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How to hire a lead software architect

Lead software architect hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring lead software architects in the United States:

  • There are currently 166,395 lead software architects in the US, as well as 307,926 job openings.
  • Lead software architects are in the highest demand in Boston, MA, with 7 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire a lead software architect is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new lead software architect to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a lead software architect, step by step

To hire a lead software architect, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a lead software architect, you should follow these steps:

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

    Before you post your lead software architect job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a lead software architect for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A lead software architect's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, lead software architects 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 presents lead software architect salaries for various positions.

    Type of Lead Software ArchitectDescriptionHourly rate
    Lead Software ArchitectSoftware 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$42-81
    Architect And DeveloperAn Architect And Developer is focused on the technical design, architecture, and development of products. They generally work as a part of the development team.$40-69
    Software Engineer-ConsultantA software engineer consultant develops and recommends strategies to optimize a company's software engineering operations. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting extensive research and analysis to find new opportunities, performing software evaluations and risk assessments, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of existing processes, and developing solutions against problem areas... Show more$40-73
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Java
    • C++
    • Software Development
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • OS
    • Feature Development
    • Technical Leadership
    • AWS
    • Debugging
    • Virtualization
    • Emerging Technologies
    • JavaScript
    • Web Application
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage technical infrastructure including but not limit to AWS images and instances, deployment procedures and tools, and monitoring.
    • Participate in the creation and review of UI and coding standards while leading code reviews.
    • Practice agile, scrum methodology with short release cycles.
    • Design and develop windows form in VB.NET for share brokers.
    • Embed Linux development and customization of kernel for system control of burst messaging.
    • Provide overall technical direction and standards for the scrum teams working on the project.
    More lead software architect duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your lead software architect job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A lead software architect salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

    For example, the average salary for a lead software architect in Louisiana may be lower than in California, and an entry-level lead software architect usually earns less than a senior-level lead software architect. Additionally, a lead software architect with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

    Average lead software architect salary

    $123,577yearly

    $59.41 hourly rate

    Entry-level lead software architect salary
    $89,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 17, 2025

    Average lead software architect salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$156,025$75
    2Massachusetts$131,386$63
    3Nevada$129,414$62
    4Washington$127,486$61
    5Arizona$119,479$57
    6New York$117,594$57
    7Texas$108,900$52
    8Virginia$105,972$51
    9Colorado$103,845$50
    10Connecticut$102,098$49
    11Minnesota$101,156$49
    12Missouri$100,634$48
    13Georgia$99,958$48
    14Pennsylvania$98,472$47
    15Florida$94,531$45
    16Illinois$92,963$45
    17North Carolina$90,071$43
    18Kansas$88,695$43

    Average lead software architect salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1The Walt Disney Company$169,633$81.55366
    2DocuSign$157,301$75.6312
    3MySpace NYC$151,155$72.67
    4American Gaming Association$137,405$66.06
    5Motion Recruitment$135,741$65.2638
    6ALO$133,228$64.052
    7Randstad North America, Inc.$132,709$63.8023
    8The Plum Tree Group$131,396$63.17
    9Arvato$130,453$62.72
    10Looking Glass Factory$130,373$62.68
    11Derive$130,217$62.60
    12Sentient Energy$130,042$62.52
    13Level 3 Audiovisual$129,910$62.46
    14Happiest Baby$129,799$62.40
    15Innovative Web Svc$129,730$62.37
    16Kipsu$129,730$62.376
    17Catalyst Resources$129,730$62.37
    18J & T Inc$129,730$62.372
    19Meissner Filtration Products$129,730$62.37
    20Mackenzie Group Inc$129,730$62.37
  4. Writing a lead software architect job description

    A job description for a lead software architect 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 software architect job description:

    Lead software architect job description example

    Responsibilities
    • Keep a critical eye on new design specifications and raise quality, performance, or architectural concerns
    • Support other developers through problem solving by identifying as well as evolving standards, best practices, and reusable solutions
    • Build and maintain a strong working knowledge of the business area(s) supported and the applications that support it
    • Troubleshoot application problems; determine root causes and resolve issues
    • Identify areas of architectural concern and implement enhancements and efficiencies
    • Identify, implement, and improve bank architectural standards within our AFS application suite
    • Mentor other developers with a constructive, results-oriented approach that helps them meet their potential
    • Provide technical oversight to a team of developers
    • Translate business requirements into intuitive software solutions
    • Provide accurate development effort estimations for your work as well as that of the team
    • Lead an Agile (Scrum) development team with a continuous improvement mindset
    • Collaborate with fellow IT and software developers while building knowledge base
    Requirements
    • 2+ years' leading a team
    • 2+ years' as a software architect
    • 7+ years' of developing single page applications
    • 7+ years' of developing RESTful APIs
    • 7+ years' of SQL server or other RDMS development
    • 7+ years' of T-SQL and Stored Procedure development
    • 7+ years' of hands on experience with javascript frameworks (React, Angular, jQuery or related frameworks)
    • Application development experience within an Agile/Scrum software delivery framework, continuous delivery tools such as Azure DevOps, TFS or Jenkins, and Windows Services

    Preferred:

    • Master's degree in Computer Science or equivalent work experience
    APPLY DIRECTLY FOR CONSIDERATION

    Born digital, Axos Bank has reinvented the banking model and grown to over $15 billion in assets since our founding in 2000. With a broad and ever-growing range of financial products, Axos Bank is rated among the top 5 digital banks in the country! Axos Financial is our holding company and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "AX" (NYSE: AX).

    Our Trustee and Fiduciary Services division provides specialized software and consulting services to Chapter 7 and non-bankruptcy trustees in all 50 states.

    We bring together human insight and digital expertise to anticipate the needs of our customers. Our team members are innovative, technologically sophisticated, and motivated to achieve.

    Learn more about working here!

    Pre-Employment Drug Test:

    All offers are contingent upon the candidate successfully passing a credit check, criminal background check, and pre-employment drug screening, which includes screening for marijuana. Axos Bank is a federally regulated banking institution. At the federal level, marijuana is an illegal schedule 1 drug; therefore, we will not employ any person who tests positive for marijuana, regardless of state legalization.

    Equal Employment Opportunity:

    Axos Bank is an Equal Opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, religious creed, color, sex (including pregnancy, breast feeding and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, military and veteran status, marital status, age, protected medical condition, genetic information, physical disability, mental disability, or any other protected status in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws.

    Job Functions and Work Environment:

    While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to sit for extended periods of time. Manual dexterity and coordination are required while operating standard office equipment such as computer keyboard and mouse, calculator, telephone, copiers, etc.

    The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

  5. Post your job

    To find lead software architects 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 software architects they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level lead software architects 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 software architect job on Zippia to find and recruit lead software architect candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting lead software architects requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    Sometimes, it's not enough to interview lead software architect 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 lead software architect

    Once you have selected a candidate for the lead software architect position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

    It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new lead software architect. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

  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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How much does it cost to hire a lead software architect?

Before you start to hire lead software architects, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire lead software architects pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

Lead software architects earn a median yearly salary is $123,577 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find lead software architects for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $42 and $81.

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