Java Developer Hiring Trends in United Kingdom

This report was last updated on Aug 17, 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 Java Engineer job market in the United Kingdom has experienced notable fluctuations, with 5,000 job openings available against a talent pool of 10,000 professionals, indicating moderate competitiveness in hiring.
In the past three months, the Software Java Engineer job market in the UK peaked at 193 new positions in week 32, demonstrating significant instability due to a drop to just 22 openings in week 24.
Top hiring companies in the UK include Canonical, GRAYCE, and Arm, which collectively illustrate a strong focus on recruiting Software Java Engineers to meet rising demands in the tech sector.
London dominates the Software Java Engineer job landscape, accounting for 92% of opportunities, while Manchester, Leeds, and Cambridge capture smaller shares, highlighting key locations for strategic recruitment efforts.
The median time to hire Software Engineers in the UK stands at 27 days, with the majority of candidates sourced within 30 days, suggesting that hiring managers should refine their recruitment strategies to secure top talent more effectively.

Number of roles opened and closed for Java Engineers in United Kingdom in the last 3 months

The Software Java Engineer job market in the United Kingdom has experienced notable fluctuations over the past 12 weeks, with a peak of 193 new positions posted in week 32. However, this surge follows a significant drop to just 22 new openings in week 24, indicating an unstable recruitment landscape. In comparison to other roles across the UK and Europe, the closure rate for Software Java roles remains concerning, peaking at 139 in week 32, suggesting that while opportunities exist, retention and recruitment strategies need to be optimized to align with the persistent demand for Software Java Engineers.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in United Kingdom:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
TieTalent	Switzerland	Information Technology & Services	2017	140
Bending Spoons	Italy	Information Technology & Services	2013	107
Environment Agency	null	null	null	83
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	67
GRAYCE	United Kingdom	Management Consulting	2012	45
Arm	United Kingdom	Semiconductors	1990	41
Oliver Bernard	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2010	35
e-Careers	null	null	null	31
targetjobs UK	null	null	null	31
Hunter Bond	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2014	30

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Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in United Kingdom

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in United Kingdom

The current talent market in Europe presents varied landscapes for Software Java Engineers. In the United Kingdom, there are 5,000 job openings against a talent pool of 10,000 professionals, resulting in a ratio of 2, indicating moderate competitiveness in hiring. Comparatively, Germany shows 4,000 openings with a larger talent pool of 12,000, yielding a more favorable hiring ratio of 3. Conversely, France, with 3,000 openings and a talent pool of 8,000, reflects a tighter market with a ratio of approximately 2.67. This analysis suggests that while the United Kingdom shows potential opportunities for Software Java Developers, hiring might prove challenging as demand continues to rise against available talent.

Seniority distribution of Java Engineer job openings in United Kingdom

Seniority Distribution of Java Engineering Jobs in United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom's Software Java job market, the seniority distribution reveals that 75% of available positions are occupied by Mid-Senior level professionals, while Entry level roles represent 15% and Associate positions account for 6%. This distribution indicates a strong preference for experienced Java Engineers, offering important insights for recruitment strategies for CTOs and hiring managers focused on Software Java Developer opportunities.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the employment landscape for software Java engineers predominantly favors full-time positions, comprising 91% of available roles. Contract employment accounts for 9% of opportunities, while part-time roles make up a minimal share of 3%. This distribution highlights the strong demand for full-time software Java developers in the UK, underscoring the need for hiring managers to strategically align their recruitment efforts with market trends.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in United Kingdom

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The time to hire for Software Java Engineers in the United Kingdom shows a notable distribution that hiring managers should consider. With the highest frequency occurring at 30 days, accumulating 2,575 counts, it is clear that a significant portion of candidates are recruited within this timeframe. Additionally, the data reveals that hiring durations extend beyond 30 days, with 1,116 hires completed by 35 days and 720 by 40 days, indicating a potential opportunity for recruitment adjustments. Notably, the demand for Software Java Developers reveals a gradual decrease in counts as hiring periods extend beyond 40 days, suggesting that companies may need to refine their recruitment strategies to attract talent within competitive timelines. For CTOs and engineering leaders, understanding these trends is essential for positioning their recruitment efforts effectively in the dynamic United Kingdom tech sector.

Expolore reports from other European Developer talent pools

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The Software C++ job market in Sweden, particularly in Stockholm, has experienced notable fluctuations in job openings over the last 12 weeks, with a peak of 16 new positions posted during week 23, followed by an average of 3 jobs per week by week 32.

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Insights for hiring PHP Engineers in Poland

The Software PHP Engineer job market in Poland is exhibiting notable fluctuations, with a peak of 188 new positions in week 21, but also a low of just 10 postings in week 25, indicating volatile demand for Software PHP Developers.

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Insights for hiring Rust Engineers in Vilnius

The Software Rust Engineers job market in Lithuania, particularly in Vilnius, is currently experiencing a net decrease in available roles, with 12 new positions opened against 40 closures over the past 12 weeks. This trend underscores the challenges in retaining Software Rust talent and suggests an adjustment in recruitment strategies may be necessary for hiring managers.

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Most popular cities in United Kingdom to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in United Kingdom to hire Software Engineers

The location distribution for Software Engineer job openings in the United Kingdom reveals that London dominates the market, accounting for 92% of the total opportunities with 8,425 positions available. Manchester follows, constituting 9% of the job openings with 831 roles, while Leeds and Cambridge represent smaller shares, holding 5% and 5% respectively, with 425 and 419 positions. This data emphasizes the significant concentration of Software Java Engineer roles in London, which hiring managers should consider when strategizing recruitment efforts. Please refer to the accompanying chart for a visual representation of these insights.

Most sought after technologies in United Kingdom for Java

Key technologies for Java Engineers

In the Software Java job market in the United Kingdom, Java remains the most prevalent technology, showcasing its critical role in the development landscape with a frequency of 7,552. Other significant technologies include Spring Boot (1,865) and Microservices (1,927), underscoring the importance of modern application architecture. Furthermore, SQL (1,517) and AWS (1,103) highlight the demand for robust data management and cloud solutions. Agile methodologies (929) are also crucial, indicating a trend toward adaptive project management. For a comprehensive overview, refer to the attached chart that illustrates these technology trends.

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