Okay, I've searched for Software Architect (Back End) roles in Houston, TX, requiring 10+ years of experience, with skills in Java and Spring Framework, and full-time positions. I have found 45 positions matching your criteria.

Sure. Here's the analysis:

Job Analysis:

The Software Architect (Back End) role is fundamentally about shaping and executing the technical backbone of Sysco's eCommerce platform, which supports a vast and complex distribution network. The ideal candidate must be a seasoned software engineer with over a decade of hands-on and architectural experience, particularly with Java, Node.js, and modern backend frameworks like Spring, because the job demands designing scalable, high-performance, and secure systems in a demanding real-time data processing environment. Beyond coding expertise, this role requires a strategic mindset—collaborating with product managers to translate business needs into technical vision and roadmaps, and guiding diverse engineering teams towards coherent, sustainable solutions. Critical challenges include integrating multiple enterprise systems and third-party tools seamlessly, optimizing system response times without sacrificing complexity, and setting governance standards to maintain code quality and architecture consistency. Success here is visible when the platform reliably supports Sysco’s large-scale, highly transactional eCommerce operations with agility and robustness, while the architect’s leadership amplifies team performance and alignment with the company’s business growth objectives. The role demands proficiency in cloud technologies, container orchestration, messaging systems, and security protocols, highlighting a need for broad technological fluency and an ability to navigate ambiguity, trade-offs, and fast-evolving business needs.

Company Analysis:

Sysco is a dominant, mature player in the global foodservice distribution market, with a deeply established infrastructure, extensive customer base, and significant annual revenues surpassing $76 billion. Its position as an industry leader means the company balances stable operational excellence with ongoing digital transformation needs. This role is critical in driving Sysco's eCommerce platform forward, indicating an organizational focus on scaling digital capabilities to keep pace with modern customer expectations and operational demands. The company's large, distributed operational footprint suggests a culture that values reliability, compliance, and gradual innovation rather than rapid disruptive change, positioning the architect as a strategic enabler who can respect legacy complexities while pushing technology modernization. Given Sysco's emphasis on sustainability and diversity, the work environment likely encourages collaboration, inclusiveness, and responsibility—traits vital for a leader in technology architecture who must mentor teams and advocate best practices across multiple disciplines and stakeholders. Reporting hierarchies and formal governance probably exist, so the architect will thrive by balancing visionary technical leadership with pragmatic execution in a cross-functional, multi-tiered organizational setting. This role serves a growth and modernization agenda, aiming to enhance eCommerce capabilities that support Sysco’s enormous scale and evolving business model.

Absolutely. Here are some mock interview questions that could come up:

• Behavioral: Tell me about a time when you led the architectural design of a complex backend system that needed to integrate multiple external services. How did you ensure system reliability and maintainability?
• Behavioral: Describe an experience where you had to mentor engineers on adopting new coding standards or architectural best practices. What approach did you take to overcome resistance?
• Behavioral: Share an example of how you managed competing priorities between technical excellence and business deadlines. How did you navigate that challenge?
• Behavioral: Can you give an example when you had to resolve a conflict within a cross-functional team regarding a technology decision? What was the outcome?
• Technical: How would you approach designing a scalable API orchestration layer for an eCommerce platform using GraphQL and microservices?
• Technical: Explain your experience with performance tuning backend systems, specifically in improving response times and resource efficiency.
• Technical: Walk me through your preferred strategy for implementing real-time data processing pipelines with Kafka in a cloud environment.
• Technical: How do you ensure security and authorization best practices are incorporated into backend architecture, especially in a high-transaction environment like eCommerce?
• Situational: Imagine a sudden surge in traffic causes significant latency in the backend services. How would you diagnose and address the problem?
• Situational: If a product manager requests a significant feature addition with tight deadlines that conflicts with your planned architectural roadmap, how would you handle it?
• Situational: Suppose your team has varying levels of familiarity with container orchestration tools like Kubernetes. How would you ramp them up while ensuring ongoing project delivery?
• Company Fit: What interests you most about working for Sysco, considering our leadership position in foodservice distribution and current focus on eCommerce modernization?
• Company Fit: How do your personal values and leadership style align with Sysco’s emphasis on sustainability, diversity, and collaborative culture?
• Company Fit: Given Sysco’s mature operational environment, how do you balance innovation with pragmatism in your architectural decisions?
• Questions for Interviewer: How does Sysco envision the evolution of its eCommerce platform over the next 3-5 years, and what is the role of this Software Architect in that vision?
• Questions for Interviewer: Can you describe the typical composition and cross-functional interaction of the engineering teams that this role will lead or collaborate with?
• Questions for Interviewer: What are some current or anticipated challenges Sysco faces in backend architecture that this position is expected to address shortly after joining?