How to hire a lead java developer

How to hire a lead java developer, step by step

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

What does a lead java developer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the lead java developer you need to hire. Certain lead java developer 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 java developer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, lead java developers 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 java developers.

   Type of Lead Java Developer	Description	Hourly rate
   Lead Java Developer	Web developers design and create websites. They are responsible for the look of the site... Show more	$38-64
   Developer Analyst	A developer analyst is a professional who is responsible for building application requirements and develops database solutions that allow operational efficiency and user-friendly tools. Developer analysts are required to develop a detailed definition of business solutions that can include database design, data flow, and transaction processing requirements... Show more	$30-54
   Applications Developer	An application developer is responsible for creating program applications for devices based on clients' specifications and business needs. Application developers must have excellent knowledge of computer systems, as well as a strong command of programming languages to develop customized programs... Show more	$32-56

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Java
   • Spring Boot
   • Web Services
   • API
   • Database
   • Maven
   • GIT
   • Jenkins
   • Scrum
   • Microservices
   • UI
   • Spring Framework
   • Web Application
   • Junit

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the application on FedRAMP accredit AWS windows machines.
   • Lead team of developers to comply BCBSNC's SDLC process.
   • Integrate, configure and manage SVN as a source code management system.
   • Monitor the error logs using Log4J and used JIRA to manage the issues/project work flow.
   • Used Jenkins for automate provisioning and configuration for deployment, jar creation, plugins, jobs, server configuration, etc.
   • Design the front-end application, user interactive (UI) web pages using web technologies like HTML, and CSS.

   More lead java developer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your lead java developer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A lead java developer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, lead java developers' average salary in iowa is 33% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level lead java developers 40% less than senior-level lead java developers.
   • Certifications. A lead java developer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a lead java developer's salary.

   Average lead java developer salary

   $104,818yearly

   $50.39 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level lead java developer salary

   $81,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average lead java developer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$133,096	$64
   2	Washington	$117,800	$57
   3	New York	$115,345	$55
   4	District of Columbia	$111,380	$54
   5	Massachusetts	$110,422	$53
   6	North Carolina	$108,384	$52
   7	Virginia	$107,433	$52
   8	Pennsylvania	$107,215	$52
   9	New Jersey	$104,943	$50
   10	Delaware	$102,957	$50
   11	Illinois	$102,367	$49
   12	Maryland	$102,267	$49
   13	Tennessee	$101,591	$49
   14	Texas	$101,274	$49
   15	Georgia	$101,178	$49
   16	Ohio	$98,933	$48
   17	Michigan	$98,321	$47
   18	Minnesota	$96,491	$46
   19	Missouri	$95,415	$46
   20	Florida	$94,627	$45

   Average lead java developer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	J.P. Morgan	$132,266	$63.59
   2	Citi	$130,188	$62.59	24
   3	Deutsche Bank	$129,142	$62.09	7
   4	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$127,447	$61.27	488
   5	UBS	$127,070	$61.09	6
   6	TheBrain Technologies	$126,613	$60.87
   7	Oriental Trading	$123,744	$59.49
   8	SiriusXM	$123,687	$59.46	1
   9	Fresh Direct Holdings Inc	$123,424	$59.34	3
   10	Northern Trust	$123,247	$59.25	3
   11	CyberCoders	$122,095	$58.70
   12	Florida Power and Light	$121,955	$58.63	5
   13	iHeartMedia	$121,877	$58.59	20
   14	BI WORLDWIDE	$121,842	$58.58
   15	Nuveen Investments	$121,338	$58.34
   16	Morgan Stanley	$121,064	$58.20	36
   17	Zurich	$120,775	$58.06	10
   18	Nike	$120,193	$57.79	9
   19	Atrium	$119,176	$57.30	570
   20	Energy Transfer	$117,783	$56.63	5

4. Writing a lead java developer job description

   A job description for a lead java developer 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 java developer job description:

   Lead java developer job description example

   Every day, Global Payments makes it possible for millions of people to move money between buyers and sellers using our payments solutions for credit, debit, prepaid and merchant services. Our worldwide team helps over 3 million companies, more than 1,300 financial institutions and over 600 million cardholders grow with confidence and achieve amazing results. We are driven by our passion for success and we are proud to deliver best-in-class payment technology and software solutions. Join our dynamic team and make your mark on the payments technology landscape of tomorrow.
   What's it like to work on our team?
   Our Platform and Product Engineering team is composed of technical Swiss army knives whose combined ability to craft new capabilities in a rapid, prototype-oriented environment sharpens the overall quality standards of TSYS. Every member of our hard-working collective is truly spearheading the evolution of fintech, meaning that every day you'll be in lockstep with the history-makers and future-builders of this industry. From awe-inspiring UX to vast data sets, as you lend your valuable hand and potent brain power to the many facets of this group effort, you'll play a significant role in bolstering our culture of growth and innovation for generations to come.As part of the team you will be contributing towards Modernization efforts to architect and design platforms for the cloud
   Surely, you're wondering what happens on day one of being a team member. It's pretty simple. You walk into the building and are immediately met with a view of the impressive interior of the Global Payments facility. It's truly a sight. Before long, you are given a shiny new Macbook which you can consider the canvas for your art, the vessel for your innovation, and the key to unlocking your technological imagination. If that doesn't excite you enough, then meeting your new mentor should do the trick. For the first 90 days, your mentor will back you up as you find your footing in your new role. On that particular day, they'll introduce you to other team members, help you get a lay of the land, and catch you up on current projects. Then it's time for the “Pilot Push” which is your chance to shine very early as you create and commit a code push to Git. This is to give you an idea of how dedicated we are to constant forward motion in the fintech industry. If engineering is your passion, Global Payments provides you with an endless supply of thrills.
   Everyday you'll do these kinds of things…
   Collaborate with engineers across the Platform and Product Engineering team to create technical designs, develop, test, and solve complex problems that drive the solution from initial concept to production.Contribute to our automated build, deploy, and test processes for each solution.Brainstorm ideas and techniques to further improve the experience for our engineers.Work with a wide range of systems, processes, and technologies to own and solve problems from end-to-end.Transcend the traditional boundaries of Backend, designing and delivering performant, maintainable, and scalable features.Think in terms of components and systems while considering a holistic user experience.Work in an engineering-focused team composed of people with a wide range of skills.Demo and showcase your work for colleagues and members of the team.Conduct research on new and interesting technologies that help to progress our products and platforms.
   
   Qualifications
   Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in computer science, information technology or business information systems or related field.Typically, minimum of 8 year - Professional Experience in Coding, Designing, Developing and Analyzing Data.
   Technology Stack
   
   Java, Spring, Spring Boot, AWS, Kafka, Kubernetes, Oracle, Postgres, DynamoDB, MongoDB, RESTful, Git, Bit.
   Global Payments Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.
   Global Payments provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, genetic information or any other basis protected by law. Those applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application and/or interview process should notify a representative of the Human Resources Department.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with lead java developer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a lead java developer applicant. In those cases, having candidates complete a test project can go a long way in figuring out who's the most likely to succeed in the role. If you aren't a technical person and don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • 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 lead java developer

   Once you've selected the best lead java developer 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new lead java developer. 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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