Software Developer Hiring Trends in Leiden, Netherlands

This report was last updated on Aug 9, 2025

Bence Gedai

Founder

I analyze live hiring data and tech job trends across Europe to give CTOs and Product Leaders a strategic edge. By tracking tens of thousands of open roles each week, I uncover which skills, roles, and locations are in highest demand — potential competitors, typical time to hire, talent pool sizes, and more to help you prioritize hiring, benchmark and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

Key learnings from this report

The software engineers job market trends in Netherlands Leiden indicate significant fluctuations in job activity over the past three months, with a peak of 17 new job postings in week 21, followed by a decline to just 1 job in week 24, revealing challenges in both recruitment and retention.
Leading technologies in demand for software engineering roles include JavaScript, Java, and Python, emphasizing the need for hiring managers to prioritize candidates with these technical skill sets in their recruitment strategies.
Current data reflects that 40% of software engineering positions are at the Mid-Senior level, signaling a robust demand for experienced professionals and suggesting a targeted recruitment focus for hiring managers looking to fill these roles.
Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Rotterdam are the top three cities for hiring software engineers in the Netherlands, with Amsterdam alone accounting for 43% of job listings, essential information for tech leads and CTOs aiming to strategize their hiring processes effectively.
The median time to hire for software engineers in the Netherlands is currently 32 days, with most roles filled within 25 to 30 days, indicating a strong preference for rapid recruitment cycles and the competitive landscape for hiring software developers.

Number of roles opened and closed for Software Engineers in Leiden in the last 3 months

In the past 12 weeks, the Software Engineers job market in Netherlands Leiden has exhibited fluctuating activity. There were significant peaks, particularly in week 21 with 17 new job postings; however, the trend has seen a decline, culminating in only 1 new job post in week 24. Conversely, the closing of jobs has been notably inconsistent, peaking at 9 closures in weeks 24 and 29, revealing a challenging environment for both recruitment and retention. When compared to other roles within Leiden or similar positions across Europe, this volatility highlights the unique dynamics at play within the Software job market in Netherlands Leiden, necessitating targeted recruitment strategies for CTOs.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in Netherlands:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
Jobster	Netherlands	Information Technology & Services	2023	67
Capgemini	France	Management Consulting	1967	38
CIMSOLUTIONS	Netherlands	Information Technology & Services	1992	36
ASSET Rail	Netherlands	Transportation/trucking/railroad	2007	34
TieTalent	Switzerland	Information Technology & Services	2017	32
Doghouse Recruitment	Netherlands	Staffing & Recruiting	2015	29
Sopra Steria	France	Information Technology & Services	1968	22
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	18
ASML	Netherlands	Semiconductors	1984	18
JYSK	Denmark	Retail	1979	18

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Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in Netherlands

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in Netherlands

In the European software engineer job market, the Netherlands shows a competitive landscape with a notable ratio of available talent to job openings. With a significant number of software developer opportunities in Leiden, hiring managers can identify trends that reflect the broader hiring trends across Europe's technology landscape. Compared to countries like Germany, France, and Poland, where the ratios indicate a tighter talent pool relative to job openings, the Netherlands appears more favorable. This suggests a moderate level of ease for CTOs and engineering managers in recruiting software engineers, particularly for senior roles in Leiden.

Seniority distribution of Software Engineer job openings in Leiden

Seniority Distribution of Software Engineering Jobs in Leiden

The software job market in Netherlands Leiden exhibits a notable seniority distribution among software engineering roles. Currently, 40% of available positions are at the Mid-Senior level, with Entry-level roles comprising 29% and Associate positions making up 13%. This distribution highlights a robust demand for experienced software professionals, indicating that hiring managers should strategically focus on recruiting Mid-Senior level candidates to align with market trends.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in Netherlands

In the Netherlands, the employment type distribution for engineering roles reveals a strong preference for full-time positions, which account for 93% of available jobs. Meanwhile, contract roles constitute 6% of the job market, followed by part-time roles at 1%. This trend highlights the significance of full-time opportunities within the software job market in Netherlands Leiden.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in Netherlands

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The time to hire distribution for Software roles in the Netherlands reveals significant trends that hiring managers and CTOs should consider. A majority of positions, accounting for 1,495 placements, took between 25 to 30 days to fill, indicating a strong preference for quick recruitment cycles in the tech sector. Notably, hiring within the range of 10 to 20 days was prevalent, with a combined count of 1,550 placements, showcasing the demand for efficiency in attracting talent. As the job market continues to evolve, understanding the recruitment timeline can aid in crafting effective strategies for hiring Senior Software Developers and address the growing Software job market in Netherlands Leiden.

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Most popular cities in Netherlands to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in Netherlands to hire Software Engineers

In the Netherlands, the location distribution for Software Engineer job openings reveals significant activity in key cities. Amsterdam leads the market with 43% of job listings, followed by Utrecht at 18%, and Rotterdam with 11%. This data underscores Amsterdam's status as a major tech hub, providing valuable insights for hiring managers targeting Software Engineer positions in the Netherlands, particularly in Leiden.

Most sought after technologies in Leiden for Software

Key technologies for Software Engineers

In the current software job market in the Netherlands, particularly in Leiden, certain technologies dominate the landscape. JavaScript leads the way with a frequency of 8,134, closely followed by Java, which holds a frequency of 10,323. Python is also prominent, appearing a total of 10,075 times in job postings. Additionally, TypeScript and PHP have considerable representation, with frequencies of 5,019 and 5,384, respectively. This data is essential for hiring managers seeking to understand the technical skills that are most sought after by employers in their recruitment strategies, as depicted in the accompanying chart.

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