6 templates by level and specialty: standard, junior, senior, web, mobile, and small business, with BLS salary data, the FLSA computer-employee exemption, and the IP-assignment clause generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
Software developer is the umbrella title over an entire profession. It covers the web developer building your site, the mobile developer shipping your app, the back-end developer running your servers, and the full-stack developer doing all of it at once. That breadth, plus a federal median deep into six figures, is exactly what makes the role hard to write a job description for: get the specialty, the level, and the classification wrong and you either attract the wrong candidates or misjudge the hire.
This page gives you six templates by level and specialty, plus the things generic templates skip and that matter most for a smaller employer: the FLSA computer-employee exemption, the employee-versus-contractor decision, and the intellectual-property clause that determines who owns the code. At FirstHR, we build hiring and onboarding tools for small businesses. For the fundamentals behind any posting, the guide to writing a job description is a useful companion.
TL;DR
Software developer is the umbrella over web, mobile, back-end, and full-stack work: designing, building, testing, and maintaining software. The role is usually exempt under the FLSA computer-employee exemption, though junior roles need a closer look. The federal occupation reports a median of $133,080 a year (BLS, May 2024). The two things small businesses miss most are employee-versus-contractor classification and intellectual-property assignment. This page has six templates; download all as one DOCX.
What a Software Developer Does
A software developer designs, builds, tests, and maintains software. The core work is writing clean, reliable code, building and shipping features, debugging and fixing defects, reviewing code, and collaborating on technical decisions across the development lifecycle. The specific languages and tools vary, but the underlying work of turning requirements into working software is consistent.
The closest federal occupation is software developers (SOC 15-1252), which groups most of this work under one umbrella. That umbrella spans several distinct specializations, and naming the right one is the first step to writing a posting that attracts the right candidates.
Types of Software Developer
Software developer is a broad title that covers several specializations. The right one for your posting depends on what you are building. For a small business, a web or full-stack developer is often the most relevant hire.
Web developer
Builds websites and web applications, front-end interfaces, and the integrations behind them. The closest setting to a small business's first technical hire.
Mobile developer
Builds iOS, Android, or cross-platform apps and ships them to the app stores, with a focus on performance and mobile UX.
Back-end developer
Builds the servers, APIs, databases, and logic that power applications behind the scenes, where reliability and data matter most.
Full-stack developer
Works across both front-end and back-end, common at small companies that need one developer to cover the whole product.
Building a Full Product With One Hire?
If you need a single developer to handle both the front-end and the back-end of a product, the role you are hiring is a full-stack developer. That is a distinct enough role to have its own detailed templates and guidance; see the full-stack developer templates for that specific hire. This page covers the broader software developer umbrella and the web, mobile, and general versions.
Software Developer Duties and Responsibilities
Software developer duties cluster into four areas: building and shipping, quality and maintenance, collaboration, and documentation and ownership. A strong job description picks the responsibilities that match the level and specialty, and names the stack, rather than listing every possible task.
Build and ship
Design, write, and test clean code
Build and ship features end to end
Support deployment and releases
Quality and maintenance
Debug, troubleshoot, and fix defects
Review code and uphold standards
Improve performance and reliability
Collaboration
Work with the team on requirements
Collaborate on technical decisions
Communicate with non-technical colleagues
Documentation and ownership
Write and maintain documentation
Own the codebase for your area
Keep up with tools and best practices
The balance shifts by role: a junior developer leans on guidance and smaller tasks, a senior developer owns architecture and mentoring, and a web or mobile developer focuses on a specific platform. For a structured way to scope the role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
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Pick the template by level and specialty, then add your stack. Most versions are exempt and salaried; the junior template flags the classification to check. Use this guide to choose the closest fit, then adjust.
Software Developer (Standard)
Most roles
The baseline version: design, build, test, and maintain software across the lifecycle. Start here and add your stack.
Junior / Entry-Level
Early career
For a new or early-career developer: writing and testing code under mentorship, with a path to greater ownership. Watch the classification.
Senior Software Developer
Experienced lead
For a senior developer: complex systems, technical direction, code-review leadership, and mentoring across the team.
Web Developer
Web-focused
For websites and web applications: responsive, accessible front-end work integrated with back-end services.
Mobile Developer
Mobile-focused
For iOS, Android, or cross-platform apps: building, optimizing, and shipping to the app stores.
Small Business (First Hire)
First dev hire
For a small business making its first developer hire: a broad, hands-on role with the founder, plus the IP and classification notes that matter most.
Match the Template to the Role
A general mid-level hire uses the Standard template. A new graduate uses Junior, and check the classification. An experienced lead uses Senior. A website or web-app role uses Web Developer. An app role uses Mobile Developer. A small business making its first technical hire uses Small Business, which carries the IP and contractor notes. Name your languages and stack in every version.
6 Software Developer Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company and job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, classification, pay, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. Fill in the brackets, name your stack, and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
Standard, junior, senior, web, mobile, and small business. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Software Developer (Standard)
The baseline version: design, build, test, and maintain software across the lifecycle. Start here and add your stack.
Software Developer Job Description (Standard)
SOFTWARE DEVELOPER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State or Remote])
Reports to: __ (Engineering Lead / CTO)
Employment type: [ ] Full-time
FLSA status: Exempt (computer-employee exemption)
Pay: $_____ to $_____ per year
ABOUT [COMPANY NAME]
[One or two sentences about your company, your product, and what the
developer will build. Note the stack and whether the role is remote.]
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Software Developer to design, build, test, and
maintain software. You will write clean, reliable code, work across the
development lifecycle, collaborate on technical decisions, and ship
features that work. This role suits a developer who cares about quality
and wants ownership over what they build.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Design, write, and test clean, maintainable code
•Build and ship features across the development lifecycle
•Debug, troubleshoot, and fix defects
•Review code and collaborate on technical decisions
•Write and maintain technical documentation
•Work with the team on requirements and design
•Keep up with the codebase, tools, and best practices
•Support deployment and monitoring as needed
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Proficiency in [language(s) / stack: e.g. JavaScript, Python, C#]
•Experience building and shipping software
•Understanding of data structures, algorithms, and version control
•Familiarity with testing, debugging, and code review
•Degree in computer science or equivalent practical experience
•Strong problem-solving and communication skills
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay: $_____ to $_____ per year [+ benefits]
Benefits: __ (health, retirement, PTO, remote)
To apply, email __ with your resume and code samples.
For a new or early-career developer: writing and testing code under mentorship, with a path to greater ownership. Check the classification for junior pay levels.
For iOS, Android, or cross-platform apps: building, optimizing, and shipping to the app stores.
Mobile Developer Job Description
MOBILE DEVELOPER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State or Remote])
Reports to: __ (Engineering Lead)
Employment type: [ ] Full-time
FLSA status: Exempt (computer-employee exemption)
Pay: $_____ to $_____ per year
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Mobile Developer to build and maintain our
[iOS / Android / cross-platform] applications. You will design and develop
mobile features, ensure smooth performance, and ship updates to the app
stores. This role suits a developer focused on mobile.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Design and build mobile app features
•Develop for [iOS / Android / cross-platform]
•Optimize performance, battery, and responsiveness
•Integrate with APIs and back-end services
•Test, debug, and fix mobile issues
•Manage app store releases and updates
•Follow platform design and review guidelines
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Proficiency in [Swift / Kotlin / React Native / Flutter]
•Experience shipping mobile apps to the app stores
•Understanding of mobile performance and UX
•Familiarity with version control and testing
•Portfolio or published apps
•Strong problem-solving skills
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay: $_____ to $_____ per year [+ benefits]
To apply, email __ with your resume and app links.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 6: Software Developer for a Small Business
For a small business making its first developer hire: a broad, hands-on role with the founder, plus the IP-assignment and classification notes that matter most.
Software Developer for a Small Business (First Dev Hire)
SOFTWARE DEVELOPER JOB DESCRIPTION (SMALL BUSINESS, FIRST HIRE)
Company: __ ([City, State or Remote])
Reports to: [Founder / Owner]
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Contract
FLSA status: Exempt if employee and salary test met (see note)
Pay: $_____ to $_____ per year
ABOUT US
We are a small business hiring our first dedicated software developer. This
is a broad, hands-on role: you will build and own our software end to end
and work directly with the founder, without a large engineering team behind
you.
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Software Developer to build and maintain the
software our business runs on. You will design, build, test, and ship
features, make practical technical decisions, and own the codebase. This
role suits a versatile developer who likes ownership and working close to
the business.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Build, test, and ship the software we depend on
•Own the codebase and make practical technical choices
•Fix bugs and keep systems running reliably
•Translate business needs into working features
•Document what you build for continuity
•Wear several hats as part of a small team
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Proficiency in [language / stack relevant to your product]
•Experience building and shipping real software
•Versatile, resourceful, and comfortable owning decisions
•Able to work independently with limited oversight
•Strong communication with non-technical colleagues
NOTES BEFORE POSTING (read first)
Two things small businesses often get wrong: classification and IP. If you
hire an employee, confirm exempt versus non-exempt; if you engage a
contractor, use a 1099 and a written contract. Either way, include an
intellectual-property assignment so the company owns the code. See the
classification and small-business sections on this page.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay: $_____ to $_____ [+ benefits or contract terms]
To apply, email __ with your resume and code samples.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
FLSA, IP, and Contractor Rules
This is the part generic developer templates skip, and it is where a small business carries the most risk: the FLSA computer-employee exemption, the employee-versus-contractor decision, and the intellectual-property assignment that determines who owns the code. Get these right in the posting and the offer.
FLSA: the computer-employee exemption
A software developer is usually exempt under the computer-employee exemption, which means salaried and not eligible for overtime. The Department of Labor applies this exemption to computer systems analysts, programmers, software engineers, and similarly skilled workers whose primary duty is the design, development, or testing of software, and who are paid either on a salary basis at the standard salary level or hourly at a rate of at least $27.63 an hour. Most full-time developers meet this test. A developer who is paid below the threshold, or whose work is not genuinely software design and development, may be non-exempt and owed overtime. The exemption is duties-and-pay based, not title-based. This is general information, not legal advice.
Junior and borderline roles need a closer look
The classification is clearest for mid-level and senior developers and least clear for junior roles. An entry-level developer paid below the salary or hourly threshold does not automatically qualify for the computer-employee exemption, and a role that is mostly help-desk or routine support rather than software design and development may not meet the duties test at all. For a small business, the safe approach is to confirm both the pay level and the actual duties before classifying a junior hire as exempt, since misclassification creates unpaid-overtime exposure. When in doubt, treat a borderline junior role as non-exempt or confirm with an advisor. This is general information, not legal advice.
Intellectual property assignment is essential
This is the item small businesses most often miss, and it is critical with developers: without a written intellectual-property assignment, the company may not clearly own the code its developer writes. For an employee, the offer or an accompanying agreement should include an IP-assignment and invention-assignment clause so that work created for the company belongs to the company. For a contractor, this matters even more, because work-for-hire rules do not automatically transfer software copyright to the client; the contract must expressly assign IP. Put the IP-assignment in writing before any code is written, not after. This is general information, not legal advice.
Employee or contractor: classify it correctly
Small businesses often start with a contractor for their first developer, which is fine if the relationship is genuinely independent, but misclassifying an employee as a 1099 contractor to save on taxes and benefits carries real risk. The distinction turns on control and independence, not on what the contract calls the person, and both the IRS and the Department of Labor have tests for it. If you direct how, when, and where the work is done and the developer functions like a member of your team, that points to employee status with a W-2, payroll taxes, and the FLSA classification above. If the developer runs their own business and works independently, a 1099 contractor arrangement with a written contract and IP assignment may fit. This is general information, not legal advice.
Developers Are Usually Exempt, but IP Is the Bigger Trap
The Department of Labor exempts computer professionals whose primary duty is software design and development and who meet the salary or $27.63 hourly threshold. The trap small businesses miss is ownership: without a written IP-assignment, paying for code does not guarantee you own it, and for contractors, work-for-hire rules do not automatically transfer software copyright.
Software developers are among the highest-paid occupations, which is the central challenge of the hire for a small business. Anchor your range to the specialty, level, and local market.
Median $133,080 a Year (BLS)
The federal occupation of software developers had a median wage of $133,080 a year as of May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent under $79,850 and the highest 10 percent over $211,450 (BLS). The more focused web developer occupation had a lower median of $90,930.
Role
Typical range
Classification
Junior / entry-level developer
Around $75K to $100K
Usually exempt; confirm junior
Mid-level software developer
Around $100K to $135K
Exempt, salaried
Senior software developer
Around $135K to $185K
Exempt, salaried
Web developer
Around $70K to $110K
Usually exempt; confirm
Mobile developer
Around $100K to $140K
Exempt, salaried
Pay varies widely by specialty, location, and experience. For a small business, the high market rate is why many start with a web or full-stack developer, or a contractor, rather than a senior product engineer. Benchmark your range to the role and market, and post it.
Hiring a Software Developer for a Small Business
A tech company hires developers through a technical team that screens by code. A small business making its first developer hire does it differently, and faces three things the generic templates ignore: the title is an expensive umbrella, the first hire is broad, and classification and IP are easy to get wrong.
A small business rarely hires a title called software developer at six figures, and that shapes who you attract
The bare title software developer is the umbrella over an expensive, in-demand profession, and the pay reflects it: the federal median is well into six figures. A 10 or 30-person company is usually not staffing a product engineering team. It needs one practical developer to build or maintain the software the business actually runs on, often a website, an internal tool, or a customer-facing app. That hire is real and valuable, but it is closer to a web or full-stack developer who can own the whole thing than to a narrow specialist at a large tech company. Write the posting for the developer you need, name the specific stack and the concrete work, and set a pay range you can sustain, rather than copying a generic big-tech template.
The first developer hire is broad, and the title can be web, full-stack, or contract
When a small business makes its first technical hire, the work is broad by necessity: one person designs, builds, tests, and maintains everything. Depending on the product, that person may be posted as a software developer, a web developer, or a full-stack developer, and may start as a contractor before becoming an employee. The specialization grid on this page helps you name the role honestly, and the small-business template is written for a versatile, hands-on developer who reports to the founder rather than an engineering manager. Match the title to the actual product and stack, and be clear in the posting that the role carries broad ownership, which is what attracts the kind of developer who thrives in a small company.
Classification and IP are the two things a no-HR business gets wrong, and both are expensive
Hiring a developer brings two risks a small business without HR tends to miss. First, classification: confirm exempt versus non-exempt for an employee, or employee versus contractor if you go the 1099 route, since getting either wrong creates tax and overtime exposure. Second, intellectual property: without a written IP-assignment, the company may not own the code it paid for. FirstHR fits this people side of the hire: e-signature for the offer letter and an IP-assignment acknowledgment, document management for the signed agreement and the new-hire paperwork, task workflows for the onboarding checklist, training modules for security and policy onboarding, and an onboarding wizard that turns the job description into a plan. The flat monthly price suits a small business. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a payroll, contract-drafting, or legal service, and it does not run payroll or provide legal advice, so pair it with those providers and a qualified advisor. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the basis for the offer and onboarding, and with a developer two things matter from the first day: the intellectual-property assignment and secure access. The paperwork comes first: the offer in writing with the classification and IP terms, the I-9 with documents verified, and the W-4 and state tax forms per the new hire paperwork guide, or a signed contractor agreement if you go the 1099 route.
Send the offer with IP terms
Confirm the role, pay, classification, and start date in writing, and include the intellectual-property assignment so the company owns the code from day one.
Set up access and security
Provision accounts, repositories, and tools with the right permissions, and cover security and acceptable-use policies before the first commit.
Plan the first 90 days
A developer needs the codebase, the context, and the team. A structured 30-60-90 plan turns a broad role into clear early shipping milestones.
Store the records
Keep the signed offer, the IP-assignment, the I-9 and tax forms, and any contractor agreement organized and audit-ready in one place.
If you are hiring one developer to own the whole product, the full-stack developer templates cover that specific role in more depth. FirstHR connects the offer, the IP-assignment acknowledgment, paperwork, e-signatures, security onboarding, and the workflow in one place so a small business can manage the full process from one system. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a payroll, contract-drafting, or legal service, and it does not run payroll or provide legal advice, so pair it with those providers. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
Software developer is the umbrella over web, mobile, back-end, and full-stack work; name the specialty and stack in the posting.
The role is usually exempt under the FLSA computer-employee exemption, but junior and borderline roles need a closer look.
The federal occupation reports a median of $133,080 a year; web developers are lower at $90,930 (BLS, May 2024).
For a small business, a web or full-stack developer, or a contractor, is often more realistic than a senior product engineer.
Decide employee versus contractor by actual control and independence, not by what is cheaper, since misclassification carries risk.
Include an intellectual-property assignment so the company owns the code; this is the item small businesses most often miss.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a software developer do?
A software developer designs, builds, tests, and maintains software. The core work is writing clean, reliable code, building and shipping features, debugging and fixing defects, reviewing code, and collaborating on technical decisions across the development lifecycle. Software developer is a broad umbrella that covers many specializations: web developers build websites and web applications, mobile developers build apps, back-end developers build servers and APIs, and full-stack developers work across both front-end and back-end. The federal statistics group most of this work under one occupation. Day to day, a developer might design a feature, write and test the code, fix a bug, review a teammate's work, and document what they built. The specific languages and tools vary by role, but the underlying work, turning requirements into working software, is consistent.
Is a software developer exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
A software developer is usually exempt under the computer-employee exemption, meaning salaried and not eligible for overtime. The Department of Labor applies this exemption to computer systems analysts, programmers, software engineers, and similarly skilled workers whose primary duty is the design, development, or testing of software, and who are paid either on a salary basis at the standard salary level or hourly at a rate of at least $27.63 an hour. Most full-time developers meet this test. The exception worth checking is a junior or borderline role: a developer paid below the threshold, or whose work is mostly routine support rather than software design and development, may be non-exempt and owed overtime. Because the exemption is based on duties and pay rather than the title, confirm both before classifying a role as exempt. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between a software developer and a software engineer?
The titles overlap heavily and are often used interchangeably; the federal statistics group both under the same occupation, software developers. Where companies draw a distinction, software engineer sometimes implies a broader focus on systems design, architecture, and engineering rigor, while software developer can imply a focus on building specific applications and features. In practice the line is blurry and varies by company, and pay surveys show engineer titles trending slightly higher on average. For a job description, the more useful distinctions are level (junior, mid, senior) and specialty (web, mobile, back-end, full-stack), which describe the actual work better than the developer-versus-engineer label. Pick the title your candidates search for in your market, and define the role by its duties and stack.
What is the difference between a software developer and a web developer?
A web developer is a type of software developer focused specifically on websites and web applications, while software developer is the broader umbrella that also covers mobile, back-end, desktop, and full-stack work. Web developers build responsive, accessible front-end interfaces and integrate them with back-end services, working primarily in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and frameworks like React. The federal statistics even track web developers as a separate occupation with a lower median wage than software developers overall, reflecting the more focused scope. For a small business, a web developer or full-stack web developer is often the most relevant hire, since the work most small companies need is a website, web app, or internal tool rather than large-scale systems software. Match the title to the actual product you need built.
How much does a software developer make?
Software developers are among the highest-paid occupations. The federal occupation of software developers had a median wage of $133,080 a year as of the May 2024 data, with the lowest 10 percent under $79,850 and the highest 10 percent over $211,450. Pay varies widely by specialty, location, and experience: web developers had a lower median of $90,930, while senior and big-tech roles run well above the overall median. Entry-level developers typically start in the high five figures to low six figures. For a small business, this is the central challenge of the hire: the market rate is high, which is part of why many small companies hire a web or full-stack developer, or start with a contractor, rather than competing for a senior product engineer. Benchmark to the specialty, level, and local market you are hiring for. This is general information, not legal advice.
Should a small business hire a developer as an employee or a contractor?
It depends on the relationship, not just on what is cheaper. Many small businesses start with a contractor for their first developer, which is legitimate when the developer genuinely runs their own independent business, works with limited direction, and is paid on a 1099 with a written contract. But misclassifying someone who functions like an employee as a contractor to avoid payroll taxes and benefits carries real risk, because both the IRS and the Department of Labor look at the actual degree of control and independence rather than the contract label. If you direct how, when, and where the work is done and the developer is integrated into your team, that points to employee status with a W-2 and the FLSA classification rules. Whichever route you choose, put intellectual-property assignment in writing so the company owns the code. This is general information, not legal advice.
Why does a developer job description need an intellectual property clause?
Because without one, the company may not clearly own the code its developer writes, which is a serious problem for any business whose software has value. For an employee, the offer or an accompanying agreement should include an IP-assignment and invention-assignment clause so that work created for the company belongs to the company. For a contractor, it matters even more: contrary to common assumption, paying for software does not automatically transfer copyright, and work-for-hire rules do not cover all software, so the contract must expressly assign the intellectual property to the client. This is the single most common and most expensive thing small businesses miss when hiring a developer. Put the IP-assignment in writing before any code is written, and have a qualified advisor review the language. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should a software developer job description include?
A strong software developer job description includes a short company and product overview, a job summary that captures the build-test-ship focus, and responsibilities grouped into building and shipping, quality and maintenance, collaboration, and documentation. Name the specific languages, frameworks, and stack, since developers filter by technology, and state the level (junior, mid, senior) and any specialty (web, mobile, back-end, full-stack). Include the experience and education expectations, noting that practical experience and a portfolio often matter as much as a degree, and state the FLSA classification with a pay range benchmarked to the specialty and market. The additions generic templates skip are the most valuable for a small business: the computer-employee exemption guidance, the employee-versus-contractor decision, and an intellectual-property assignment. Close with an equal opportunity statement and apply instructions. This is general information, not legal advice.
