Hiring a Java Developer: Job Description, Pay, & More

What do Wikipedia, Uber, and Minecraft have in common? They’re all written using Java. Even though Java has been around for years, the demand for programmers fluent in this language hasn’t waned. It’s used for everything from gaming to data analysis.

Do you need a Java developer on your team? After reading this article, you’ll feel confident hiring a Java Developer, knowing the responsibilities, job duties, and salary figures that are common for those that bring Java skills to the table.

What is a Java Developer?

Java is a popular and diverse programming language for many applications. A Java developer is a professional who has studied this language and specializes in using it to develop applications and software systems.

Java developers tend to study this programming language for its efficiency, portability, and platform independence. It typically provides various opportunities due to its wide usage in various types of software development.

Some Java developers focus on developing libraries of Java. A library consists of pre-written code that programmers can use to speed up the development process. Other Java developers may focus only on maintaining existing solutions. For instance, they may develop patches or updates for software you’ve already made available to the public or within your organization.

Hiring a talented Java programmer or developer is crucial for businesses that want to build high-performance and scalable software solutions. Java is nearly a universal language in the information technology (IT) industry.

How Much Do Java Developers Get Paid?

You can expect to pay a Java developer around $117,000 per year. Many of the highest earners work in California, with seven of the top ten average annual Java developer salaries coming from California cities. For example, the top spot goes to Java developers in Santa Clara, California, who earn an average of $150,302 a year. In the ninth spot are Java developers in Redwood City, California, earning an annual average of $136,297.

While location greatly affects pay ranges, so does experience. A junior developer won’t earn as much as a Java development team lead.

Java Developer Roles and Responsibilities

Since Java is a common programming language, a Java developer can do a lot for your company. Here are some of the more common tasks you can expect a Java hire to accomplish:

Design and develop applications. Java developers can build applications from scratch using Java and associated frameworks. Frameworks are tools and components that make development faster. Java developers know how to use frameworks to deliver more stable software faster.
Collaborate with others in the development process. It’s common for Java developers to work with other programmers and professionals from other teams. In this way, the developer makes sure their solution integrates with whatever the rest of the team is working with.
Debug problematic code. The debug process involves troubleshooting problems, identifying code that may be impeding or breaking processes, and making sure applications operate smoothly.
Documentation. The documentation that a Java developer can be called upon to produce is vast, including technical docs designed for other developers, plain-language guides for users, and knowledge management resources that future teams can use to build solutions.

Java Developer Skills

Java developers should have a relatively deep bag of skills, especially because Java can be used in so many different kinds of applications. Here are some you can expect from an applicant:

Java proficiency. Programming with Java involves understanding how object-oriented programming works, using its frameworks and libraries, and familiarity with Java code.
Database knowledge. Applications developed with Java often draw information from databases, so a Java developer needs to be familiar with some of the most popular database solutions. These include MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Oracle.
Website development. When it comes to building websites and web apps, Java can’t operate in a vacuum, so a Java developer needs to be familiar with web dev tools, too. Some of these include CSS, HTML, and JavaScript.

Understanding Java developer responsibilities and skills will help you write a Java developer job description.

Java Developer Job Description

As you create your Java developer job description, consider key responsibilities, required skills, qualifications, and any important details about your position and what you want from your candidates. Below is a basic template of what a Java developer job description might look like.

An overview of the job and what you want from your candidate:

Job title: Java Developer
Location: Is the job local and on-site, or can candidates apply for remote or hybrid options?
Job type: Is the job full-time, part-time, or contract?
Company description: Provide your company’s name, industry, mission, vision, and a description of your company culture.
Job summary: A job summary describes the job and might read like this: “We are seeking an experienced Java Developer to join our IT team. Our ideal candidate has a strong background in Java development, having created high-performing and enterprise-grade applications.”

Key responsibilities for your desired Java developer:

Application development
Code analysis and optimization
Design and application
Testing
Managing Java and Java Enterprise Edition (EE) application development
Maintaining and improving designs for compliance with specs
Collaborating with team members for increased innovation and quality control

Skills and qualifications of a Java developer for your company:

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science or engineering
Hands-on experience in designing and developing Java apps on Java EE platforms
Proven experience in software development
Object-oriented analysis and design using common design patterns
Insight into Java and JEE internals, such as class loading
Experiencing in developing web applications using a popular web framework, such as Wicket or JSF
Mastery of Java-related technologies, which might include Spring, JPA, JDBC, or JMS
Familiarity with building tools like Gradle and Maven
Experience in managing Java projects
Experience in developing client-server applications and RESTful services

Preferred additional skills—not required:

Experience using the Spring Framework
Experience developing applications using microservices architecture
Knowledge of Relational Databases, SQL, and ORM technologies, like JPA2 or Hibernate
Experience with Agile methodologies
Familiarity with front-end languages and frameworks—JavaScript, AngularJS, ReactJS—is a plus

Personal attributes and soft skills:

Strong communication and organizational skills
Problem-solving attitude
Ability to work in a team environment
Passion for continuous learning and adapting to new technologies

To assess a candidate’s skills and experience, it’s important to prepare the right Java developer interview questions.

Hire a Java Developer with Insight Global

Have you started your search for your Java developer? You might not know exactly how or where to begin. These talented individuals are all around, but you may need some fresh ideas about where and how to locate and hire the best of the best.

Contact us if you need more help finding talent, creating your Java developer job description, conducting interviews, or extending an offer and onboarding your new hire.