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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$168K - $227K *

Lead the design and development of innovative purchase orchestration systems, driving complex decisions and collaborating across teams to enhance customer trust and streamline off-Amazon transactions...

Yesterday

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

$165K - $223K *

Innovate and design cutting-edge services for seamless authentication and streaming in a dynamic workspace environment, enhancing user experience for both humans and AI agents while ensuring high avai...

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$137K - $205K *

Champion innovative solutions through effective collaboration with development and infrastructure teams, ensuring seamless service operations while addressing challenges with ownership and driving imp...

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$151K - $204K *

Lead the charge in building and managing software for large-scale AI infrastructure, ensuring seamless operation, monitoring, and updates. Collaborate with teams to deliver robust solutions that enhan...

3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$170K - $200K *

Shape the future of financial technology by developing seamless web applications. Collaborate with a dynamic team to create high-quality software that enhances user experience and drives strategic inn...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$110K - $130K *

Unlock your potential by developing innovative iOS solutions that enhance user experiences. Collaborate with a dynamic team to build and maintain a platform that delivers engaging audio content to mil...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Media

$120K - $145K *

Build robust automated test systems for RF and satellite communications, ensuring reliable validations, reducing manual interventions, and enhancing development efficiency across integrated hardware a...

1 month ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$100K - $120K *

Drive quality assurance excellence by developing and implementing robust automated testing solutions. Collaborate with developers to ensure applications meet enterprise standards, enhancing overall sy...

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$110K - $130K *

Engage with us to enhance Android automation testing. Collaborate in designing robust test frameworks, ensuring quality through innovative CI/CD integration, and optimizing app performance across devi...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$158K - $213K *

Develop innovative solutions that enhance Amazon Marketing Cloud's partner ecosystem, leveraging massive-scale streaming, machine learning, and cloud-native technologies to deliver seamless integratio...

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$129K - $174K *

Create innovative solutions as a Systems Development Engineer II, simplifying complex challenges while enhancing customer experiences across Analytics services. Collaborate with teams to drive technic...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$102K - $154K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of aerospace software by developing safety-critical systems for Terran R. Collaborate closely with engineers to validate and automate release processes, ensuring...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$176K - $264K *

Accelerate progress at the forefront of AI-driven automation by designing and building scalable, fault-tolerant systems that enhance enterprise observability and streamline workflows for global custom...

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$176K - $264K *

Transform the future of enterprise workflows by architecting scalable, high-performance systems that enhance AI-driven automation and observability, ensuring seamless integration and operational excel...

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$203K - $275K *

Join us to lead a dynamic team in developing AI-driven growth solutions for sellers. You'll design innovative applications, optimize strategies, and enhance user experiences while collaborating with c...

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$143K - $194K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of e-commerce for ISP customers. You'll design and build backend APIs, orchestrate services, and ensure high reliability and performance while collaborating with...

Today

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

$143K - $194K *

Join a dynamic team to shape the backend-for-frontend layer for a global ISP, integrating multiple systems to enhance customer experience. Drive development from concept to deployment, ensuring high r...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$184K - $250K *

Elevate your career by designing and developing high-quality services that enhance the developer experience on AWS. Lead architectural innovations while ensuring scalability and reliability in a colla...

2 weeks ago

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

$130K - $155K *

Unlock potential by leading technical design and architecture for scalable applications. As a hands-on contributor, you'll enhance engineering standards, ship high-quality code, and mentor teams while...

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$184K - $250K *

Champion a high-performing engineering team to deliver secure, scalable AI solutions in GovCloud. Drive technical direction, simplify complex challenges, and ensure operational excellence while collab...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$110K - $130K *

Join a team that's dedicated to enhancing software quality through automated testing. Collaborate with cross-functional squads to design, develop, and implement robust testing frameworks, ensuring sea...

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$100K - $120K *

Unlock potential by joining a dynamic team focused on automating software testing. Collaborate with cross-functional squads to enhance product quality through innovative testing solutions and continuo...

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$143K - $194K *

Engineer robust data processing systems to support next-gen AI model development. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize data pipelines and ensure data integrity, driving innovation with...

Yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$129K - $174K *

Empower our high-security systems engineering team to innovate and automate robust physical access control solutions, ensuring the health and security of critical infrastructure while delivering excep...

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$113K - $147K *

Join a team that's focused on designing and implementing innovative software solutions, driving development from coding to deployment, while mentoring peers and integrating technologies to enhance cus...

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

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.