Java Software Engineer Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for a Java software engineer job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a Java software engineer. Feel free to use our Java software engineer job description template to produce your own Java software engineer job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a Java software engineer.
Who is a Java Software Engineer?
A Java software engineer is an individual that is solely responsible for developing and designing software applications by utilizing the java programming language. He or she works closely with web developers and other software engineers to achieve his or her objective. Java software engineers are active participants in every stage of the development cycle that is from the initial design to the final testing. The software product development cycle may include: analyzing system and user requirements, writing clean java code, designing flow charts, running tests to enhance system functionality, and troubleshooting bugs. To ensure that you are a successful java software engineer, you need to possess extensive knowledge of java coding development, the ability to manage projects, and excellent software troubleshooting skills. A top-notch java software engineer can also work closely with the development team to formulate high-quality software applications that the needs of the user.
What is Java?
Before we proceed, there is a serious need to understand what the concept is called “java”.
Java is a programming language developers utilize for mobile phones, web development, and software. The history of java can be traced to the 1990s when a small team known as “the Green Team” first brought about the concept of java. There was a man called James Gosling who was part of the team and in later years became known as the “Father of Java” because of his notable contribution to the concept. Gosling developed Java while working as an engineer at Sun Microsystems ( a subsidiary of Oracle today). Java was initially designed to be the following:
- Portable
- Simple
- Robust
- Platform –independent
- High Performance
- Architecture Neutral
- Interpreted
- Dynamic
- Secures
- Multithreaded
Java was first commissioned in the year 1995 and many modern programming languages have descended from it, examples of such programming languages are Scala, JavaScript, PHP, and Python. Java continues to remain relevant because it is one of the easiest and most popular programming languages to learn from. In this modern dispensation, there are four editions of java:
- Java Card: This is utilized to develop programs for devices with small processing abilities or capacities such as SIM cards and ATM cards
- Java Standard Editions (Java SE): This is utilized to develop programs for desktops and servers
- Java Micro Edition (Java ME): This is utilized to develop programs for mobile devices with high capacities such as iOS and Android phones
- Java Platform Enterprise Edition (Java EE): this is used to develop large-scale applications.
Java versus Java Script
Java and JavaScript have similar names and people use them interchangeably, however, they differ in the way they function. The difference is that java is a compiling language, which implies that it is translated into a machine code by compilers whereas JavaScript is an interpreted scripting language, which implies, it is translated into machine codes when it runs.
Java and JavaScript have different use; Software engineers use java for server-side development and JavaScript for client-side projects.
Differences Between a Java Developer and a Java Software Engineer?
Contemporary developers confuse java developers with software engineers but the fact remains that these professionals are different. The difference is that Java Developers are highly specialized professionals that work particularly with java projects and only java projects whereas software engineers have a wide range of knowledge to work on different programming languages and projects. Although Java developers and software engineers have similar roles they play and also possess similar skills: most professionals swap into the two roles for a new challenge or to acquire a new skill.
Java Software Engineer Job Description
What is a Java software engineer job description? A Java software engineer job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a Java software engineer in an organization. Below are the Java software engineer job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a Java software engineer job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The following are the duties and responsibilities of a Java Software Engineer
- Convening with the software development team to discuss project definitions and goals.
- Evaluating system and user requirements for the software product.
- Constructing system integrations and project workflows.
- Writing clean, scalable Java code.
- Constructing software database architecture.
- Developing Java-based user interfaces.
- Prioritizing and administering development tasks.
- Experimenting and debugging software applications.
- Validating the functionality and security of the application
- Recommending and designing software implementation flowcharts
- Examining user and system requirements
- Demonstrating software issues to the software development team
- Writing scalable java codes based on the provided specifications
- Formulating java-based and friendly user interfaces
- Energetically participating in the software development life cycle
- Enforcing and prioritizing appointed tasks
- Formulating detailed database architecture
- Conducting, testing, and debugging software applications
- Substantiating software functionality and security areas
- Disseminating project goals and timelines with the team members
- Undertaking optimization of systems
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Communication Technology or related field
- Three or more years of work experience as a Java Developer or similar position in the IT and development industry
- Comprehensive knowledge of Java, and JEE
- Fundamental knowledge of Object-Oriented Design
- Understanding of software design processes
- Understanding software management tools like Jira and Trello
- Know-how of the latest web development methodologies
- Expertise in creating software architecture
- Strong technical and computer skills
- Outstanding critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Understanding of application testing protocols, procedures, and guidelines
- Good communication and interpersonal skills
- Capacity to work independently and collaboratively
- Deadline-driven and detailed-oriented individual
- Capacity to multitask projects simultaneously.
- Good time management and organizational skills
- Proficiency to maintain a positive work environment
- Strong work ethics
- Proficiency to lead and motivate the team members
- Terrific analytical skills
- Capacity to prioritize tasks
Essential Skills
To become a Java software engineer, you need to possess the following skills and competencies:
- Java Development Abilities: as a java software engineer you will need to formulate a code from the scratch for different web-based and non-web-based projects. This means you will need to have an extensive understanding of Java and how to utilize it to formulate new projects, and fix bugs. You will need to know the following paramount:
- The discrepancies between Java Card, Java Standard Edition, Java Micro Edition, and Java Enterprise Edition
- How to use familiar Java frameworks like the Spring framework and the hibernate framework
- How to utilize development suites such as DevKinsta
- Code testing Skills: As a java software engineer you will need to test your code before deployment. You will have to learn how to perform functionality testing, unit testing, single-user performance testing, and static code testing
- Project Architecture Skills: As a Software engineer you will be saddled with the responsibility to build projects from scratch to the top; you must know how to design a project’s architecture to be logical, consistent, and extendable long-term
- Familiarity with Object-Oriented Programming Knowledge: As a java software engineer, you need to be conversant with the OOP language. You should possess an in-depth understanding of the four principles of OOP and the SOLID principles of OOP development. The four principles of OOP development are Encapsulation, Abstraction, Inheritance, and Polymorphism.
- SOL Skills: this is a core skill that software engineers need to be conversant with; most java programs utilize SQL (Structured Query Language) when building and using databases. You will need to understand how to utilize SQL as a software engineer. You should also have extensive knowledge of Oracle 12c, Microsoft SQL, and MySQL database systems.
- Project management Skills: As a java software engineer, you will need to follow the Systems Development Lifecycle (SDLC). You should possess the knowledge of how to take a project through six stages which are: planning, analysis, design, implementation, testing, integration, and maintenance. You should also keep abreast of the waterfall and agile approaches to project management.
- Vendor Liaison Skills: Many java software engineers liaise or collaborate with IT vendors and to achieve this you will need to possess good verbal and written communication skills, collaboration skills, and negotiation skills. You should also build a good rapport with them to make liaising with vendors very easy.
How to Become a Java Software Engineer
To become a java software engineer you will need to follow the stipulated process accentuated below:
- Acquire A Bachelor’s Degree
The first definite step to becoming a java software engineer is to acquire a bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering, Computer, Information Communication Technology, and any other related field. This degree usually takes five years to complete and during this degree, you will get to learn about various computer applications and software which will serve as a base for you to become a Java Software Engineer. This degree will also help you to hone some salient skills that you will need as a java software engineer.
- Learn Java
Earning a bachelor’s degree is just the first step to becoming a java software engineer. The next step is for you to learn how to code with Java and there are many ways to learn. You can learn through java videos on YouTube, podcasts, and short course books. One of the best tutorials that most professionals are The Java Tutorials by Oracle and it is free and comprehensive to learn. The java tutorials cover topics such as:
- The basics of java design
- How to formulate Graphical User interfaces (GUIs) with Java
- How to use the java platform’s features
- How to deploy applications by utilizing Java Plug-in and Web Start
You can also utilize subreddits r/LearnJava to connect with other java software engineers and java developers. On this platform, you will get to learn Java, and get online java resources and posts from people that will educate you about java.
- Enhance Your Java Project Management Skills
As you have gained knowledge of what java is all about; you should enhance your project management skills to become a successful Java Software Engineer. You should focus on areas like designing, planning, and building small-scale projects with Java. Managing small-scale projects will help enhance your architecture and management skills. You can also acquire a java certification program. Oracle offers different Java certification programs but they can also be expensive to acquire.
- Build Your Portfolio
Start practicing your skills to build your portfolio to show your potential employers that you are competent for the job. To achieve this, set a target to create several java applications for your portfolio and also include web applications. The projects don’t have to be perfect since you are still a novice and your portfolio does not have to be top-notch. You should focus on these two major aspects to make your portfolio one of the best:
- Introduce yourself to the reader in the section “about This section highlights your skills, experience,and interest
- Show the reader your skills through a collection of 1-3 projects that you have created. To make the reader attracted to your portfolio, you should write a short description of your projects, a live link to the published project,and a screenshot of the project cycle.
- Join the Java Community to learn from other Professionals
You can join the java community to interact with other professionals in the field. Joining the community is highly beneficial because it will enhance your problem-solving and technical skills. You can get to learn how to resolve most problems by watching other professionals. You can join the following online communities:
- r/Java
- Oracle’s Java Community
- StackOverflow’s Java tag
- Draft Your Resume and Apply for Jobs
Once you have mastered java and have a portfolio, you can now draft your resume and apply for the role of a Java Software Engineer. When designing your resume. Make sure you highlight the following skills; SQL Knowledge, Java development skills, code testing skills, OOP knowledge, project management skills, and vendor liaison skills. You should also highlight the following soft skills: communication, teamwork skills, and problem-solving. You can apply for jobs on LinkedIn and Monster.
Where can a Java Software Engineer work?
They can work in the following places:
- Telecommunication Companies
- Tech companies
- Multinational companies
- Governmental Companies
- Non-governmental Companies
Java Software Engineer Salary Scale
The salary scale of a java software engineer varies across countries but below are some countries of the world:
- In the United States, The average java software engineer salary is $120,269 per year or $61.68 per hour. Entry-level positions start their career at $97,500 per year while most experienced workers make up to $156,682 per year.
- In Singapore, The average java developer salary is S$78,000 per year or S$40 per hour. Entry-level positions start their career at S$60,000 per year, while most experienced workers make up to S$96,000 per year.
- In the United Kingdom, The average java software engineer’s salary is £52,500 per year or £26.92 per hour. Entry-level positions start their career at £42,079 per year while most experienced workers make up to £75,000 per year.
- In India, The average java software engineer salary is ₹ 1,342,857 per year or ₹ 689 per hour. Entry-level positions start their career at ₹ 800,000 per year, while most experienced workers make up to ₹ 2,486,250 per year.
- In Canada, The average java developer salary is $97,500 per year or $50 per hour. Entry-level positions start their career at $82,500 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $136,500 per year.