THOBEJANE KURUTLE ASNATH
Java Developer
Midrand
Summary
Java Developer with 7+ years of IT experience in the banking and financial services industry, including 2 years as a Technical Tester and 5+ years as a Java Developer. Experienced in developing and supporting Spring Boot microservices, REST APIs, and event-driven solutions using Apache Kafka and Apache Flink. Daily hands-on experience with Java, Spring Boot, React JS, Material UI (MUI), Kafka, Flink, SQL, and PostgreSQL to deliver scalable and reliable banking applications.
Skilled in backend integration, real-time data processing, CI/CD pipelines, OpenShift deployments, application testing, and production support. Proven ability to troubleshoot complex issues, perform code reviews, collaborate with QA, DevOps, and development teams, and deliver high-quality solutions throughout the software development lifecycle. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a focus on continuous improvement, system reliability, and business value delivery.
Overview
4
4
Certifications
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Java Developer C1
First National Bank
02.2022 - Current
- Develop Spring Boot microservices that support enterprise banking application functionality and backend service integration.
- Build and enhance RESTful APIs to enable secure and reliable communication between internal banking platforms and downstream consumers.
- Develop and support Kafka-based event-driven solutions to facilitate scalable, real-time data processing across distributed systems.
- Contribute to Apache Flink stream processing applications to support data transformation, enrichment, and operational banking workflows.
- Deploy, configure, and support Java applications in OpenShift/Kubernetes environments, ensuring high availability and operational stability.
- Review application code to improve readability, maintainability, and alignment with team development standards.
- Collaborate with architects, business analysts, QA engineers, DevOps teams, and stakeholders to deliver high-quality banking solutions.
- Troubleshoot production issues and coordinate fixes with developers during urgent application incidents.
- Implement REST APIs that connect banking services with internal application workflows and downstream consumers.
- Support Kafka-based messaging flows for reliable event processing across banking applications and service components.
- Manage defects throughout the software development lifecycle, from investigation and root cause analysis to implementation and validation of fixes.
- Perform application testing and release validation to ensure functionality, performance, and production readiness
- Utilize SQL and PostgreSQL for application data management, troubleshooting, performance optimization, and business data analysis.
- Implement monitoring, logging, and observability solutions to improve application performance and operational insights
- Contribute to AI-assisted development initiatives by leveraging tools such as KIRO, Microsoft Copilot and other intelligent automation solutions to improve development efficiency..
Technical Tester C
First National Bank
05.2019 - 02.2022
- Developed and maintained modular, automated performance and regression test scripts using Java and industry-standard testing frameworks to ensure reusable and scalable test solutions.
- Executed load, stress, endurance, and scalability testing to evaluate application, server, and database performance under varying user traffic conditions.
- Performed application validation, defect identification, and regression testing using Java-based automation solutions.
- Integrated performance testing tools and automated test suites into CI/CD pipelines to support continuous testing and early detection of performance issues.
- Coordinated test data creation, collection, and maintenance to support data-driven testing and accurate performance validation.
- Monitored client-side and server-side performance metrics, analyzed bottlenecks, identified root causes, and produced detailed performance reports with actionable recommendations.
- Collaborated with developers, solution architects, business analysts, and DevOps teams to investigate and resolve performance issues, ensuring applications met business and technical requirements.
- Supported performance testing activities across multiple environments, ensuring system stability, scalability, and readiness for production deployment.
Education
Advanced Diploma - Computer Science
Tshwane University of Technology
01-2027
Diploma - Computer Science
Tshwane University of Technology
01-2019
Skills
Languages & Frameworks: Java 11, Spring Boot, Dropwizard, React JS, Material UI (MUI), SQL, Python, JavaScript
Microservices & Integration: REST APIs, Jersey/JAX-RS, Microservices Architecture, Backend Integration, WebSockets, Event-Driven Architecture (EDA)
Streaming & Messaging: Apache Kafka, Apache Flink, Confluent Platform, Confluent Schema Registry, Apache Avro, Apache Calcite
Databases: PostgreSQL, SQL, HikariCP
Frontend Development: React JS, Material UI (MUI), ReactFlow, CodeMirror, D3js, Webpack, Babel
Rules & Document Processing: Camunda DMN, Apache POI, FastExcel, JXLS
Monitoring & Security: Grafana, Prometheus, Graylog, SLF4J, Log4j2, JWT Authentication, OAuth, Keycloak, Kerberos/JAAS, RBAC
Cloud & Containers: OpenShift, Kubernetes, Docker, Docker Compose, Podman
DevOps & CI/CD: Git, Maven, Bamboo, CI/CD Pipelines, Release Automation, Fabric8 Maven Plugin
Testing & Support: Performance Testing, Test Automation, Defect Management, Production Support, Root Cause Analysis, Application Support
Platform Engineering: Distributed Systems, Platform Services Development, Application Lifecycle Management, Kafka Platform Enablement
Monitoring & Security: Grafana, Prometheus, OAuth, Keycloak
AI & Automation: Microsoft Copilot, Kiro AI, AI-Assisted Development, Prompt Engineering, AI Workflow Automation, AI Productivity Tools
Professional Skills: Technical Design, Code Reviews, Problem Solving, Agile Development, Stakeholder Collaboration, Mentoring, Knowledge Sharing, Performance Optimization, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Solution Development, Incident Management
Accomplishments
- Delivered enterprise banking solutions
- Implemented Kafka event-streaming platforms
Certification
OCP - Oracle Certified Professional: Java SE 11 Developer
Timeline
Java Developer C1
First National Bank
02.2022 - Current
Technical Tester C
First National Bank
05.2019 - 02.2022
Diploma - Computer Science
Tshwane University of Technology
Advanced Diploma - Computer Science
Tshwane University of Technology
LEADERSHIP & SENIOR-LEVEL CAPABILITIES
Code Reviews, Technical Design Participation, Mentoring, Stakeholder Engagement, Root Cause Analysis, Production Support, Agile Delivery, Solution Ownership, Cross-functional Collaboration
PROFESSIONAL ATTRIBUTES
- Ownership & Accountability — Core engineer for 6 years on a business-critical platform, taking it through multiple production releases.
- Full-Stack Versatility — Worked across frontend (React/ReactFlow), backend (Java/Dropwizard), streaming/data engineering (Flink/Kafka), and DevOps (OpenShift).
- Systems Thinking — Designed how a visually authored pipeline compiles into a running distributed Flink job.
- Full-Stack Versatility — Worked across frontend (React/ReactFlow), backend (Java/Dropwizard), streaming/data engineering (Flink/Kafka), and DevOps (OpenShift).
- Systems Thinking — Designed how a visually authored pipeline compiles into a running distributed Flink job.
- Problem-Solving — Built a rules engine (Calcite SQL parsing, Camunda DMN) with joins, deduplication, windowing, and API enrichment.
- Attention to Detail & Quality — Ensured transactional integrity and schema correctness for always-on fraud detection.
- Collaboration & Communication — Partnered with non-technical business users to turn complex fraud logic into a self-service tool.
- Security & Compliance Awareness — Implemented LDAP/AD-group auth, JWT, and Kerberos for secured Kafka in a regulated banking environment.
- Adaptability & Continuous Learning — Upgraded the engine across Flink versions and adopted new libraries and integrations over time.
- Delivery Focus — Shipped features end to end, from UI to deployed OpenShift workload.
PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
- Full-stack software engineer with 5+ years building business-critical systems in a regulated banking environment. Core engineer on an enterprise no-code platform that lets business users visually build and deploy real-time Apache Flink/Kafka streaming pipelines for fraud detection, working across a React/ReactFlow front end, a Java/Dropwizard backend, and the streaming engine. Strong across the full stack, distributed data processing, and secure enterprise integration (LDAP/AD, JWT, Kerberos), with a track record of ownership and delivering features end to end.