Lead Software Engineer Jobs in Ohio
Lead Software Engineer jobs in Ohio are in steady demand, with active hiring concentrated in financial technology, healthcare IT, and enterprise software sectors that have grown around the state's anchor institutions. Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati are the primary hiring metros, home to established employers such as Nationwide, Progressive Insurance, and Kroger Technology that maintain large and ongoing engineering teams. Architects of distributed systems, cloud-native platforms, and full-stack product development are the most sought-after specializations across Ohio right now. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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As a Lead Software Engineer at JPMorganChase within the Corporate Technology - Enterprise Technology team , you are an integral part of an agile team that works to enhance, build, and deliver trusted market-leading technology products in a secure, stable, and scalable way. As a core technical contributor, you are responsible for conducting critical technology solutions across multiple technical areas within various business functions in support of the firm's business objectives.
Job responsibilities
- Executes creative software solutions, design, development, and technical troubleshooting with ability to think beyond routine or conventional approaches to build solutions or break down technical problems
- Develops secure high-quality production code, and reviews and debugs code written by others
- Identifies opportunities to eliminate or automate remediation of recurring issues to improve overall operational stability of software applications and systems
- Leads evaluation sessions with external vendors, startups, and internal teams to drive outcomes-oriented probing of architectural designs, technical credentials, and applicability for use within existing systems and information architecture
- Leads communities of practice across Software Engineering to drive awareness and use of new and leading-edge technologies
- Adds to team culture of diversity, opportunity, inclusion, and respect
- Evolve and apply AI in software development and automation
- Drives team adoption of enterprise-authorized AI-assisted engineering practices within the work environment to improve code quality, delivery speed, and operational outcomes (e.g., AI-assisted code review/refactoring, test strategy acceleration, incident/root-cause analysis support), while establishing consistent validation standards (secure coding, peer review, automated testing) and promoting reuse of effective patterns across the team.
- Applies knowledge of tools within the Software Development Life Cycle toolchain, including enterprise-authorized AI-assisted development and automation capabilities, to improve the value realized by automation.
- Drives team adoption of enterprise-authorized AI-assisted engineering practices within the work environment to improve code quality, delivery speed, and operational outcomes (e.g., AI-assisted code review/refactoring, test strategy acceleration, incident/root-cause analysis support), while establishing consistent validation standards (secure coding, peer review, automated testing) and promoting reuse of effective patterns across the team. Applies knowledge of tools within the Software Development Life Cycle toolchain, including enterprise-authorized AI-assisted development and automation capabilities, to improve the value realized by automation.
Required qualifications, capabilities, and skills
- Formal training or certification on software engineering concepts and 5+ years applied experience
- Hands-on experience in Java/J2EE, REST Services, Spring Boot
- Strong experience writing complex SQL queries, joins, PL/SQL, functions, and stored procedures.
- Hands-on experience in public cloud – Kubernetes, AWS and extensive experience with ECS, S3, RDS, Lambda, CloudWatch, Eventbridge, and Step Functions, as well as infrastructure automation using Terraform
- Proficiency in designing and implementing RESTful APIs for enterprise-scale applications, as well as proficiency in using design patterns and technologies to decouple system components, enhancing flexibility and maintainability.
- Ability to design software systems using object-oriented principles and practices.
- Experience in building Decoupled Systems.
- Proficiency in unit testing frameworks such as JUnit and Mockito for ensuring code quality.
- Knowledge of messaging platforms such as Apache Kafka
- Demonstrated experience leading effective use of approved AI-assisted software development tools (e.g., for coding, code review, test acceleration, troubleshooting) with the ability to set team expectations for validating AI outputs for correctness, performance, and security.
- Strong understanding of responsible AI use in engineering workflows, including data sensitivity considerations, secure handling of inputs/outputs, and adherence to resiliency and security expectations; experience coaching engineers on safe, compliant adoption within delivery practices
Preferred qualifications, capabilities, and skills
- Familiarity with modern front-end technologies like React JS, JavaScript, typescript
- Experience with SQL performance tuning, JDBC, and ORM frameworks (Hibernate/JPA)
- Familiarity with DevOps practices, containerization and orchestration
- Exposure to AI systems such as Copilot, Claude
We offer a competitive total rewards package including base salary determined based on the role, experience, skill set and location. Those in eligible roles may receive commission-based pay and/or discretionary incentive compensation, paid in the form of cash and/or forfeitable equity, awarded in recognition of individual achievements and contributions. We also offer a range of benefits and programs to meet employee needs, based on eligibility. These benefits include comprehensive health care coverage, on-site health and wellness centers, a retirement savings plan, backup childcare, tuition reimbursement, mental health support, financial coaching and more. Additional details about total compensation and benefits will be provided during the hiring process.
We recognize that our people are our strength and the diverse talents they bring to our global workforce are directly linked to our success. We are an equal opportunity employer and place a high value on diversity and inclusion at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute, including race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. We also make reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as mental health or physical disability needs. Visit our FAQs for more information about requesting an accommodation.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disability/Veterans
ABOUT THE TEAM
Our professionals in our Corporate Functions cover a diverse range of areas from finance and risk to human resources and marketing. Our corporate teams are an essential part of our company, ensuring that we're setting our businesses, clients, customers and employees up for success.
See All 39 Lead Software Engineer Jobs in Ohio
Find roles in Ohio that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Lead Software Engineer JobsLead Software Engineer Jobs by City in Ohio
Where Ohio roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Lead Software Engineer Job Market in Ohio
A snapshot from current Ohio openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- JPMorganChase29

- Medpace1

- Copeland1

- Worldpay1

- giftHEALTH1

Top Industries Hiring
- Fintech
- Banking & Financial Services
- Investment & Asset Management
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
What Ohio Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in lead software engineer jobs across Ohio.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related technical field
- Seven or more years of software development experience, including team or technical leadership
- Proficiency in one or more languages such as Java, Python, Go, or TypeScript in production systems
- Hands-on experience designing and operating cloud infrastructure on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud
- Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers, conduct code reviews, and drive architectural decisions
- Experience with agile delivery practices, CI/CD pipelines, and cross-functional stakeholder collaboration
Lead Software Engineer Jobs in Ohio: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a lead software engineer in Ohio?
Software engineering in Ohio carries no state-issued license or registration, so the path runs through education and experience. Most Ohio employers expect a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field, followed by several years of individual-contributor work before stepping into a lead role. Earning a cloud certification from AWS, Google, or Microsoft strengthens candidacy at large Ohio tech employers. Building a record of mentorship, system design, and delivered projects in a collaborative team is what typically moves candidates into lead consideration.
How much do lead software engineers make in Ohio?
Lead software engineers in Ohio earn a median of about $114,090 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $77,790 for the lowest 10% to over $168,400 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire lead software engineers in Ohio?
Employers hiring lead software engineers in Ohio right now include JPMorganChase, Medpace, and Copeland, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Ohio's mix of Fortune 500 headquarters, major insurance carriers, and health system technology divisions means demand stays consistent even outside peak hiring seasons.
Which Ohio cities have the most lead software engineer jobs?
Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton have the most lead software engineer openings in Ohio. Columbus leads because it anchors the state's financial services and insurance technology sector, with large employer campuses driving sustained engineering demand, while Cleveland and Cincinnati contribute through healthcare IT, manufacturing software, and regional fintech operations.
Are there remote lead software engineer jobs in Ohio?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 38% of lead software engineer openings tied to Ohio are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how naturally the role lends itself to distributed work. Responsibilities such as code review, system design, and roadmap planning translate well to remote formats, though some Ohio employers require periodic on-site presence for architecture reviews or team ceremonies.
How can I get hired as a lead software engineer in Ohio with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is securing a junior or associate software engineer role at an Ohio employer and building toward lead responsibilities from within. Large Ohio technology employers, including Nationwide and Progressive, run structured new-graduate programs that cycle early-career engineers through multiple teams. From adjacent roles such as QA engineer, DevOps engineer, or solutions analyst, candidates can demonstrate engineering capability and transition laterally. Building a public portfolio of personal or open-source projects and earning a recognized cloud certification strengthens a candidate's case in Ohio's competitive entry-level market.
Where can I find and apply to lead software engineer jobs in Ohio?
You can find and apply to lead software engineer jobs in Ohio on Migrate Mate, which lists current Ohio openings across industries and experience levels. Search for roles that match your background, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 39 Lead Software Engineer Jobs in Ohio
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