of a Java team with currently five developers, including regular one-on-ones, feedback, and performance development
• Actively fostering the individual growth of team members through coaching, mentoring, and creating space for ownership and learning
• Supporting the team in planning, prioritizing, and successfully delivering development tasks in a sustainable and structured way
• Contributing to the strategic development of the Software Engineering department alongside other leaders and technical experts
• Collaboration and delivery
• Working closely with other teams, Product Management, and additional stakeholders to translate requirements into robust technical solutions
• Ensuring a reliable and efficient development process through meaningful standards, clear responsibilities, and strong team collaboration

Your profile

Must-haves

• Several years of practical experience in software development with Java, with a strong focus on backend systems and event-driven architectures, for example using message queues or asynchronous processing
• Demonstrated ability to motivate, develop, and retain engineers in a dynamic environment
• Strong understanding of modern software architecture, with high standards for code quality, maintainability, and reliability
• Confident with software development practices such as code reviews, testing, and Git workflows
• Ability to communicate technical topics clearly to both engineers and non-technical stakeholders
• Good English and German skills, both written and spoken, at a minimum of B2 level
• Structured, self-reliant, and solution-oriented way of working

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in a technical or disciplinary leadership role, such as Team Lead, Tech Lead, or comparable position with real people responsibility
• Experience building and scaling high-performing engineering teams from the ground up
• Practical experience with Python in a backend or data-processing context
• Knowledge of cloud technologies, containerization, or modern deployment processes, for example with Docker or Kubernetes
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps ways of working
• Exposure to observability topics such as logging, metrics, or tracing
• Experience in a regulated, safety-critical, or otherwise technically demanding environment
• Interest in or experience with the space or aerospace domain

Why us?

• Flat hierarchies, small teams, and flexible working hours
• Onboarding in Braunschweig, afterwards on site in Braunschweig or hybrid from Munich
• Early responsibility and direct influence on both technical and organizational development
• Training budget for your personal and professional growth
• Corporate benefits such as BahnCard 25/50, bike leasing, and German courses
• Participation in space related events and conferences to help promote sustainable space operations
• Free drinks in the office, monthly company lunch, and regular after work events

From Application to Offer: Our Hiring Process

• You send us your application
• We review your profile and get back to you with a short questionnaire
• A first interview with our HR team
• A second interview with a member of the team you would join
• A final interview with the department lead