Delve into the world of software engineering, understanding the roles and responsibilities of various specializations within the field. Learn the skills, experience, and qualifications needed to excel in this rapidly growing industry.

Key Insights

  • Software Engineers are responsible for developing and maintaining software applications, working in a variety of fields including web applications, mobile apps, video games, operating systems, and network systems.
  • The field of software engineering is highly collaborative, with professionals often working alongside other engineers, developers, and non-technical staff.
  • The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 22% growth in software engineering jobs over the next decade, significantly faster than most occupations.
  • Specializations within software engineering include Front End Engineers, Back End Engineers, Full-Stack Engineers, Quality Assurance Engineers, DevOps Engineers, and Security Engineers.
  • Typical requirements for a software engineer role include a degree in a related field or relevant experience, coding skills, experience with cloud computing, excellent problem-solving skills, and excellent communication skills.
  • Software Engineers are expected to have both technical skills such as programming, software testing, and debugging, and soft skills like team playing, multitasking, and strong communication.

Software Engineer Job Description

What is a Software Engineer?

Software engineers are the creative minds behind the software applications we use daily. As computer science professionals, software engineers bring knowledge of programming languages and engineering principles. They develop web applications, mobile apps, video games, robots, operating systems, and network systems. Software engineers can work on various projects, and the roles and responsibilities can vary depending on where you land in the field. 

There’s a common belief that a software engineer’s typical day includes spending eight hours coding alone in an office or remotely. In reality, this is a highly collaborative field, and software engineers will work alongside teams of other engineers, software developers, data engineers, quality assurance, and other professionals to ensure a successful program. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, software engineering jobs will grow by 22% over the next decade, which is faster than average for most occupations. If you enjoy coding and have a knack for problem-solving, you should consider pursuing a career as a software engineer. Learn more about what the typical software engineer job might entail. 

What does a Software Engineer do?

Software Engineers typically spend their days maintaining, troubleshooting, and updating existing systems and developing, constructing, and testing new technologies to solve complex problems. They do this by using a variety of programming languages and applying engineering principles to software development. 

These professionals find ways to make dreams and ideas a reality — but they don’t do this alone. While there can be independent projects, many will require collaboration within and across teams. Software engineers are involved in every stage of the development process and work closely with other engineers, developers, designers, scientists, and non-technical staff to develop systems and software. 

The software engineering field is broad, and there are a variety of specializations that an engineer can focus on. The most common types of software engineers include: 

Job Requirements

The field is broad, and the job requirements for a software engineer will vary depending on the specialization, sector, and company. Generally, you will find that most Software Engineers roles will have the following job requirements: 

Job Responsibilities

While responsibilities may vary across organizations, most software engineers will, at the minimum, handle the following responsibilities: 

Skills

If you are interested in being a Software Engineer, it will be essential to be competent in the following technical and soft skills:

Technical Skills

Soft Skills