Nikesh is available for hire
Hire NikeshNikesh Khandelwal
Verified Expert in Engineering
Software Developer
Milton, Canada
Toptal member since June 10, 2026
Bio
Nikesh is a senior software developer with over 14 years of experience in full-stack development, specializing in Java and Angular/React. Their expertise spans robust application design and database development, with notable work at Royal Bank of Canada, Citibank, and Scotiabank. At RBC, Nikesh led a team to deliver secure APIs and digital banking features, integrating accessibility and shift-left security practices.
Portfolio
RBC
Java, Spring Boot, Spring Cloud Gateway, Angular, Apigee, Azure, OpenShift...
Citibank
Java, Spring Security, Kubernetes, OpenShift, Docker, Harness, Jenkins, JSON...
Scotiabank
JavaScript, Spring Data, Hibernate, JPA, Angular, JSON, Cassandra, Unix...
Experience
- Java - 14 years
- REST APIs - 10 years
- Spring Boot - 10 years
- Hibernate - 8 years
- JPA - 8 years
- Angular - 8 years
- Kubernetes - 5 years
- Docker - 4 years
Work Experience
Tech Lead – Java/Angular
2025 - PRESENT
RBC
- Led a cross-functional team to architect and deliver robust, secure, and accessible APIs and digital banking features using Java, Spring Boot, and Spring Cloud Gateway.
- Worked hands-on in coding, code reviews, and troubleshooting across back-end (Java, Spring Boot) and front-end (Angular) components, ensuring high standards for code quality and maintainability.
- Managed and designed API governance, versioning, and security via Apigee and Spring Gateway, enforcing REST and OpenAPI standards.
- Built, automated, and maintained CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions, OpenShift, Docker, and Azure.
- Integrated advanced developer tools like GitHub Copilot, IntelliJ, Cloud Code, and Windsurf to boost development speed and quality.
- Championed vulnerability management, accessibility (AODA/WCAG), and robust automated testing (unit/integration/security).
- Mentored team members and collaborated closely with business and architecture groups to deliver modern, reliable, and compliant banking solutions.
- Spearheaded the integration of accessibility and inclusive design principles (AODA/WCAG), ensuring digital solutions are usable by all clients and compliant with banking standards.
- Drove adoption of shift-left security practices, integrating automated vulnerability scanning and remediation into the development lifecycle for early and effective risk management.
Technologies: Java, Spring Boot, Spring Cloud Gateway, Angular, Apigee, Azure, OpenShift, Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub, GitHub Actions, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf, IntelliJ IDEA, REST APIs, Microservices, CI/CD Pipelines, Jira, Confluence, Git, Hibernate, JPA, Spring Data, JavaScript, SQL, Java 8, API Integration, APIs, Back-end, Back-end Architecture, Fintech, Authentication, Database Design, Back-end Development, Claude, HTML, Spring, TypeScript, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Authorization, Flyway, Multitenancy, Single Sign-on (SSO), Springbot, User Management, Event-driven Architecture, Event-driven Systems, Data Entry, Performance Improvement, Scalability, System Integration, Finance, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), OAuth 2, Identity & Access Management (IAM), Multi-factor Authentication (MFA), Role-based Access Control (RBAC), JVM, Financial Services, RESTFul APIs, Vault, Security, Architecture, Redis, Object-oriented Design (OOD), Full-stack Development, Front-end, Large Language Models (LLMs), Legacy Code
Lead Software Developer
2021 - 2025
Citibank
- Coordinated discussions with the business to gather requirements and translate them into technical specifications.
- Coordinated with onshore and offshore teams to ensure on-time delivery of project milestones.
- Led the development and implementation of a new system, coordinating efforts between a team of developers and testers.
- Implemented enhancements and new features for the customer-facing portal.
- Worked on the certificate module to allow end users to upload their SSL, encryption, and signing certificates to Datapower and other internal systems.
- Implemented certificate upload functionality with Maker/checker rules, allowing scheduling aligned with production server uploads.
- Built an API governance application to execute rules and provide scorecards for uploaded APIs via Swagger 2.0 and 3.0.
- Worked on the API Metrix project to provide stats of API calls by client, most used APIs, and other usage metrics.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to onboard new APIs and ensure consistency in API design using RESTful best practices and Open API specifications.
- Established and maintained developer portals enabling self-service onboarding and documentation access for stakeholders.
Technologies: Java, Spring Security, Kubernetes, OpenShift, Docker, Harness, Jenkins, JSON, Oracle, Jira, Confluence, uDeploy, TeamCity, Kafka, IntelliJ IDEA, Splunk, Git, Hibernate, JPA, Spring Data, Microservices, Python, Spring Boot, GitHub, GitHub Copilot, REST APIs, CI/CD Pipelines, JavaScript, Unix, Bitbucket, Sybase, Solace, FIX Protocol, Oracle 11g, SQL, Java 8, API Integration, APIs, Back-end, Back-end Architecture, Fintech, Authentication, Database Design, SaaS Architecture, PostgreSQL, Back-end Development, Claude, Workflow Automation, HTML, Spring, TypeScript, AWS Lambda, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Authorization, Flyway, Multitenancy, Single Sign-on (SSO), Springbot, Node.js, User Management, NoSQL, Event-driven Architecture, Event-driven Systems, ACID, Bug Fixes, Data Entry, Performance Improvement, Scalability, System Integration, Finance, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), OAuth 2, Identity & Access Management (IAM), Oracle Database, Multi-factor Authentication (MFA), Role-based Access Control (RBAC), JVM, Financial Services, RESTFul APIs, SDKs, Vault, Security, Architecture, Redis, Helm, Object-oriented Design (OOD), Full-stack Development, Front-end, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Large Language Models (LLMs), Legacy Code
Lead Software Developer
2021 - 2021
Scotiabank
- Facilitated problem-solving and conflict resolution within the team.
- Conducted code reviews and provided constructive feedback to improve code quality.
- Led testing efforts across different environments, including development, QA, and production.
- Understood requirements on different risk factors and built a strategic solution to onboard data to the new platform.
- Worked on back-end components based on microservices infrastructure.
- Implemented data caching to improve application performance.
- Followed an Agile model with continuous delivery in a 2-week sprint cycle.
Technologies: JavaScript, Spring Data, Hibernate, JPA, Angular, JSON, Cassandra, Unix, Bitbucket, Jira, Kafka, Spring Boot, Java, Spring Cloud Gateway, Apigee, Azure, OpenShift, Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub, GitHub Actions, IntelliJ IDEA, REST APIs, CI/CD Pipelines, Git, Oracle 11g, SQL, Java 8, API Integration, APIs, Back-end, Back-end Architecture, Fintech, Database Design, Back-end Development, HTML, Spring, TypeScript, Authorization, Multitenancy, Single Sign-on (SSO), Springbot, ACID, Bug Fixes, Data Entry, Performance Improvement, Scalability, System Integration, Finance, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), OAuth 2, Oracle Database, Multi-factor Authentication (MFA), Role-based Access Control (RBAC), JVM, Financial Services, RESTFul APIs, SDKs, Security, Redis, Object-oriented Design (OOD), Full-stack Development, Front-end, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Legacy Code
Senior Software Developer
2017 - 2021
Citibank
- Migrated a Java Swing-based legacy desktop application to a modern web-based application using Angular (Ag-grid), Java, Spring Boot, Hibernate, and JPA.
- Handled object-oriented design, writing client-side unit tests and server-side unit tests.
- Developed web and desktop-based applications (Java Swing) and built prototypes for usability testing and proof of concepts.
- Developed and deployed Web Services—SOAP and RESTful API—for data exchange between services.
- Wrote automated unit test cases to validate the order fill, partial, cancel, and rejected flow.
- Wrote unit test cases to test the booking and order settlement process.
- Contributed to project documentation such as technical specifications.
- Implemented Smart-core connectivity with Tibco (EMS).
- Implemented an AWS S3 bucket in the application to publish documents and logs.
- Implemented asynchronous thread-safe pre-trade risk checks in Rust.
Technologies: JavaScript, Angular, Hibernate, Spring Data, Spring Security, JSON, Sybase, Oracle, Jira, Confluence, uDeploy, Rust, TeamCity, Microservices, Solace, Kafka, FIX Protocol, Azure, Spring Boot, Java, OpenShift, Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub, GitHub Copilot, IntelliJ IDEA, REST APIs, CI/CD Pipelines, Git, JPA, Unix, Bitbucket, Oracle 11g, SQL, Java 8, API Integration, APIs, Back-end, Back-end Architecture, Fintech, Database Design, Back-end Development, HTML, Spring, TypeScript, AWS Lambda, Authorization, Single Sign-on (SSO), Springbot, User Management, Event-driven Architecture, Event-driven Systems, ACID, Bug Fixes, Scalability, System Integration, Finance, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), Oracle Database, Role-based Access Control (RBAC), JVM, Financial Services, RESTFul APIs, SDKs, Security, Object-oriented Design (OOD), Full-stack Development, Front-end, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Legacy Code
Team Leader | Senior Software Developer
2011 - 2017
Intellect Design Arena (formerly Polaris Software Lab Inc.)
- Led a team of offshore and onshore developers, ensuring on-time delivery of project milestones.
- Drove daily stand-up meetings and weekly progress reviews with onshore and offshore teams.
- Worked collaboratively with web API/Java developers to help design the specifications and on application development and Enterprise Java Solutions.
- Developed and deployed web services—SOAP and RESTful API—getting the data to and from the web services.
- Handled object-oriented design, writing client- and server-side unit tests.
- Developed, cleaned, validated, and reviewed code using Agile methodology, Jira, and Confluence, while working on web applications and building prototypes for usability testing and proof of concepts.
Technologies: Angular, Java 8, Spring Boot, Oracle, JavaScript, JPA, Hibernate, TIBCO, JSON, HTML, Spring, MySQL, ACID, System Integration, Finance, Anti-money Laundering (AML), Oracle Database, Know Your Customer (KYC), JVM, Financial Services, RESTFul APIs
Software Developer
2010 - 2011
Tata Consultancy Services
- Created and developed both modules using Java and Java-related technologies.
- Handled Java development, coding, design, and writing client- and server-side unit tests.
- Built prototypes for usability testing and proof of concepts.
- Contributed to project documentation, such as technical specifications.
Technologies: JavaScript, JSON, IBM Security AppScan, Spotfire, Oracle 11g, PL/SQL Developer, XML, Jira, Confluence, WebSphere, Java, Jakarta EE (Java EE or J2EE), JDeveloper, Eclipse, MySQL, Stripe Connect, JVM, Financial Services, RESTFul APIs
Project History
Equity Trading & Buyback Application
Designed and developed an equity trading platform to support trading across stocks, options, fixed income, and multi-leg orders, along with a company share buyback application for strategizing repurchases, monitoring order execution, and generating end-of-day client reports.
I led the migration of a legacy Java Swing desktop application to a modern web-based platform using Angular, AG Grid, Java, Spring Boot, Hibernate, and JPA. I handled object-oriented design, client- and server-side unit testing, developing and validating code using Agile methodologies, and collaborating through Jira and Confluence. I also built and deployed SOAP and RESTful web services for seamless data exchange, automated unit tests for order lifecycle flows such as fill, partial fill, cancel, and reject, and contributed to technical documentation, early requirements, solution design, and implementation planning. Additionally, I implemented real-time market connectivity, AWS S3 document/log publishing, asynchronous pre-trade risk checks in Rust, and a market data feed handler.
I led the migration of a legacy Java Swing desktop application to a modern web-based platform using Angular, AG Grid, Java, Spring Boot, Hibernate, and JPA. I handled object-oriented design, client- and server-side unit testing, developing and validating code using Agile methodologies, and collaborating through Jira and Confluence. I also built and deployed SOAP and RESTful web services for seamless data exchange, automated unit tests for order lifecycle flows such as fill, partial fill, cancel, and reject, and contributed to technical documentation, early requirements, solution design, and implementation planning. Additionally, I implemented real-time market connectivity, AWS S3 document/log publishing, asynchronous pre-trade risk checks in Rust, and a market data feed handler.
Customer Portal | API Governance | API Matrix
Worked with business stakeholders and business analysts to gather requirements and translate them into technical specifications for a customer-facing portal that enables users to view APIs across multiple business lines. I led the design, development, and implementation of enhancements and new features while coordinating with onshore and offshore teams to ensure timely delivery.
I built a certificate module to allow users to upload SSL, encryption, and signing certificates to Datapower and other internal systems, including maker-checker approval workflows and scheduled uploads aligned with production requirements. I also developed an API governance application to validate uploaded APIs against Swagger 2.0 and 3.0 standards and generate scorecards, as well as an API metrics application to track usage by client and identify the most used APIs.
Moreover, I collaborated with cross-functional teams to onboard new APIs, maintain RESTful best practices and OpenAPI compliance, and support self-service developer portals. I also developed Citi platform SDKs in Python and Java for API testing, implemented API Matrix functionality using Python FastAPI, and created components for publishing audit logs and uploading weekly reports to AWS S3.
I built a certificate module to allow users to upload SSL, encryption, and signing certificates to Datapower and other internal systems, including maker-checker approval workflows and scheduled uploads aligned with production requirements. I also developed an API governance application to validate uploaded APIs against Swagger 2.0 and 3.0 standards and generate scorecards, as well as an API metrics application to track usage by client and identify the most used APIs.
Moreover, I collaborated with cross-functional teams to onboard new APIs, maintain RESTful best practices and OpenAPI compliance, and support self-service developer portals. I also developed Citi platform SDKs in Python and Java for API testing, implemented API Matrix functionality using Python FastAPI, and created components for publishing audit logs and uploading weekly reports to AWS S3.
Equity Trading & Buyback Application
Designed and developed an equity trading platform to support trading across stocks, options, fixed income, and multi-leg orders, along with a company share buyback application for strategizing repurchases, monitoring order execution, and generating end-of-day client reports.
I led the migration of a legacy Java Swing desktop application to a modern web-based platform using Angular, AG Grid, Java, Spring Boot, Hibernate, and JPA. I handled object-oriented design, client- and server-side unit testing, and developed and validated code using Agile methodologies, and collaborated through Jira and Confluence. I also built and deployed SOAP and RESTful web services for seamless data exchange, automated unit tests for order lifecycle flows (fill, partial fill, cancel, and reject), and contributed to technical documentation, early requirements, solution design, and implementation planning. Additionally, I implemented real-time market connectivity, Amazon S3 document/log publishing, asynchronous pre-trade risk checks in Rust, and a market data feed handler.
I led the migration of a legacy Java Swing desktop application to a modern web-based platform using Angular, AG Grid, Java, Spring Boot, Hibernate, and JPA. I handled object-oriented design, client- and server-side unit testing, and developed and validated code using Agile methodologies, and collaborated through Jira and Confluence. I also built and deployed SOAP and RESTful web services for seamless data exchange, automated unit tests for order lifecycle flows (fill, partial fill, cancel, and reject), and contributed to technical documentation, early requirements, solution design, and implementation planning. Additionally, I implemented real-time market connectivity, Amazon S3 document/log publishing, asynchronous pre-trade risk checks in Rust, and a market data feed handler.
Education
2010 - 2010
Master's Degree in Computer Science
Rajasthan Technical University - India
2007 - 2007
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science
University of Rajasthan - India
Certifications
JULY 2025 - PRESENT
Oracle Certified Associate
Oracle
Skills
Libraries/APIs
REST APIs, React, Apigee, Node.js, Stripe Connect
Tools
Claude, Flyway, Vault, GitHub, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf, IntelliJ IDEA, Jira, Confluence, Jenkins, uDeploy, TeamCity, Splunk, Git, Bitbucket, IBM Security AppScan, Spotfire, JDeveloper, Elastic, Helm
Languages
Java, SQL, TypeScript, Python, JavaScript, Rust, XML, Java 8, HTML
Frameworks
Spring Boot, Spring, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), Angular, OAuth 2, Spring Security, Hibernate, JPA, Spring 4
Paradigms
ACID, Microservices, Event-driven Architecture, Role-based Access Control (RBAC), Object-oriented Design (OOD), Back-end Architecture, Database Design
Platforms
Kubernetes, Oracle, Oracle Database, JVM, Docker, AWS Lambda, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure, OpenShift, Harness, Unix, WebSphere, Windows, Linux, MacOS, Eclipse, Jakarta EE (Java EE or J2EE), Apache Kafka
Storage
PostgreSQL, NoSQL, MySQL, Redis, JSON, Spring Data, Cassandra, Sybase, Oracle 11g, PL/SQL Developer, Amazon S3 (AWS S3)
Other
API Integration, Back-end, Fintech, Back-end Development, Springbot, Scalability, System Integration, Finance, Know Your Customer (KYC), Financial Services, RESTFul APIs, SDKs, Legacy Code, Authentication, SaaS Architecture, Workflow Automation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Authorization, Multitenancy, Single Sign-on (SSO), User Management, Event-driven Systems, Bug Fixes, Troubleshooting, Data Entry, Performance Improvement, Identity & Access Management (IAM), Anti-money Laundering (AML), Multi-factor Authentication (MFA), Security, Architecture, Full-stack Development, Front-end, Large Language Models (LLMs), Spring Cloud Gateway, GitHub Actions, CI/CD Pipelines, Kafka, Solace, FIX Protocol, Computer Aided Software Engineering, Computer, TIBCO, Multithreading, APIs
Collaboration That Works
How to Work with Toptal
Toptal matches you directly with global industry experts from our network in hours—not weeks or months.
1
Share your needs
Discuss your requirements and refine your scope in a call with a Toptal domain expert.
2
Choose your talent
Get a short list of expertly matched talent within 24 hours to review, interview, and choose from.
3
Start your risk-free talent trial
Work with your chosen talent on a trial basis for up to two weeks. Pay only if you decide to hire them.
Top talent is in high demand.
Start hiring