Computer Programmer Job Description Templates
Free computer programmer job description templates: general, junior, senior, application, and small-business versions, with FLSA and IP guidance built in.
Computer Programmer Job Description Templates
5 free templates with FLSA and IP guidance built in. Download as DOCX or copy-paste.
The computer programmer job description is one most companies copy from a generic one-pager that lists "write and test code" and stops, missing the two things that actually matter for this hire: whether the role is exempt under the FLSA computer-employee exemption, which is not decided by the title, and who owns the code, which does not transfer automatically, especially for contractors. A small business writing its first programmer posting from a thin template walks straight into both traps.
At FirstHR, we build templates for small companies that hire without an HR department, the startups, dev shops, and small businesses making an early technical hire. The five templates below cover the role by level and context: general, junior, senior, application, and a small-business version. Each notes the FLSA classification question and the IP-assignment requirement as built-in fields. This page covers both "computer programmer" and "programmer" job descriptions. Fill in the brackets and post, and the guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
What Does a Computer Programmer Do?
A computer programmer writes, tests, and maintains the code that makes software and systems run, turning specifications into working programs, debugging and fixing defects, and modifying existing programs. In federal occupational data the role falls under computer programmers, who create, modify, and test the code and scripts that allow computer applications to run.
For the employer writing the posting, the useful frame is that the code-focused core stays constant while the level shifts the scope and independence: scoped tasks under guidance for a junior, architecture and mentorship for a senior, and specific business applications for an application programmer. That is why the templates below differ by level. One title note worth making up front: this work increasingly gets hired under the broader, faster-growing software developer title, so if the role is wider than writing and maintaining code, the software engineer templates and web developer templates may fit better.
Programmer Duties and Responsibilities
Programmer duties center on writing and building code, debugging and quality, systems and integration, and the collaboration and documentation that keep a codebase healthy. The level shifts the weights, scoped tasks for a junior versus architecture for a senior, but the categories hold. These are the duties grouped the way the templates use them.
A strong posting grounds these in the stack and the level: the specific languages and frameworks, the tools and version control, and the kind of work, new features versus maintenance versus architecture. Programmers read postings for the stack and the problems first, before anything else, so a vague duty list with no technologies named loses strong candidates. For a structured way to scope any role before posting, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by level and context. The code-focused core runs through all five, but the scope, the independence, and the experience bar differ enough that the matched version always reads more credibly to candidates. Use this guide to choose.
5 Free Computer Programmer Job Description Templates
Download all five as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company overview, job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, compensation, and how to apply, with the FLSA classification question and the IP-assignment note marked as fields. Fill in the brackets and post.
Template 1: General Computer Programmer
The base version: write, test, and maintain code from specifications, with the FLSA classification and IP-assignment note built in. Start here if no specialized version fits.
Template 2: Entry-Level / Junior Programmer
The junior version: well-scoped tasks under senior guidance, code review, and mentorship, with no professional experience required and a portfolio welcome.
Template 3: Senior / Lead Programmer
The senior version: complex systems, architecture decisions, coding standards, and mentoring the team, with several years of experience and an end-to-end track record.
Template 4: Application / Software Programmer
The application version: building and maintaining the software applications the business runs on, including internal line-of-business and customer-facing systems.
Template 5: Small Business / First Technical Hire
The small-business version for an early technical hire: plain language, real ownership, and built-in notes on the FLSA exemption and IP assignment that trip up small employers.
FLSA: Are Computer Programmers Exempt?
Computer programmers can be exempt from overtime under the FLSA computer-employee exemption, but it is not automatic, and treating it as automatic is a common small-employer mistake. The exemption applies to computer systems analysts, programmers, software engineers, and similarly skilled workers, and it has both a pay test and a duties test that must both be met. On pay, the worker must earn at least the standard salary level of $684 per week on a salary basis, or, in a provision available uniquely to computer employees, at least $27.63 per hour. On duties, the primary work must be qualifying computer work: applying systems analysis, or designing, developing, testing, or modifying programs and systems.
The Department of Labor is explicit that job titles do not determine exempt status; the actual pay and duties decide it. So a junior coder paid below the threshold, or doing routine work that does not meet the duties test, may be non-exempt and owed overtime even with "programmer" in the title. The safe practice is to confirm the classification against the real pay and duties before you post, mark it on the job description as the templates here do, and keep the rest of the posting job-related and neutral, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on protected characteristics. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm with an employment attorney.
IP and Confidentiality to Include
The entire output of this role is intellectual property, and the costly surprise for small employers is that ownership does not vest automatically. For an employee, work created within the scope of employment is generally the company's as work made for hire, but for an independent contractor it usually is not, which means you can pay a contractor for code and still not own it without an explicit agreement.
The reliable fix is a present-tense IP assignment: an agreement in which the worker hereby assigns all work product and inventions to the company, paired with confidentiality terms, commonly packaged as a Proprietary Information and Invention Assignment agreement signed alongside the offer. The wording matters: present-tense assigning language is stronger than a promise to assign in the future, and the assignment should be signed before work begins, since code written before the agreement is a gap. Keep this separate from any non-compete, which the federal government and many states treat as narrowly enforceable at best, and which is increasingly unenforceable. Because the underlying asset is the company you cannot afford to get this wrong, you can register original code with the USPTO for related protections, and you should have the actual agreement reviewed by an attorney. This is general information, not legal advice.
Programmer Qualifications to Include
Programmer qualifications are stack-anchored, which makes the posting's job specificity: name the languages, frameworks, and tools the role actually uses, because experienced programmers screen on the stack before anything else and a generic requirements list reads as a red flag.
| Weak requirement | Strong requirement |
|---|---|
| Knows programming | Proficient in [language/framework], the stack this role uses |
| Some experience | [N] years building and maintaining production code, or entry-level with a portfolio |
| Familiar with tools | Experienced with Git and [CI/CD, cloud, or platform] |
| Good problem solver | Strong debugging and able to break ambiguous problems into deliverable work |
| Degree required | Bachelor's in computer science or equivalent practical experience |
Allowing equivalent experience in place of a degree widens a strong field, since many capable programmers come through bootcamps or self-teaching, and for junior roles a portfolio often tells you more than a credential. Reserve hard experience minimums for senior roles where they apply. Keep every line job-related, and for the standard sections of a posting, the SHRM job description tools describe a good job description as a plain-language summary of a position's tasks, duties, and responsibilities.
How to Write a Computer Programmer Job Description
A strong programmer posting takes about 30 minutes and does two jobs: it gives a technical candidate the stack and the problems they screen on, and it handles the classification and IP questions that protect the business. Here is the process the templates are built around. If this is among your first hires, the small business hiring guide covers the steps around the posting itself.
Computer Programmer Salary
Programmer pay sits at roughly double the national median, varies by industry and level, and runs below the adjacent software developer role, three facts worth weighing as you set a range and a title.
Pay splits by industry and level. Software publishers pay toward the higher end, around $112,110, finance and insurance around $106,970, and computer systems design around $92,850, while junior roles sit below the median and senior roles above it. Two title-related facts matter for budgeting: the adjacent software developer role pays a higher median, around $133,080, and is growing about 15 percent rather than declining, which is part of why employers increasingly post under that title. For a code-focused role the programmer benchmark is the right anchor, and posting a real range is one of the most effective ways to attract candidates, which is why the templates leave compensation as a field. National compensation surveys can help you set a range for your specific stack and market.
Hiring a Programmer for a Small Business
A large tech company hires programmers with recruiters, legal, and structured leveling. A small business does it with the founder or an office manager, often as one of its first technical hires, and carries real classification and IP exposure on a role whose entire output is the company's core asset. Here is how to write the posting and run the hire for that reality.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one, and a programmer hire is paperwork-first in a specific way: the offer letter with the compensation and the FLSA classification you confirmed, plus the invention-assignment and confidentiality agreement signed before the first day, because code written before that agreement is signed is an ownership gap. Collect the signed offer and IP agreement, complete Form I-9 within the first days along with the rest of the new hire paperwork, and gather tax forms.
Then technical setup and the onboarding that decides the first months: provision accounts, repository and tool access, and equipment with a record of what was granted, then walk through the codebase and standards, set up the development environment, assign a first well-scoped task and a code-review buddy, and make expectations clear, the kind of structured start the employee onboarding guide lays out and a 30-60-90 day plan template can anchor. Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step with the classification and IP terms, and the employment contract template carries the formal agreement. FirstHR connects the offer with e-signature, the IP and confidentiality documents and their storage, document management, and the onboarding workflow in one place, built for companies without an HR department. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a computer programmer do?
A computer programmer writes, tests, and maintains the code that makes software and systems run. The core work is translating specifications and designs into working programs, debugging and fixing defects, modifying and updating existing programs, following coding standards and version control, and documenting the work. The level shapes the rest: a junior programmer handles well-scoped tasks under guidance, a senior programmer designs systems and mentors the team, and an application programmer builds and maintains the specific applications a business runs on. This page covers the programmer role and offers a template for each level and context, since the core of writing and maintaining code is constant while the scope and independence change. Note that many modern employers hire this work under the software developer title, which is a broader and faster-growing role.
What is the difference between a computer programmer and a programmer job description?
There is no meaningful difference. Computer programmer job description and programmer job description describe the same hiring need: a posting for someone who writes and maintains code. The two phrases return the same templates and target the same role, so use whichever fits your posting. A related distinction does matter, though: computer programmer is a narrower, declining title focused on writing and maintaining code, while software developer is a broader, faster-growing title that adds designing applications and owning architecture. Many small employers now hire under the software developer title for work they once called programming. Use the programmer templates here when the work is genuinely code-focused, and consider the software developer framing when the role is wider, so the title matches both the work and how candidates search.
Are computer programmers exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
Computer programmers can be exempt under the FLSA computer-employee exemption, but it is not automatic and the title alone does not decide it. The exemption has a pay test and a duties test, and both must be met. On pay, the worker must earn at least the standard salary level of $684 per week on a salary basis, or, uniquely available to computer employees, at least $27.63 per hour. On duties, the primary work must be qualifying computer work such as systems analysis or the design, development, testing, or modification of programs and systems. The Department of Labor states plainly that job titles do not determine exempt status, so a programmer whose pay or duties fall short can be non-exempt and owed overtime, which is a common and costly small-employer mistake. Confirm the classification against the actual pay and duties before you post, and consult an employment attorney if you are unsure. This is general information, not legal advice.
Who owns the code a programmer writes?
Not automatically the company, which surprises many founders. For an employee, work created within the scope of employment is generally the company's as work made for hire, but for an independent contractor it usually is not, meaning you can pay a contractor for code and still not own it without the right agreement. The reliable fix is an explicit, present-tense intellectual property assignment in which the worker hereby assigns all work product and inventions to the company, paired with confidentiality terms, commonly packaged as a Proprietary Information and Invention Assignment agreement signed alongside the offer. Use present-tense assigning language rather than a promise to assign in the future, since the wording affects enforceability. Keep this separate from any non-compete, which is narrowly enforceable at best and unenforceable in several states. Because code is the core asset of this role, have the actual agreement reviewed by an attorney; this is general information, not legal advice.
What should a computer programmer job description include?
A strong computer programmer job description includes a company overview, a job summary, key responsibilities, required qualifications, the employment type and FLSA classification, the compensation, a note about the IP and confidentiality agreement, and how to apply. List the core duties: writing and testing code, translating specifications, debugging, modifying existing programs, code review, and documentation, weighted to the level you are hiring. Name the languages and tools, since programmers screen on the stack first. State the FLSA classification carefully, because the computer-employee exemption depends on both pay and duties, not the title. Note that the role requires signing an invention-assignment and confidentiality agreement, since the output is intellectual property. Match the template to the level and context, since general, junior, senior, application, and small-business roles emphasize different scope and independence.
How much does a computer programmer make?
Federal wage data reports a median annual wage of $98,670 for computer programmers in May 2024, about $47.44 per hour, with the lowest 10 percent under $52,190 and the highest 10 percent over $162,090, roughly double the median for all occupations. Pay varies by industry and level. Software publishers pay toward the higher end, around $112,110, finance and insurance around $106,970, and computer systems design around $92,850, while junior roles sit lower and senior roles higher. About 121,200 computer programmers are employed nationally, and the occupation is projected to decline about 6 percent through 2034, partly due to automation, with roughly 5,500 openings each year from replacement. Worth noting for budgeting and titling: the adjacent software developer role pays a higher median, around $133,080, and is growing about 15 percent, which is part of why employers increasingly hire under that title.
How do I write a programmer job description for a small business?
Pick the small-business template, write it in plain language, and handle the two compliance items competitors ignore. First, sell the role honestly: what you build, the stack, that it is a small team where the hire will own real work and have a say in how you build, since for an early technical hire impact and autonomy beat bureaucracy. Name the languages and tools clearly, because programmers screen on the stack first. Second, classify the role correctly: programmers can be exempt under the computer-employee exemption, but only if both the pay test, $684 per week or $27.63 per hour, and the duties test are met, and the title alone does not make it exempt. Third, plan for IP: pair the offer with a present-tense invention-assignment and confidentiality agreement, which is essential for contractors since their work is not automatically yours. The small-business template here bakes both notes in. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm with an attorney.
What happens after I hire a programmer?
Start with the paperwork that protects your core asset, then set up access and onboarding. Send the offer letter with the compensation, the FLSA classification you confirmed, and a note that the role requires signing the invention-assignment and confidentiality agreement, then collect the signed offer and the signed IP agreement before the first day, since code written before that agreement is signed is a gap. Complete Form I-9 within the first days and gather tax forms. Then technical setup: provision accounts, repository and tool access, and equipment, and document what was granted for security. Then the onboarding that decides the first months: a walkthrough of the codebase and standards, the development environment set up, a first well-scoped task, a code-review buddy, and clear expectations. A structured first weeks measurably improves retention for technical hires. FirstHR handles the offer with e-signature, the IP and confidentiality documents and their storage, document management, and the onboarding workflow in one place, built for companies without an HR department. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.