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What is a senior software engineer manager and how to become one
A senior software engineer manager is an individual who leads a team of software engineers in the development of software products. They are responsible for overseeing all stages of the software development lifecycle, from planning and design to testing and deployment. Senior software engineer managers collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure that projects are completed on time, within budget, and meet quality standards. They also mentor and guide their team members, providing technical expertise and support.
What general advice would you give to a senior software engineer manager?
Frank McCown Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Harding University
Avg. Salary $147,474
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 21%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%
Asian 29.93%
Black or African American 4.45%
Hispanic or Latino 8.19%
Unknown 4.80%
White 52.47%
Genderfemale 13.86%
male 86.14%
Age - 38American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 38Stress level is moderate
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a senior software engineer manager?
Pros
High salary and benefits
Opportunities for career advancement
Ability to lead and mentor a team
Opportunities for professional development and training
Chance to create innovative products and solutions
Cons
Long hours and high workload
Pressure to meet tight deadlines and deliver high-quality products
Requires strong communication skills to manage relationships with stakeholders
Must stay up-to-date with rapidly changing technology trends
Can be difficult to balance technical work with managerial duties
Senior software engineer manager career paths
Key steps to become a senior software engineer manager
Explore senior software engineer manager education requirements
Start to develop specific senior software engineer manager skills
Skills Percentages Java 19.67% Emerging Technologies 11.82% Software Development 5.55% Cloud Computing 5.21% Python 4.40% Complete relevant senior software engineer manager training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior software engineer managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior software engineer manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior software engineer manager resumes.Research senior software engineer manager duties and responsibilities
- Manage projects in an ISO 9000 and CMM environment.
- Cultivate strong client relationships to effectively gather and manage technology requirements throughout the entire SDLC.
- Create UI widgets utilizing HTML, JavaScript, CSS and the Dojo JavaScript library.
- Use Javascript to structure APIs to increase performance.
Get senior software engineer manager experience
Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a senior software engineer manager. The most common roles before becoming a senior software engineer manager include senior software engineer, software engineer team lead and software engineering manager.Prepare your senior software engineer manager resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior software engineer manager resume.
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Apply for senior software engineer manager jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a senior software engineer manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first senior software engineer manager job
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Average senior software engineer manager salary
The average senior software engineer manager salary in the United States is $147,474 per year or $71 per hour. Senior software engineer manager salaries range between $106,000 and $205,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do senior software engineer managers rate their job?
Senior software engineer manager reviews
Problem solving and cutting edge technology - always learning and evolving my skill set
Still have to deal with people :)
Able to see ideation to fruition and achieve success together as a team.
If company is not supportive of new technology advancement.
I enjoyed working on creative problems that dealt with the user interface
I didn't like how technical it could become
Updated January 8, 2025
