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Senior Java Developer

MGIC · Milwaukee, WI · $87,990–$149,590 a year · Full time

Posted Oct 2, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a legacy application you migrated to modern infrastructure. What was hardest about it?

What they are checking: Whether they have done real migration work, which the posting names as a core part of the job.

Tell me about a time you had to understand a business process to fix a technical problem.

What they are checking: Whether they learn the business, which matters when handling ad hoc requests in mortgage insurance.

How do you help a less experienced developer on your team grow?

What they are checking: Whether a senior developer raises the level of the team and not just their own output.

What would you do

You get a Tier 2 ticket that a production batch job is failing. Walk me through how you dig in.

What they are checking: Whether they troubleshoot methodically in production and communicate while they work.

How do you split your time when support requests and feature work both need you this week?

What they are checking: Whether they can balance product support with project delivery without letting either slip quietly.

About the work

How do you approach security remediation when a scan flags a vulnerable library deep in an old Java app?

What they are checking: Whether they can fix vulnerabilities safely in fragile code without breaking behavior others rely on.

How do you decide whether to refactor a piece of legacy code or leave it alone and work around it?

What they are checking: Whether they weigh risk and value before touching old code rather than rewriting by habit.

Explain how you would design a REST service in Spring Boot that other teams will call heavily.

What they are checking: Whether they think about contracts, error handling, performance and versioning for shared services.

What is your approach to writing tests for code that never had any?

What they are checking: Whether they know how to add safety nets to legacy systems before changing them.

What is something you would look for in a code review of a junior developer's Java change?

What they are checking: Whether they review for correctness, readability and risk rather than personal style.

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The full job description

As published by MGIC.

At MGIC, we take pride in knowing that what we do matters. As pioneers of private mortgage insurance, we help people achieve homeownership sooner - making affordable low-down-payment mortgages a reality. Our efforts have helped more than 14 million people get the keys to their own homes sooner than otherwise possible. Every position is critical to our company's success - from the analytical to the technical; from the innovative to the operational. The customer-facing roles to behind-the-scenes experts, we're all part of one team. We're an organization with a national footprint that's large enough to never lack for a new challenge, but small enough for an opportunity to make an impact and influence decisions. Come make a difference at MGIC. PURPOSE MGIC is looking for a Senior Application Developer. In this role you will be responsible for planning, developing, modifying, and implementing short- and long-term solutions to new and existing applications. The role includes product support (e.g., Tier 2 support, ad hoc business requests, security remediation, and small iterative enhancements to legacy systems), as well as delivery of new features and project-based work, including migrating legacy applications to modern infrastructure. PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The following statements describe the general nature of work performed by people assigned to this job, may not be performed by all individuals in this job, and are not a complete list of all job duties required. • Keep applications and related systems running smoothly day to day; respond to production issues, troubleshoot incidents, and drive improvements across systems and interfaces. • Partner with the business to understand processes and goals; translate needs into practical technical solutions. • Research options, evaluate complexity and feasibility, and recommend the best approach. • Contribute to technical planning by defining tasks, estimates, timelines, and dependencies. • Deliver assigned project work on time and with high quality; communicate status, risks, and deliverables to the team and leadership. • Follow SDLC and change management practices; adhere to established coding standards and development processes. • Build high-quality, secure, scalable, and maintainable software aligned with MGIC coding standards. • Modernize and upgrade codebases to supported versions to improve security, stability, and long-term supportability. • Participate in peer code reviews to improve quality and share technical knowledge. • Help advance continuous testing practices and secure coding standards. • Mentor and support junior team members as needed. • Maintain and grow technical skills through continuous learning and hands-on problem solving. • Participate in an on-call rotation as needed; occasional off-hours work may be required. Do you have what it takes? Education: Completion of Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Computer Science or Information Systems preferred but not required. Experience: • Between 2 and 5 years of experience using Java • Experience with Agile methodology using Scrum or similar • Working knowledge of Spring, Hibernate, API development, web-enabled applications, and relational databases • Ability to create and execute test cases using Junit with a mindset toward continuous testing • Strong communication and collaboration skills (upward, lateral and downward) • Eye on continuous improvement • Forward thinking on long-term vision/goals • Experience with Service Now ticketing & JIRA • Experience with COBOL, Angular & Outsystem, a plus Pay Range: $87,990.00 - $149,590.00 This range aligns with current market data and reflects our commitment to competitive and equitable compensation. Salary offers are based on factors such as experience, skills, education, and training. The range may vary in certain locations to reflect local market conditions. It is not typical to initiate pay at the top of the range to account for internal equity and allow for future and continued salary growth Enjoy these benefits from day one: • Competitive Salary & pay-for-performance bonus • Financial Benefits (401k with company match, profit sharing, HSA, wellness program) • On-site Fitness Center and classes (corporate office) • Paid-time off and paid company holidays • Business casual dress For additional information about MGIC and to apply, please visit our website at www.mgic.com/careers . Note to all recruitment agencies: MGIC does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Any unsolicited resumes sent to MGIC, directly or indirectly, will be considered MGIC property. MGIC is not responsible for any agency fees associated with unsolicited resumes. A recruiting agency must have a valid, written and fully executed agency agreement to assist with a requisition.

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