Senior Java Developer
Posted Oct 2, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026
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.
Practice this interview out loud.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by MGIC.