How to hire a software applications architect

How to hire a software applications architect, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your software applications 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 software applications 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?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect software applications architect 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of software applications architects.

   Type of Software Applications Architect	Description	Hourly rate
   Software Applications Architect	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	$42-74
   Lead Developer	A lead developer is responsible for creating software programs and applications, following the client and the business's software quality standards and design specifications. Lead developers assist a team of developers in implementing strategic procedures, managing system codes, debugging applications, running diagnostic tests, and troubleshooting defects to ensure its smooth performance... Show more	$39-77
   Architect And Developer	An 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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Java
   • API
   • Application Development
   • Web Application
   • Web Services
   • GIT
   • UI
   • PHP
   • Scrum
   • SQL Server
   • Peer Review
   • XML
   • CSS
   • WCF

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead vendor evaluation and selection for cloud storage, CMS, analytics, and infrastructure.
   • Contribute to implementing microservices used to manage entities and maintain a synchronize state between supplier and distributor.
   • Create marketing/mailing module using MySQL, PHP, and JS.
   • Work on computer-assist design and imaging applications software in C++, Java, and Jython.
   • Develop LINUX clustering software to handle the expected performance loads on the overall cluster systems.
   • Architect solution for persisting XML feeds (from Morningstar) using Castor, thus saving company around 100K in upfront cost.

   More software applications architect duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the software applications architect job description is a good way to get more applicants. A software applications architect salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a software applications architect in Kansas may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level software applications architect. Additionally, a software applications architect with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average software applications architect salary

   $117,352yearly

   $56.42 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level software applications architect salary

   $88,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average software applications architect salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$149,077	$72
   2	Washington	$146,488	$70
   3	Arizona	$124,693	$60
   4	Massachusetts	$121,176	$58
   5	Texas	$118,707	$57
   6	Colorado	$118,586	$57
   7	Georgia	$113,272	$54
   8	Illinois	$111,954	$54
   9	New York	$107,282	$52
   10	Michigan	$106,952	$51
   11	New Jersey	$106,769	$51
   12	Oklahoma	$105,351	$51
   13	Montana	$104,999	$50
   14	Ohio	$103,165	$50
   15	North Carolina	$101,942	$49

   Average software applications architect salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	NVIDIA	$156,666	$75.32	510
   2	Wind River	$141,076	$67.83	21
   3	Salesforce	$134,064	$64.45	261
   4	Intel	$133,319	$64.10	98
   5	NBCUniversal	$132,685	$63.79	24
   6	Nexteer Automotive	$128,165	$61.62	2
   7	Alight Solutions	$123,756	$59.50	2
   8	Mitchell Martin	$122,227	$58.76
   9	CNH Industrial	$121,336	$58.33	7
   10	WebPT	$121,043	$58.19
   11	News America Marketing	$120,845	$58.10
   12	VI Engineering	$120,541	$57.95
   13	Capgemini	$119,603	$57.50	505
   14	Cogent Communications	$119,474	$57.44	11
   15	General Motors	$117,591	$56.53	488
   16	Dart Container	$116,573	$56.04
   17	HP	$116,034	$55.79	31
   18	Pearson	$115,815	$55.68	103
   19	S&P Global	$115,200	$55.38	97
   20	DaVita Kidney Care	$109,752	$52.77	5

4. Writing a software applications architect job description

   A software applications architect 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a software applications architect job description:

   Software applications architect job description example

   Morton is seeking a Software Application Architect for our client in Princeton, NJ. As an Architect, you will work closely with Content Platforms, Platform Services, Product Management, Business Stakeholders and Technology teams on the core of the Platts technologies. This role will play a pivotal role in the strategic transformation from product to platform-centric cloud software engineering. These efforts are occurring within the broader context of major strategic initiatives to extend market leadership and build next-generation software platforms as they pivot to a platform company.
   
   The candidate will be responsible for architecting and building new platforms/products and modernizing existing platforms into new and improved platforms. The candidate requires deep technical knowledge and experience as this position will influence several platforms which empower the various critical business processes of Platts.
   Responsibilities:
   Work closely with Technology and Program Management teams as well as various business stakeholders on server-less cloud based Content platforms/applications/capabilities like Content Creation, Newsletter platforms, Real time news platforms, Price Reporting, Core Services, Content Packaging, Distribution and Delivery
   Analyze business strategy and determine system architecture requirements to achieve business goals
   Formulate and Build - Application and Technology Architecture concepts, mapping Requirements to well defined technical components and component connectors
   Work with business stakeholders to establish project scope, design and architect solution, come up with estimates, communicate project deliverable time frames and benchmarks to business as part of creating business case for initial project approvals
   Suggest architectural improvements, design and integration solutions, and formulate methodologies to optimize object-oriented software engineering
   Create architecture artifacts for Application, Technology and Infrastructure
   Formulate Performance Architecture concepts
   Create conceptual, logical and physical data modeling concepts
   Build Information Architecture components and Data flow, Data create and Data manage models
   Lead the work on different technology integration interfaces for - Authentication, Content Creation, Content Archiving, Publishing, Packaging, Enrichment and Delivery
   Lead the process of capacity planning and design infrastructure required for the solution implementation
   Lead process of identifying and building the technology/non-functional requirements
   Qualifications:
   Master's degree in Technology
   Bachelor' s degree, preferably in Computer Sciences
   12+ years of experience with 3+ as an architect
   Ability to collaborate and brainstorm in a team environment
   Ability to work remotely, over different time zones and in a diverse team
   Excellent communication skills, verbal and written
   Confident and articulate in presentation
   Ability to manage multiple tasks under tight deadlines
   Constantly strives to discover and learn new technologies
   Ability to balance business priorities with technical requirements

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right software applications architect 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 software applications architects they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit software applications architects 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.

   To find software applications architect candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with software applications architect 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 software applications architect 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 software applications architect

   Once you've decided on a perfect software applications architect 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.

   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.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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