Full-stack developers have the unique ability to build both the visual and server environments that define the internet as we know it. With an understanding of both front-end and back-end development, full-stack developers are able to work at every level of the website development process.
This mix of generalization and specialization can make it challenging to write job descriptions for full-stack roles. Each full-stack developer job description has to capture the specific technical requirements and opportunities for the role. In this post, we break down how hiring managers and recruiters can write successful full-stack developer job descriptions.
What Does a Full-Stack Developer Do?
The first step to writing a compelling job description is having a clear understanding of the discipline of full-stack development and the core requirements of the role.
Full-stack developers have the unique ability to build both visual and server environments. Full-stack developers have an understanding of front-end design and interactivity, as well as back-end databases and architectures. Their specific tasks draw from both disciplines depending on the company and role. With competency in both environments, full-stack developers are able to work at multiple levels of the website development process.
Any company that’s building its own website or online applications need to hire developers to build the front-end and back-end environments. Often, companies hire developers who specialize in one of those two environments. However, companies also hire full-stack developers who can work throughout the tech stack.
What Should a Full-Stack Job Description Include?
Company Value Proposition
From 2020 to 2030, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the number of employed software developers in the U.S. to grow by 22% — almost triple the 8% average growth rate for all occupations. With this level of demand for their skills, full-stack developers have endless opportunities to choose from. What makes your open role stand out? The first section of your job description needs to address this question.
Communicating the opportunity of the role at – along with the employer brand, value proposition, and company culture – is essential to crafting a successful job description.
Responsibilities
The responsibilities section lists the core activities of the role. There are a number of different ways to represent these responsibilities, including daily tasks, monthly responsibilities, objectives of the role, and key outcomes.
In this section, it’s important to clarify the specific type of full-stack development skills the position requires and the depth of expertise in each skill. Each full-stack developer will have a unique combination of generalization and specialization across the entire stack. Even a senior full-stack developer might have working knowledge of both the front and back ends, with true expertise in only a few layers. What specific front-end and back-end skills are you looking for?
Common front-end responsibilities include:
- Designing front-end interfaces
- Building tools that improve site interaction
- Creating and implementing UI/UX designs
- Coding in client-side programming languages
Common back-end responsibilities include:
- Designing back-end systems
- Supporting the full application lifecycle
- Building relational or non-relational databases
- Coding in server-side programming languages
Responsibilities required by any development role include:
- Planning
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Agile development
Basic Qualifications
The basic qualifications section has two main components.
First, list any degree requirements. A common qualification for full-stack roles is for the candidate to have either a BS/BA degree or equivalent experience. If the role is open to applications from bootcamp graduates and self-taught developers, this is also the section to communicate that.
Next is the required years of experience scaled to the seniority of the role. This requirement is communicated with either a range or minimum requirement.
For example:
- Entry-level: 0-2 years
- Mid-level: 3-5 years
- Senior-level: 5+ years
Some companies also use this section to list experience with a minimum number of programming languages as a basic qualification.
Required Qualifications
The required qualifications section is one of the core sections of a job description. While basic qualifications focus on education and experience, this section gives employers the space to list the must-have technical competencies and soft skills required for the role.
Common front-end languages found in this section include:
- HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
- TypeScript
Common front-end frameworks found in this section include:
- Angular
- Ember
- jQuery
- React
- Vue.js
Common back-end languages and technologies found in this section include:
- C/C++
- Go
- Java
- PHP
- Python
- Ruby
- Rust
- SQL
- AWS
- Azure
- GCP
Common back-end frameworks found in this section include:
- Backbone
- Django
- ExpressJS
- Laravel
- Ruby on Rails
- Spring Boot
Common technical competencies found in this section include:
- Hands-on development experience with front-end and back-end languages
- Familiarity with key front-end frameworks
- Mobile-first development experience
- Strong sense of web and user interface design
- Knowledge of system design and infrastructure architecture disciplines
- Knowledge of cloud computing and infrastructure
- Advanced knowledge of user experience design, accessibility standards, API development, and information architecture
- Knowledge of industry-wide technology trends and best practices
Common soft skills found in this section include:
- Technical communication
- Project management
- Time management
- Problem solving
Other Desired Skills & Nice-to-Haves
While not present on every job description, some companies elect to mention additional skills that the company desires but not required to succeed in the role. An example of a “nice-to-have” skill for a full-stack developer is experience in search engine optimization.
Sample Job Description
The job descriptions for full-stack roles can vary widely, depending on the responsibilities, compensation, and seniority of the position. That said, there are commonalities between descriptions you can take advantage of. Here’s an example of a job description for a mid-level full-stack development role.
Title: Full-Stack Developer II
Full-time. Associate.
Responsibilities
Development – Responsible for design, development, testing, deployment, and support of front-end and back-end software.
Delivery – Agile delivery of solutions aligned to business needs while maintaining a high standard of quality. Participate in code reviews and troubleshoot bugs.
Collaboration – Partner with product owners to understand business and product requirements to translate them into design solutions.
Communication – Clearly communicate roadmap, backlog, and team updates across the organization.
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications
- 3-5 years of experience in software development
- BS/BA degree or equivalent experience
Required Qualifications
- 3+ years of hands-on front-end development experience with HTML5, CSS, JS, Vue, and React.
- Prior experience with a server-side programming language
- Advanced knowledge of user experience design, accessibility standards, API development, and information architecture
- Hands-on experience with SQL and relational database management systems (Oracle, MySQL)
- Knowledge of industry-wide technology trends and best practices
Other Desired Skills
- Experience with search engine optimization
- Experience with AWS, Azure, or GCP
Resource for Hiring Full-Stack Developers
Front-End vs Back-End vs Full-Stack Developers: What’s the Difference?
What Does a Full-Stack Developer Do? Job Overview & Skill Expectations
Best Practices for Hiring Software Developers: Front-End, Back-End, & Full-Stack