How to hire a senior development engineer

How to hire a senior development engineer, step by step

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

What does a senior development engineer do?

Post a senior development engineer job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a senior development 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 senior development engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior development 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.

   Here's a comparison of senior development engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Senior Development Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Development 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.	$41-71
   Lead Engineer	A lead engineer's duties vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities will revolve around overseeing the progress of operations and performance of the workforce, ensuring that everything is running smoothly... Show more	$28-57
   Principal Engineer	A principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe... Show more	$45-85

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Java
   • Python
   • C++
   • Software Development
   • Object Oriented Programming
   • JavaScript
   • Project Management
   • Jenkins
   • API
   • Product Development
   • Data Analysis
   • Linux
   • ISO
   • Azure

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead team effort to develop a corrective action plan with documentation require for FDA regulatory compliance.
   • Lead a group of 9 engineers responsible for technology development for handling electronic packages (computer CPU) during HVM.
   • Work on CSS, HTML.
   • Design and develop user interface using HTML 5 and CSS.
   • Assume high level responsibility of converting Linux base COBOL code to pure Java.
   • Develop test methods and fixtures in order to ensure designs meet FDA & IEC standards, as well as customer requirements.

   More senior development engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, senior development engineers' average salary in arkansas is 47% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior development engineers 41% less than senior-level senior development engineers.
   • Certifications. A senior development engineer 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 senior development engineer's salary.

   Average senior development engineer salary

   $113,763yearly

   $54.69 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior development engineer salary

   $87,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average senior development engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$142,160	$68
   2	Rhode Island	$128,695	$62
   3	Massachusetts	$125,674	$60
   4	New York	$114,586	$55
   5	Arizona	$113,340	$54
   6	Virginia	$113,031	$54
   7	Oregon	$111,294	$54
   8	Texas	$111,270	$54
   9	Washington	$108,578	$52
   10	Illinois	$108,028	$52
   11	Utah	$105,331	$51
   12	Colorado	$104,449	$50
   13	Georgia	$102,238	$49
   14	North Carolina	$100,336	$48
   15	Wisconsin	$95,723	$46
   16	Ohio	$94,950	$46
   17	Minnesota	$94,813	$46
   18	South Carolina	$92,716	$45
   19	Missouri	$92,416	$44
   20	Indiana	$86,941	$42

   Average senior development engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Netflix	$150,413	$72.31	21
   2	Reddit	$149,275	$71.77	45
   3	eBay	$148,363	$71.33	52
   4	CrowdStrike	$147,486	$70.91	51
   5	Apple	$146,521	$70.44	724
   6	Anaplan	$144,390	$69.42	8
   7	Gap Inc.	$140,958	$67.77
   8	Microsoft	$140,069	$67.34	944
   9	Algolia	$139,953	$67.29
   10	Vonage	$138,768	$66.72
   11	NVIDIA	$137,933	$66.31	333
   12	New Relic	$137,785	$66.24	8
   13	Rivian	$137,350	$66.03
   14	Pacific Investment Management Company LLC	$136,778	$65.76	8
   15	The Walt Disney Company	$136,389	$65.57	398
   16	Adobe	$135,745	$65.26	134
   17	RingCentral	$134,795	$64.81	3
   18	Macy's	$134,587	$64.71	14
   19	Amazon	$133,890	$64.37	1,081
   20	Cantaloupe	$133,349	$64.11

4. Writing a senior development engineer job description

   A good senior development 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 senior development engineer job description:

   Senior development engineer job description example

   We look for the risk-takers, the collaborators, the inspired and the inspirational.We want the people who are brave enough to work at the cutting edge and create solutions that will enrich and improve the lives of people across the globe. So, if you want to make the world say wow, let's talk.
   
   About UsSony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (SSS) is the global leader in image sensors. We provide advanced imaging technologies that bring greater experiences to people's lives. SSS also works to develop and bring to market new kinds of sensing technologies with the aim of offering various solutions that will take the visual, sensing and recognition capabilities of both human and machines to greaterheights.Our System Solutions business unit recently launched the world's first Intelligent Vision Sensor with edge AI processing capabilities that will pave way for new disruptive applications.
   
   The RoleWe are seeking a Senior Algorithm Development Engineer to join the European business arm of SSS System Solutions. Reporting to the Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence Lead, you will develop computer vision and AI algorithms for a variety of applications. You will select neural models and image processing pipelines suitable for deployment onto edge devices.You will work with various technical managers to understand customer requirements and propose suitable CV/AI pipelines to meet the needs of the target application and its use cases. You will develop these algorithms, including selection of models and training sets and work closely with embedded software and FPGA engineers to optimise the proposed pipelines for embedded deployment. You willalso contribute towards benchmarking and evaluating implementations both on PC and embedded platforms and ensure that the proposed solution meets the required performance.You are expected to thoroughly document your proposals, processes, methods, sources and results for each project.You will be working with cross-functional teams and multi-cultural teams both in Europe and Japan.
   
   About you You are of a graduate calibre with a PhD in Engineering or Computer Science. You will have a strong academic understanding of the fundamentals of computer vision and AI (filtering, feature extraction, pattern recognition, machine learning, object tracking, deep neural networks).You have hands-on experience of classical image processing techniques for feature extraction in Python, MatLab or C/C++. You also have experience of applying CV and AI algorithms over a range of use cases (object detection and tracking).You are versed in the use of TensorFlow, TensorFlow Lite and/or PyTorch for the implementation of machine learning algorithms and have applied your skills for at least 2 years.It would be highly beneficial, though not strictly required, if you are also experienced in the deployment of CV and AI algorithms onto embedded platforms.You are expected to at least have an appreciation and understanding of the constraints imposed by running algorithms on edge devices.You're culturally sensitive and able to work remotely and cross functionally using English as the business language - someone who can bring teams together to ensure the best solution is achieved.Add to that enthusiasm for technology plus a pragmatic attitude to deliver and you could go a very long way here.
   #LI-CM1
   
   Bring your uniqueness to Sony
   
   We recognize that each and every one of us is original and different. Diversity and inclusion are in our DNA, they drive innovation. We empower our people to achieve one goal: to fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find senior development engineers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior development engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit senior development engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with senior development engineer 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. 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 senior development engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect senior development 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new senior development 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a senior development engineer?