How to hire a project developer

How to hire a project developer, step by step

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

What does a project developer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your project developer 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 project developer 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?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect project developer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of project developers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Project Developer	Description	Hourly rate
   Project Developer	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	$32-57
   Developer/Consultant	A developer/consultant is responsible for developing system databases and applications, depending on the business' needs and clients' specifications. Developers/consultants design their services to manage optimal performance and maximize productivity for timely submission of projects, ensuring client satisfaction and loyalty... Show more	$34-64
   Software Developer Internship	A software developer intern is responsible for assisting the software engineers with the design implementation and shadowing their duties to understand the processes more efficiently. Software developer interns use their classroom knowledge on practical applications, suggesting recommendations on how to make the project successful... Show more	$14-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Development
   • Renewable Energy
   • Project Management
   • HVAC
   • PowerPoint
   • C++
   • Database
   • Java
   • Real Estate
   • Affordable Housing
   • Financial Analysis
   • Web Application
   • ROI
   • Business Development

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop detailed Unix shell and Perl scripts to automate complex but repetitive configuration management operations in ClearCase.
   • Fix existing bugs, including image polishing using Photoshop, CSS issues and JavaScript browser compatibility issues.
   • Handle JavaScript for validation of forms (and contents) and URL base redirection of pages.
   • Optimize and fine tune complex PL/SQL packages, SQL queries using TKPROF and other SQL tuning techniques.
   • Used JIRA to keep track of outstanding bugs to reduce downtime, increase productivity, and improve communication.
   • Used ASP.NET MVC with combination of AngularJS to do the web stuff and also bootstrap for responsive web design.

   More project developer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, project developers' average salary in kansas is 35% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level project developers earn 44% less than senior-level project developers.
   • Certifications. A project developer 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 project developer's salary.

   Average project developer salary

   $89,766yearly

   $43.16 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level project developer salary

   $67,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average project developer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$118,700	$57
   2	Washington	$104,681	$50
   3	Oregon	$92,876	$45
   4	Virginia	$92,807	$45
   5	New York	$91,493	$44
   6	Pennsylvania	$87,965	$42
   7	New Jersey	$86,942	$42
   8	District of Columbia	$86,665	$42
   9	Colorado	$86,125	$41
   10	Florida	$85,555	$41
   11	Utah	$85,219	$41
   12	Massachusetts	$82,993	$40
   13	Texas	$82,936	$40
   14	Connecticut	$82,062	$39
   15	Maryland	$79,654	$38
   16	Missouri	$79,189	$38
   17	Louisiana	$77,559	$37
   18	Georgia	$77,001	$37
   19	Minnesota	$76,947	$37
   20	South Carolina	$76,842	$37

   Average project developer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Amazon	$129,269	$62.15	555
   2	Shell Trading	$125,838	$60.50	3
   3	Commerzbank Ag	$125,041	$60.12
   4	Intuit	$122,211	$58.76	31
   5	Tesla	$111,029	$53.38
   6	Energy Northwest	$110,041	$52.90
   7	Genworth	$107,983	$51.91
   8	American Express	$107,968	$51.91	45
   9	Ameresco	$104,999	$50.48	2
   10	Randstad North America, Inc.	$104,291	$50.14	60
   11	Repsol Energy North America Corporation	$103,388	$49.71
   12	National Railroad Passenger Corporation	$102,017	$49.05	2
   13	CyrusOne	$101,515	$48.81
   14	Shell Energy North America	$100,418	$48.28
   15	Management Recruiters International(MRI)	$99,564	$47.87	19
   16	Prologis	$97,240	$46.75	3
   17	NIKA	$96,173	$46.24
   18	BrightFarms	$95,121	$45.73
   19	Bertelsmann	$94,372	$45.37	9
   20	Carrier	$92,732	$44.58	4

4. Writing a project developer job description

   A project developer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a project developer job description:

   Project developer job description example

   CALIBRE Systems Inc., an employee-owned Management Consulting and Information Technology Services company, is looking for an Energy Project Developer. Support includes providing technical expertise to Government decision makers for energy program requirements, interpretation, and development of program guidance, and assists with development of policy/guidance for energy program planning and evaluation.
   The Project Developer will:
   Conduct and review installation energy project and security assessments; Collect, compile and analyze installation, regulatory, resource, and market background necessary to thoroughly assess and recommend energy project opportunities; Identify holistic installation energy security solutions and path forward to implement via private and/or appropriated funding; and Provide support in the identification and development of a renewable and alternative energy security pipeline and portfolio, including resolving program execution issues, developing and coordinating communications, meetings, and other special projects.
   
   Required Skills
   Demonstrates excellent written and oral communication skills; Demonstrated success working in a fast-paced, project-centric environment; Solid skills in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint); Work will be conducted with minimal supervision and selected applicant must have demonstrated independent problem-resolution skills.
   
   Required Experience
   Must have an active a Secret Clearance More than 8 years' experience with development of multiple large scale energy projects Must have a BS/BA Experience with development of large scale energy projects Understanding of energy resilience priorities and experience conducting installation energy project and security assessments Experience collecting, compiling and analyzing installation, regulatory, resource, and market background necessary to thoroughly assess and recommend energy project opportunities. Ability to identify holistic installation energy security solutions and path forward to implement via private and/or appropriated funding. Experience supporting the identification and development of a renewable and alternative energy security pipeline and portfolio, including resolving program execution issues, developing and coordinating communications, meetings, and other special projects Experience working with DoD installation organizations Understands the following technologies: solar power, wind, geothermal, hydro, biomass, or technologies and projects. Functions as the subject matter expert for evaluation and implementation of renewable energy (e.g. solar power, wind, geothermal, hydro, biomass) project opportunities. Works collaboratively to promote a team environment.
   
   #LI-FA1
   
   CALIBRE and its subsidiaries are an Equal Opportunity Employer and supports transitioning service members, veterans and individuals with disabilities. We offer a competitive salary and full benefits package. To be considered, please apply via our website at www.calibresys.com . Come join our dynamic team. #CALIBRECareers

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right project developer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with project developers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit project developers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with project 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a project 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 project developer

   Once you've selected the best project 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.

   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.

   To prepare for the new project developer 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.)

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