Lead Java Software Engineer Jobs

Discover Lead Java Software Engineer opportunities for experienced developers ready to guide teams and shape complex software systems. These roles combine hands-on Java development with technical leadership, architectural decision-making, and collaboration across product and engineering teams. Explore vetted positions with salaries of $100,000 or more on Ladders.

What Does a Lead Java Software Engineer Do?

Lead Java Software Engineers design, build, and maintain applications while helping set engineering standards and delivery direction. They may lead code reviews, mentor developers, break down technical requirements, and coordinate with stakeholders to deliver reliable software. Depending on the organization, the role can emphasize backend services, distributed systems, cloud platforms, or enterprise applications.

Skills and Qualifications

Employers typically seek substantial Java experience and a strong understanding of object-oriented design, data structures, APIs, and software development practices. Familiarity with frameworks such as Spring, databases, testing approaches, and cloud or distributed-system architecture is often valuable. Communication, prioritization, mentoring, and the ability to make sound technical decisions are also important for a lead role.

Career Opportunities and Compensation

Lead Java Software Engineers work across industries including financial services, healthcare, technology, retail, and enterprise software. Career paths may lead to roles such as Principal Engineer, Software Architect, or Engineering Manager, depending on a professional’s strengths and goals. Browse Ladders for vetted Lead Java Software Engineer jobs paying $100,000 or more and find opportunities aligned with your experience.

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$130K - $155K *

Engineer robust data exchange solutions across regions, ensuring compliance and security. Develop scalable backend services and data pipelines while collaborating globally with cross-functional teams...

RemoteRemote

1 month ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$163K - $224K *

Transform your career by automating and improving infrastructure systems, collaborating with engineering teams, and enhancing operational efficiency as part of a dynamic team focused on self-service s...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$114K - $191K *

Lead the charge in shaping high-impact SaaS solutions by driving technical strategy and empowering a high-performing engineering team. Collaborate across disciplines to foster innovation in a fast-pac...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$135K - $160K *

Join a dynamic team to architect and implement a next-gen Design System, ensuring consistent, accessible experiences across products. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive technical alignme...

United StatesRemote

3 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Food & Beverages

$93K - $179K *

Contribute to innovative software solutions by designing, developing, and testing applications. Engage in all phases of the software lifecycle while mentoring junior engineers and enhancing operationa...

San Antonio, TXRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$85K - $125K *

Engage in high-volume data processing projects using cutting-edge technologies to empower data scientists and analysts in deriving insights from vast data sets. Collaborate effectively to enhance data...

Denver, CORemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Media

$466K - $500K+*

Elevate your career by building a cutting-edge ML data platform that enhances productivity for ML practitioners. Collaborate with experts to create innovative solutions for feature computation and sha...

United StatesRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$113K - $178K *

Drive your career with a senior role focused on software development for control room simulators, collaborating with engineers to enhance plant models and ensure high-quality deliverables in a dynamic...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$104K - $156K *

Unlock your potential as a Solutions Engineer, driving sales success by leveraging technical expertise to address customer challenges and deliver F5 solutions. Collaborate with sales teams to achieve...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$139K - $208K *

Unlock potential by driving technical sales support and solutions for customers. Collaborate with sales teams to achieve targets while providing expert guidance on F5 products and services, ensuring c...

New York, NYRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$115K - $173K *

Elevate your career by joining a dynamic sales team as a Solutions Engineer, where you'll leverage technical expertise to drive sales, support customers, and deliver innovative F5 solutions that bridg...

Olympia Fields, ILRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$127K - $191K *

Unlock potential by driving technical sales solutions for major service providers. Collaborate with sales teams to articulate value propositions, mentor peers, and deliver exceptional customer service...

California, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$165K - $185K *

Shape the future of advertising technology by leading the design and strategy for scalable, reliable systems that enhance live sports experiences. Collaborate across teams to drive innovation and ment...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$184K - $356K *

Develop metrics and evaluation methodologies to enhance Autonomous Vehicle software. Collaborate across teams to innovate testing strategies and deliver data-driven insights, driving forward cutting-e...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$160K - $187K *

Grow your career with a hands-on Engineering Manager role leading a dynamic team to enhance an AI-powered healthcare hiring platform, ensuring quality, reliability, and innovation across multiple tech...

United StatesRemote

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$466K - $500K+*

Unlock potential by developing scalable AI/ML model serving infrastructure. Collaborate cross-functionally to enhance performance and availability of high-traffic systems, driving innovation in a dyna...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$139K - $203K *

Transform security solutions by designing high-performance authentication components and leading technical innovations in Windows environments. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance deplo...

Ann Arbor, MIRemote

3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$116K - $155K *

Join a dynamic team as you design and optimize Oracle EBS integrations, enhancing supply chain solutions. Utilize your expertise to drive impactful software engineering efforts that elevate business p...

United StatesRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$154K - $185K *

Join our dynamic team to develop next-gen storage solutions, enhancing Grafana's App Platform. Collaborate on innovative features, drive projects from ideation to operations, and contribute to an open...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$136K - $160K *

Elevate operations through AI-driven automation to enhance incident management, streamline ticket resolution, and optimize service health with self-healing observability, all while collaborating acros...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$173K - $255K *

Elevate your career by defining and enforcing workload safety standards for a growing EKS fleet. Collaborate across teams to enhance availability and performance while mentoring engineers and driving...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$153K - $213K *

Advance your career by defining and enforcing workload safety standards for a growing EKS fleet. Collaborate across teams to enhance Kubernetes operations, ensuring compliance and optimizing performan...

CanadaRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$115K - $130K *

Contribute to the development and optimization of robust applications using JAVA, SQL, and JavaScript, ensuring efficient data management and exceptional client support within a dynamic team environme...

Washington, USRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Business Services

$160K *

Drive enterprise-level implementations of phishing-resistant authentication solutions, leading technical deployments and integrations across various identity platforms while ensuring customer success...

United StatesRemote

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$155K - $185K *

Transform the technology landscape by leading cross-functional teams to enhance Medicaid Enterprise Systems, driving system architecture improvements and mentoring engineers towards high-quality, secu...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What does a Lead Java Software Engineer do?question toggle

    A Lead Java Software Engineer develops Java-based systems and provides technical direction for a team or project. Responsibilities can include system design, coding, code reviews, mentoring, and coordinating delivery with product and engineering partners.

  • What qualifications are common for Lead Java Software Engineer jobs?question toggle

    Employers commonly look for extensive Java development experience, knowledge of software architecture and APIs, and familiarity with tools and frameworks such as Spring. Leadership, communication, mentoring, and collaborative problem-solving skills are also important.

  • How much do Lead Java Software Engineers earn?question toggle

    Compensation varies by employer, location, industry, and experience. Ladders focuses on vetted professional roles paying $100,000 or more, so candidates can explore opportunities in that salary range.

  • What career paths can follow a Lead Java Software Engineer role?question toggle

    Potential next steps include Principal Engineer, Software Architect, Engineering Manager, or other senior technical leadership roles. The best path depends on whether you want to deepen technical expertise or focus more on people and organizational leadership.