API Gateway Engineer/Ops Engineer

at  Cognizant

JOB SUMMARY:

We are looking for a skilled and motivated API Gateway Engineer to join our team. This role is ideal for candidates with a strong background in API gateways and experience with Azure DevOps/GitHub Actions, NGINX, and Lua. The primary responsibility of this role is to develop, deploy, and manage our API Gateway.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS:

• Strong experience working with API Gateways.
• Deep understanding of API management, lifecycle, and integration design patterns and best practices.
• In-depth knowledge of API gateway components such as proxies, policies, plugins, and developer portals, including their configurations.
• Experience in Agile development, application design, software development, and testing.
• Strong understanding of XML, JSON, Web Service technologies (SOAP, REST), and data structures.
• Expertise in setting up API proxies and configuring policies on API gateways.
• Extensive experience with OAuth, JWT, and other API security policies.
• Capability to apply security measures, throttling, OAuth 2.0, TLS, certificates, and keys to the API Gateway.
• Familiarity with management APIs and integration with enterprise systems, including infrastructure and application monitoring, SAML or LDAP SSO, and logging.
• Proficient in creating API specifications using Swagger.
• Understanding of Microservices patterns and concepts.
• Knowledge of CI/CD processes and experience with DevOps tools.
• Eagerness to learn new technologies and apply them to create functional software.

NICE TO HAVE SKILLS:

• Knowledge of the Banking & Insurance industry is a plus.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Excellent communication skills and a willingness to engage in discussions and brainstorming sessions.
• Openness to new technologies while understanding the enterprise landscape and processes.
• Ability to work effectively in a new team environment and manage new introductions.
• Objectives:
• Connect the first API consumers and producers within the next 6 months.
• Develop a mature API Gateway service within 12 months.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or a related field.
• AWS and/or Azure certification is a plus.

• Develop, deploy, and manage API Gateway.
• Customize NGINX using the Lua language to meet specific needs.
• Utilize Azure DevOps/GitHub Actions for continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) and infrastructure management.
• Implement API management solutions, including setting up API proxies, managing traffic, ensuring security, and enabling analytics, monetization, and developer portals.
• Create and refine API specifications using OpenAPI/YAML.
• Maintain high standards of code and design quality by executing thorough test plans.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with both technical and business stakeholders to develop solutions.
• Proactively identify technical dependencies and work with cross-functional teams to address them.
• Deploy the API Gateway codebase using CI/CD processes.
• Independently build and deliver Proofs of Concept (PoCs).
• Participate in peer code reviews to ensure high code quality.
• Work closely with API and backend engineers to enhance API quality and establish best practices and processes across products.
• Collaborate with the platform architecture team to define and design the API Gateway.
• Integrate API consumers and producers in collaboration with the team.
• Ensure the API Gateway is robust, scalable, and secure.
• Provide technical support and troubleshoot API Gateway issues.
• Engage in discussions and brainstorming sessions to foster innovation and improve services.