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.
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.
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.
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.
Staff Software Engineer - Backend
$185K - $200K *
Champion robust backend architecture and distributed systems, guiding technical direction and establishing best practices. Collaborate across teams to build resilient, scalable applications and optimi...
3 weeks ago
$120K - $145K *
Elevate employee and contractor payouts by managing end-to-end execution. Collaborate with engineering and partners to enhance payment methods while ensuring quality and reliability in a high-trust en...
3 days ago
$110K - $130K *
Elevate your career by designing and developing scalable cloud-native applications. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance Workforce Management and Customer Experience solutions using mode...
2 days ago
$122K - $158K *
Empower product development by collaborating with designers and engineers to create intuitive banking solutions. Foster a culture of innovation and ownership within a dynamic, startup-like environment...
Reposted 4 weeks ago
Senior Electrical Design Engineer
$135K - $180K *
Drive innovative electrical design solutions for high-density compute environments. Collaborate across teams to ensure compliance with industry standards while mentoring junior engineers. Make a signi...
1 week ago
Solution Architect with InsureMo Platform
$120K - $145K *
Innovate scalable insurance solutions leveraging InsureMO's API-first architecture. Drive digital transformation by integrating AI capabilities across enterprise platforms, ensuring compliance and opt...
Today
$110K - $130K *
Empower innovation by designing and developing scalable cloud-native applications. Collaborate across teams to enhance Workforce Management and Customer Experience solutions using modern technologies...
2 days ago
$110K - $130K *
Shape the future of cloud-native applications by designing and developing scalable solutions that enhance Workforce Management and Customer Experience. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliv...
3 weeks ago
Senior Cloud Infrastructure Engineer
$150K - $175K *
Shape the cloud infrastructure landscape by ensuring security, scalability, and efficiency. Collaborate with engineers to build resilient systems and drive best practices, enabling smooth deployment a...
Reposted 1 week ago
Staff Software Engineer, Financial Platform
$163K - $204K *
Lead the charge in building and owning critical financial systems, ensuring reliable money movement and asset flow. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver production-ready solutions while...
4 weeks ago
Senior DevOps Engineer, Infrastructure & Reliability
$135K - $160K *
Lead the charge in optimizing cloud infrastructure and CI/CD processes, ensuring scalable, secure, and resilient systems. Collaborate with engineering teams to enhance deployment efficiency and drive...
3 weeks ago
Senior Web Developer (UI & API Integration)
$80K - $128K *
Champion user interface development and API integration for a federal environmental platform, ensuring accessibility compliance and enhancing data access for regulatory consultations. Collaborate with...
2 days ago
$85K - $117K *
Champion software quality by analyzing healthcare data, developing test cases, and executing both manual and automated tests. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure compliance with clinical...
3 weeks ago
$95K - $115K *
Champion customer success by leveraging your expertise in Solutions Consulting to drive impactful engagements, support sales strategies, and deliver tailored solutions that align with client needs and...
Yesterday
System Engineer RF - Maryland, Delaware or Washington D.C.
$90K - $105K *
Unlock potential by managing complex RF communication projects, ensuring successful design and implementation for public safety systems. Collaborate with diverse teams and clients while demonstrating...
2 weeks ago
$143K - $286K *
Champion innovative platform engineering initiatives, delivering scalable, cloud-native solutions while driving the full software development lifecycle. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enha...
4 weeks ago
$75K - $96K *
Optimize AI triage and automation processes while engineering secure data pipelines. Collaborate with teams to enhance security alert resolution and streamline workflows, ensuring effective integratio...
2 days ago
$75K - $96K *
Unlock your potential as a key player in our overnight security operations, enhancing AI-driven incident response and automation. Your expertise will shape how we detect and respond to threats, ensuri...
3 days ago
$160K - $180K *
Unlock potential by providing hands-on technical leadership across the full stack. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design scalable solutions, enhance product experiences, and drive impactfu...
1 week ago
$110K - $130K *
Join a team that's shaping database strategies and standards. In this role, you'll enhance database performance, ensure data integrity, and collaborate with engineering teams to optimize our database...
1 week ago
Senior Engineering Manager, Grafana Frontend | Canada | Remote
$211K - $253K *
Join a team that's dedicated to enhancing user experience through innovative frontend solutions. As a leader, drive performance, development, and cross-team collaboration to deliver impactful customer...
Reposted 1 week ago
$160K - $200K *
Unlock potential by leading technical direction in autonomy systems. Drive ownership of advanced perception, prediction, and planning components with cross-stack influence, facilitating innovation and...
Reposted 4 weeks ago
AI Infrastructure Engineer [Tooling]
$130K - $160K *
Empower AI innovation by designing and building robust tooling for deploying AI agents in production. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance infrastructure reliability and developer experi...
Yesterday
Lead Subject Matter Expert (Quality Assurance & Control) - Rolling Stock Engineering
$182K - $212K *
Lead quality assurance efforts in rolling stock engineering, overseeing vehicle procurement and rebuilds. Collaborate with teams to ensure high standards and timely delivery while supervising inspecti...
1 week ago
$127K - $133K *
Engineer scalable cloud platforms by automating processes and enhancing reliability. Collaborate with teams to streamline deployments and ensure secure, resilient infrastructure that meets evolving bu...
Reposted 3 days ago
What does a Lead Java Software Engineer do?
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?
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?
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?
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.