How to hire a contract software engineer

How to hire a contract software engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step contract software engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a contract software engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new contract software engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a contract software engineer job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a contract software engineer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A contract software engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, contract software engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of contract software engineers.

   Type of Contract Software Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Contract Software Engineer	Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device... Show more	$36-66
   Software Analyst	A software analyst is responsible for creating and designing software programs and applications, as well as modifying existing ones for optimization according to business requirements. Software analysts work with the technical team to draw system codes, analyze programming languages, and ensure the stability and efficiency of software navigation by running multiple quality checks to the system... Show more	$29-47
   Software Consultant	A software consultant is responsible for monitoring and maintaining the technological content and system applications of an organization, ensuring its efficiency and optimal performance. Software consultants design software systems, following clients' specifications and business needs... Show more	$32-55

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Java
   • Software Development
   • Database
   • JavaScript
   • Http
   • API
   • Python
   • C
   • C++
   • Web Application
   • GIT
   • Linux
   • HTML
   • Spring Boot

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Implement a centralize configuration system for managing application settings, consisting of a desktop application with a WCF backend.
   • Develop API to allow diagnostic modules to be invoke from different languages and browsers.
   • Complete rewrite of network interfaces (TCP/IP/UDP) and API's to kernel level functions.
   • Work on development of XML reports from older technology for distribution to branches and managers.
   • Develop various reports in PDF format using various XML technologies to reflect contact and quote data.
   • Integrate outsourced UI into existing application.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your contract software engineer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A contract software engineer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, contract software engineers' average salary in hawaii is 45% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level contract software engineers earn 45% less than senior-level contract software engineers.
   • Certifications. A contract software engineer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a contract software engineer's salary.

   Average contract software engineer salary

   $102,925yearly

   $49.48 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level contract software engineer salary

   $76,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

4. Writing a contract software engineer job description

   A good contract software engineer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a contract software engineer job description:

   Contract software engineer job description example

   Aptos is a people-first blockchain on a mission to help billions of people achieve universal and fair access to decentralized assets in a safe and scalable way.
   
   Founded by some of the original creators and maintainers that researched, designed, and built the Diem blockchain to serve this purpose, we have dedicated several years toward this mission. We believe the open-source Diem technology we have developed is an important foundation of a safe and scalable web3 world where everyone has more equitable opportunities to grow and access financial assets with lower fees and fewer intermediaries.
   Aptos (Ohlone for "The People") encompasses our mission and ethos for why we build.
   
   About The Role
   
   As part of the Ecosystem team, you will be responsible for partnering with external customers and internal customers on building novel and capable smart contracts across one or more programming languages. You will also be working closely with the programming languages team to prioritize and co-develop programming language improvements and tweaks and also build and improve tools for development. These applications will have an emphasis on quality, safety, and interoperability with other Aptos tools. The scope, as it currently stands, is open-ended, but some projects will be likely from the following areas: governance, tokenomics, decentralized finance, games, social.
   
   What you'll be doing:
   Writing smart contracts in one or more programming languages that provide new and powerful functionality for a variety of internal and external applications Developing tooling for smart contract development and deployment Guiding and onboarding new developers into the ecosystem Develop and maintain high quality software engineering practices and principles in a highly visible open-source project
   What we're looking for:
   7+ years of experience as a hands-on software engineer Experience with a low-level programming languages such as Rust, Go, Swift, or C/C++ Interest or familiarity in "smart contract" languages such as Move and Solidity Code auditing experience
   
   Our Benefits
   
   While our HQ is currently in Palo Alto, California, we support a 100% remote work culture and we are hiring across the world. We raised our first round of funding from some of the top firms led by a16z and Multicoin. In addition to our remote-friendly work culture, we offer the following to all Aptos employees:
   Health insurance coverage Equipment of your choice Unlimited Vacation time Competitive Salary Equity (i.e. RSUs) Protocol Token Grants
   Aptos is committed to diversity in the workplace and we're proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not hire on basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, or any other basis protected by local, state or federal law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find contract software engineers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any contract software engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level contract software engineers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your contract software engineer job on Zippia to find and attract quality contract software engineer candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit contract software engineers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview contract software engineer candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new contract software engineer

   Once you've selected the best contract software engineer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new contract software engineer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a contract software engineer?