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What does a software engineer-consultant do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
Quoted expert
Frank McCown Ph.D.
What does a software engineer-consultant do

A software engineer consultant develops and recommends strategies to optimize a company's software engineering operations. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting extensive research and analysis to find new opportunities, performing software evaluations and risk assessments, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of existing processes, and developing solutions against problem areas. Through the findings of their research, a software engineer consultant draws conclusions and recommendations that will help the company to reach their short and long-term goals and resolve issues or concerns.

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Software engineer-consultant responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real software engineer-consultant resumes:

  • Contribute to implementing microservices used to manage entities and maintain a synchronize state between supplier and distributor.
  • Create a suite of python unit tests and manual UI tests for all the surveys and researcher tools
  • Perform reviews of C++ code and assist in the debugging of a WinCE/SH4 base auto navigation system.
  • Web portal provides UI, middle tire and persistence for controlling air and water conditioning systems in buildings.
  • Design and develop near-real time fault tolerant software for control of railroads in C++ on Linux and other Unix base platforms.
  • Work to bring the browser into standards compliance with the W3C DOM, JavaScript, HTML 4.0 and CSS 2.1.
  • Used RTI OS API for semaphore and network stack to maximize the DDS efficiency.
  • Used HTML and Netscape to create personal home page and maintain department homepage for the Internet.
  • Require detailed knowledge of Z8002 microprocessor, FMCS hardware, debugging techniques, FORTRAN and VAX.
  • Develop custom components for user authorization to process XML data feed and UI for producer data maintenance.
  • Operate closely with parent company's development, QA, reporting and service/support teams base in London, UK.
  • Maintain Linux client/servers computers dedicate to the project.
  • Develop CSS minimization algorithm base on vector-space similarity measures.
  • Investigate document database options for storing JSON representations of form question components.
  • Facilitate QA tests and participate in user acceptance testing with client stakeholders.

Software engineer-consultant skills and personality traits

We calculated that 11% of Software Engineers-Consultant are proficient in Java, Python, and Architecture. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Creativity.

We break down the percentage of Software Engineers-Consultant that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Java, 11%

    Enhanced efficiency of existing model in Java, writing Java code generation framework to perform reverse engineering.

  • Python, 7%

    Designed and developed Python based Restful Micro-Service for tracking and managing assets within an auto manufacture s plant using RFID technology.

  • Architecture, 6%

    Performed thorough initial research and evaluation of current site architecture, source code and development processes for potential improvements.

  • Software Development, 5%

    Coordinated across AT&T departments, collaborated with cross-functional teams in planning and implementing software development and upgrade/releases.

  • Scrum, 4%

    Worked with teammates in an agile and scrum environment on two week sprint cycles.

  • API, 4%

    Modified over a hundred programs for standard API time zone adjustment for dates and times.

"java," "python," and "architecture" are among the most common skills that software engineers-consultant use at work. You can find even more software engineer-consultant responsibilities below, including:

Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for a software engineer-consultant to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "developers must analyze users’ needs and then design software to meet those needs." Additionally, a software engineer-consultant resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "integrated and maintained hibernate services bridging databases backend with j2ee platforms. "

Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform software engineer-consultant duties is communication skills. Software engineers-consultant responsibilities require that "developers must be able to give clear instructions to others working on a project." Software engineers-consultant also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "designed and implemented xml based web service communication interfaces. "

Creativity. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of software engineers-consultant is creativity. This skill is critical to many everyday software engineer-consultant duties, as "developers are the creative minds behind new computer software." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "developed inventory tracking system using power builder for front-end development and sql server as database engine. "

Detail oriented. software engineer-consultant responsibilities often require "detail oriented." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "developers often work on many parts of an application or system at the same time and must therefore be able to concentrate and pay attention to detail." This resume example shows what software engineers-consultant do with detail oriented on a typical day: "performed detailed analysis of ezbanker software, and directed implementation using java, jsp, ms sql server 2005. "

Problem-solving skills. Another common skill required for software engineer-consultant responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." This skill comes up in the duties of software engineers-consultant all the time, as "because developers are in charge of software from beginning to end, they must be able to solve problems that arise throughout the design process." An excerpt from a real software engineer-consultant resume shows how this skill is central to what a software engineer-consultant does: "researched and implemented high performance and highly portable solutions to develop a highly usable and extensible j2ee application. "

Most common software engineer-consultant skills

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Compare different software engineers-consultant

Software engineer-consultant vs. Software developer

A software developer is responsible for designing application systems to support the user and business' needs. Duties of a software developer include testing software codes, performing diagnostic programs and troubleshooting, interpreting system data and establishing efficient parameters, and ensuring the compatibility of the systems. A software developer must have an excellent knowledge of computer programs and programming languages to understand its complexities, especially on detecting system defects and malfunctions. A software developer must have strong attention to detail, communication, and decision-making skills to coordinate with the team and also work independently under minimal supervision.

The annual salary of software developers is $26,466 lower than the average salary of software engineers-consultant.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both software engineer-consultant and software developer positions are skilled in java, python, and software development.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between software engineers-consultant and software developer. For instance, software engineer-consultant responsibilities require skills such as "architecture," "persistence," "c," and "sql server." Whereas a software developer is skilled in "javascript," "debugging," "html css," and "confluence." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Software developers earn the highest salaries when working in the finance industry, with an average yearly salary of $96,138. On the other hand, software engineers-consultant are paid more in the insurance industry with an average salary of $118,185.On average, software developers reach similar levels of education than software engineers-consultant. Software developers are 0.3% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Software engineer-consultant vs. Senior software development engineer

A senior software development engineer specializes in leading the efforts in designing and developing software and information systems, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities typically revolve around installing and repairing existing computer systems, conducting regular maintenance checks, troubleshooting, testing new designs, and performing research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of operations, improving them to achieve optimal performance. Furthermore, as a senior software development engineer, it is essential to monitor and encourage the team, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Senior software development engineer positions earn higher pay than software engineer-consultant roles. They earn a $2,939 higher salary than software engineers-consultant per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Software engineers-consultant and senior software development engineers both require similar skills like "java," "python," and "software development" to carry out their responsibilities.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, software engineer-consultant responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "architecture," "application development," "user interface," and "couchbase." Meanwhile, a senior software development engineer has duties that require skills in areas such as "code reviews," "test automation," "tcp ip," and "cloud computing." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Senior software development engineers earn a higher average salary than software engineers-consultant. But senior software development engineers earn the highest pay in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $134,736. Additionally, software engineers-consultant earn the highest salaries in the insurance with average pay of $118,185 annually.In general, senior software development engineers achieve similar levels of education than software engineers-consultant. They're 3.0% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.7% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for software engineer-consultants in the next 3-5 years?

Frank McCown Ph.D.Frank McCown Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, Harding University

Software continues to move to mobile devices and the web and away from desktop applications. The pandemic has encouraged growth in applications that make in-person transactions go away, and that trend will likely continue. Obviously AI-enabled or assisted applications will continue to grow.

Software engineer-consultant vs. Data engineer

A data engineer is someone who makes data science possible. This IT job requires the search for data set trends and algorithm development to make raw data more beneficial to the enterprise. Data engineers are responsible for establishing and maintaining an environment that permits other data functions. The necessary skills for the job include in-depth knowledge of multiple programming languages and SQL database design. Among the other skills data engineers should develop include data warehousing and architecture, data mining and modeling, and statistical regression analysis.

On average scale, data engineers bring in lower salaries than software engineers-consultant. In fact, they earn a $4,312 lower salary per year.By looking over several software engineers-consultant and data engineers resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "java," "python," and "api." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from software engineer-consultant resumes include skills like "architecture," "software development," "scrum," and "database," whereas a data engineer is more likely to list skills in "cloud," "scala," "kafka," and "nosql. "

Data engineers earn the highest salary when working in the technology industry, where they receive an average salary of $125,579. Comparatively, software engineers-consultant have the highest earning potential in the insurance industry, with an average salary of $118,185.Most data engineers achieve a similar degree level compared to software engineers-consultant. For example, they're 2.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Software engineer-consultant vs. Developer/consultant

A developer/consultant is responsible for developing system databases and applications, depending on the business' needs and clients' specifications. Developers/consultants design their services to manage optimal performance and maximize productivity for timely submission of projects, ensuring client satisfaction and loyalty. They also handle clients' inquiries and concerns, informing them about necessary adjustments to improve strategic procedures and processes. A developer/consultant must have excellent communication and analytical skills, as well as extensive experience with the technology industry.

Developer/consultants tend to earn a lower pay than software engineers-consultant by an average of $15,479 per year.While both software engineers-consultant and developer/consultants complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like java, python, and api, the two careers vary in some skills.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between software engineers-consultant and developer/consultants, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a software engineer-consultant might have more use for skills like "architecture," "software development," "scrum," and "ui." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of developer/consultants require skills like "project management," "javascript," "hr," and "microservices. "

In general, developer/consultants earn the most working in the technology industry, with an average salary of $101,340. The highest-paying industry for a software engineer-consultant is the insurance industry.developer/consultants reach similar levels of education compared to software engineers-consultant, in general. The difference is that they're 1.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 1.7% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of software engineer-consultant

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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