Team Lead Java Development (m/f/d)

Location: Munich (Germany)

Your mission is to lead our Java development team in the Software Engineering department both technically and disciplinarily, and together with the team, to develop scalable, robust, and maintainable software solutions as part of the end-to-end OKAPI:Orbits solutions. You will support a team of five Java developers in designing, implementing, and sustainably operating modern microservices and event-driven systems.

In this role, you will combine hands-on technical contributions with strong people leadership. You will write and review code with your team, ensure clarity in priorities, actively invest in the development of your team members, and ensure that technical decisions align with company goals and customer needs. In doing so, you will directly contribute to enabling satellite operators and aerospace agencies to effectively plan, track, and manage their missions in an increasingly dynamic orbital environment.

Research shows that women are less likely to apply for jobs if they do not meet 100% of the requirements. We explicitly want to encourage you to apply even if you do not meet all the requirements, if you have leadership potential, enthusiasm for software development, and a genuine interest in aerospace technology. OKAPI:Orbits already brings together a very diverse team and is actively working to further expand this diversity, as diverse teams perform better and foster innovation.

Technical Contribution

• Active participation in the conception, implementation, and further development of Java-based and event-driven services as a hands-on team member
• Responsibility for the technical quality of the team's output, especially in the areas of architecture, maintainability, testing, and operation
• Making technical decisions, conducting code reviews, and continuously improving the team's development processes and workflows
• Participation in shaping and advancing best practices in software engineering, deployment, monitoring, and operations

People Leadership & Team Development

• Disciplinary leadership of the Java team, currently consisting of five developers, including regular one-on-one meetings, feedback, and personnel development
• Actively fostering the individual development of team members through coaching, mentoring, and creating space for self-responsibility and learning
• Supporting the team in planning, prioritizing, and successfully implementing development tasks in a sustainable and structured manner
• Contributing to the strategic development of the Software Engineering department together with other managers and technical experts

Collaboration & Delivery

• Close collaboration with other teams, product management, and stakeholders to transform requirements into robust technical solutions
• Ensuring a robust and efficient development process through sensible standards, clear responsibilities, and strong team collaboration

Mandatory Requirements

• Several years of hands-on experience in software development with Java, with a clear focus on backend systems and event-driven architectures, e.g., using message queues or asynchronous processing
• Genuine interest in people leadership and team development
• Deep understanding of modern software architecture combined with high demands on code quality, maintainability, and robustness
• Confident handling of software development practices such as code reviews, testing, and Git workflows
• Ability to clearly communicate technical topics to both developers and non-technical stakeholders
• Good spoken and written English and German skills, at least at B2 level
• Structured, independent, and solution-oriented approach to work

Desirable Skills

• Experience in a technical or disciplinary leadership role, e.g., Team Lead, Tech Lead, or similar position with direct personnel responsibility

• Experience in building and developing high-performing engineering teams

• Hands-on experience with Python in a backend or data processing context

• Knowledge of cloud technologies, containerization, or modern deployment processes, e.g., with Docker or Kubernetes

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps-oriented workflows

• Knowledge of Observability topics such as logging, metrics, or tracing

• Experience in regulated, security-critical, or otherwise technically complex environments

• Interest in or experience with the aerospace or space industry

• Flat hierarchies, small teams, flexible working hours

• Training in Braunschweig, then hybrid in Munich

• Early responsibility and direct influence on technical and organizational development

• Training budget for your personal and professional development

• Company benefits such as BahnCard 25/50, bike leasing, and German courses

• Participation in space events and conferences to promote sustainable space utilization

• Free drinks in the office and regular After Work events