How to hire a lead application engineer

How to hire a lead application engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step lead application 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 lead application engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new lead application engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a lead application engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the lead application engineer you need to hire. Certain lead application engineer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A lead application engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, lead application 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 lead application engineers.

   Type of Lead Application Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Lead Application Engineer	Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices, including tools, engines, and machines.	$40-69
   Software Engineer Lead	A Software Engineer Lead is focused on developing and testing software programs. They manage a team of software engineers that design enterprise software products and operating systems.	$44-80
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more	$31-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Java
   • C++
   • Infrastructure
   • JavaScript
   • SQL Server
   • API
   • Application Development
   • Unix
   • Web Services
   • Technical Support
   • Product Development
   • HTML
   • Web Application
   • Azure

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and lead multiple agile teams root in ITIL and devops-base support frameworks.
   • Lead offshore teams to develop code and test COBOL - DB2 code for development projects.
   • Lead integration, conversion and debugging projects for several different beta versions of compressor sizing and pricing programs to web-base format.
   • Lead errata investigations: drive the debugging effort, enable root-causing, create and verify workarounds, generate supporting documentation.
   • Work with Perl, Html, Css, Php
   • Develop own API framework for PHP.

   More lead application engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, lead application engineers' average salary in kansas is 38% less than in virginia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level lead application engineers earn 41% less than senior-level lead application engineers.
   • Certifications. A lead application 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 lead application engineer's salary.

   Average lead application engineer salary

   $111,059yearly

   $53.39 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level lead application engineer salary

   $85,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average lead application engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$134,973	$65
   2	Washington	$124,940	$60
   3	Massachusetts	$124,760	$60
   4	Maryland	$124,370	$60
   5	New York	$120,380	$58
   6	Oregon	$115,303	$55
   7	Arizona	$115,038	$55
   8	Illinois	$113,449	$55
   9	New Jersey	$110,510	$53
   10	Texas	$109,455	$53
   11	Missouri	$104,282	$50
   12	Florida	$103,734	$50
   13	North Carolina	$102,508	$49
   14	Michigan	$100,432	$48
   15	Georgia	$99,317	$48
   16	Ohio	$98,764	$47
   17	Pennsylvania	$97,896	$47
   18	Indiana	$93,960	$45
   19	Wisconsin	$85,210	$41
   20	Kansas	$83,833	$40

   Average lead application engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Lyft	$150,727	$72.46	9
   2	Match Group	$144,865	$69.65	12
   3	Citi	$142,695	$68.60	43
   4	Kenandy	$140,184	$67.40
   5	The Walt Disney Company	$137,597	$66.15	409
   6	Nikola Motor	$136,210	$65.49
   7	Santander Private Banking International	$134,588	$64.71	2
   8	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$133,841	$64.35	754
   9	MUFG EMEA	$133,701	$64.28
   10	Dolby Laboratories	$133,655	$64.26	1
   11	Adobe	$133,155	$64.02	87
   12	ViacomCBS	$133,114	$64.00
   13	Santander Bank	$131,856	$63.39
   14	PMC-Sierra	$130,972	$62.97
   15	Sephora	$130,040	$62.52	3
   16	H-E-B	$129,655	$62.33	4
   17	Chevron	$129,080	$62.06	1
   18	Nike	$128,747	$61.90	11
   19	NBCUniversal	$128,684	$61.87	14
   20	Jo-Ann Stores	$128,201	$61.64

4. Writing a lead application engineer job description

   A job description for a lead application engineer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a lead application engineer job description:

   Lead application engineer job description example

   As an experienced member of our Software Engineering Group, we look first and foremost for people who are passionate around solving business problems through innovation and engineering practices. You'll be required to apply your depth of knowledge and expertise to all aspects of the software development lifecycle, as well as partner continuously with your many stakeholders on a daily basis to stay focused on common goals. We embrace a culture of experimentation and constantly strive for improvement and learning. You'll work in a collaborative, trusting, thought-provoking environment-one that encourages diversity of thought and creative solutions that are in the best interests of our customers globally.
   This role requires a wide variety of strengths and capabilities, including:
   BS/BA degree or equivalent experience Expertise in application, data, and infrastructure architecture disciplines Advanced knowledge of architecture and design across all systems Proficiency in multiple modern programming languages Knowledge of industry-wide technology trends and best practices Keen understanding of financial control and budget management Ability to work in large, collaborative teams to achieve organizational goals Passionate about building an innovative culture Deliver business objectives on the current Mainframe platform Plan and execute on the modernization initiatives to migrate from Mainframe to cloud native technologies The ideal candidate is Engineering leader who has past experience in mainframe technologies and recent experience in platform modernization preferably in cloud. This role requires a wide variety of strengths and capabilities, including: Motivating, Leading and managing a team of software engineers Play key roles in software development - Mentor, Technical Leader, Manager Collaborating on a cross-functional team to execute against product roadmap Ability to work in large, collaborative teams to achieve organizational goals, and passionate about building an inclusive and innovative culture Recruiting and hiring Top Engineering Talent Experience with Architectural patterns for Scalability, High Availability, Performance & Disaster Recovery 7+ years technical experience with mainframe based applications built with COBOL, VSAM, CICS, JCL, MQ along with TCP/IP messaging. Working experience on mainframe tools and utilities like xpeditor, ZEKE, File Aid, Changeman and AbendAid. 3+ years of experience Java (or other modern languages) within team (Agile/Scrum) environments and large implementations Experience with both SQL & NoSQL Databases
   
   JPMorgan Chase & Co., one of the oldest financial institutions, offers innovative financial solutions to millions of consumers, small businesses and many of the world's most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands. Our history spans over 200 years and today we are a leader in investment banking, consumer and small business banking, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management.
   
   We recognize that our people are our strength and the diverse talents they bring to our global workforce are directly linked to our success. We are an equal opportunity employer and place a high value on diversity and inclusion at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute, including race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. In accordance with applicable law, we make reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as any mental health or physical disability needs.
   
   The health and safety of our colleagues, candidates, clients and communities has been a top priority in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. JPMorgan Chase was awarded the "WELL Health-Safety Rating" for all of our 6,200 locations globally based on our operational policies, maintenance protocols, stakeholder engagement and emergency plans to address a post-COVID-19 environment.
   
   As a part of our commitment to health and safety, we have implemented various COVID-related health and safety requirements for our workforce. Employees are expected to follow the Firm's current COVID-19 or other infectious disease health and safety requirements, including local requirements. Requirements include sharing information including your vaccine card in the firm's vaccine record tool, and may include mask wearing. Requirements may change in the future with the evolving public health landscape. JPMorgan Chase will consider accommodation requests as required by applicable law.
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veterans

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find lead application 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 lead application engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level lead application 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 lead application engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit lead application engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit lead application 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.

   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 lead application engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect lead application engineer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new lead application engineer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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.)

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