What does a software engineer/technical lead do?
A software engineer develops programming. They may develop applications, enhance existing code, or troubleshoot technical issues. They are also responsible for maintaining codebases. They often work with a team to implement technical designs.
Software engineer/technical lead responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real software engineer/technical lead resumes:
- Perform extensive UNIX and NT administration to large UNIX servers to accomplish installation of software and troubleshooting.
- Manage continuous integrations using Jenkins.
- Develop GUI's with JavaScripts, HTML, and XML.
- Direct colleagues in HTML development/layout and JavaScript functions.
- Create CSS for styling the components on UI.
- Step in to implement new features and bug fixes in C++ and JavaScript to expedite schedule.
- Promote agile development practices with sprints, daily scrum meetings, code reviews, planning and retrospectives.
- Used JSP, HTML, CSS and JavaScript extensively to develop presentation layer to make it more user friendly.
- Used XML extensively to populate the data on UI since it is much faster than the traditional way of accessing data.
- Used XML for the build scripts of the application.
- Used Jenkins to keep project continuous integration.
- Develop web forms using HTML and knockout.
- Implement WPF/MVVM pattern for UI base on approve industrial design.
- Work on analyzing and resolving software issues document as JIRA ticket.
- Used MongoDb-Hive Plugin API to store the data from MongoDB to HDFS.
Software engineer/technical lead skills and personality traits
We calculated that 17% of Software Engineers/Technical Lead are proficient in Java, Software Development, and JavaScript. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Creativity.
We break down the percentage of Software Engineers/Technical Lead that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Java, 17%
Consulted with law offices to gather requirements for new version of Legal timekeeping application developed using Java.
- Software Development, 7%
Coordinated all project activities including systems analysis and design, software development, documentation development, and data collection.
- JavaScript, 5%
Stepped in to implement new features and bug fixes in C++ and JavaScript to expedite schedule.
- Scrum, 4%
Interacted with Scrum and Product Owners, setting up work priorities and helped guide technical stories and tasks within agile framework.
- Database, 3%
Performed extensive data analysis to redesign client staging database to incorporate new data set entities using proprietary software Implementation Analyst.
- API, 3%
Created WEB API service that performs a search on various entities as well as consumed the web services in the application.
Most software engineers/technical lead use their skills in "java," "software development," and "javascript" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential software engineer/technical lead responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a software engineer/technical lead to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "developers must analyze users’ needs and then design software to meet those needs." Software engineers/technical lead often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "eliminated repetitive tasks, mined data and identified issues prior to customer impact by creating comprehensive java utilities. "
Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform software engineer/technical lead duties is communication skills. Software engineers/technical lead responsibilities require that "developers must be able to give clear instructions to others working on a project." Software engineers/technical lead also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "invented and implemented a secure station-to-station communication and signaling protocol* written in java and c++. "
Creativity. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of software engineers/technical lead is creativity. This skill is critical to many everyday software engineer/technical lead duties, as "developers are the creative minds behind new computer software." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "build database conversions, design and develop applications to link customers' inventory control systems with domestic software. "
Detail oriented. For certain software engineer/technical lead responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "detail oriented." The day-to-day duties of a software engineer/technical lead rely on this skill, as "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." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what software engineers/technical lead do: "provided detailed instructions on design, code review and uat testing. "
Problem-solving skills. Another crucial skill for a software engineer/technical lead to carry out their responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." A big part of what software engineers/technical lead relies on this skill, since "because developers are in charge of software from beginning to end, they must be able to solve problems that arise throughout the design process." How this skill relates to software engineer/technical lead duties can be seen in an example from a software engineer/technical lead resume snippet: "developed secure voip solution for android and blackberry. "
The three companies that hire the most software engineer/technical leads are:
- Capital One119 software engineers/technical lead jobs
- Cardinal Health57 software engineers/technical lead jobs
- Intermountain Healthcare46 software engineers/technical lead jobs
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Compare different software engineers/technical lead
Software engineer/technical lead vs. Lead software developer
A lead software developer is responsible for creating and designing software applications and systems to support business functions and client requirements. Lead software developers analyze specifications to build efficient applications, conduct multiple quality testing, and enhance the user's interface. They also coordinate with the design engineers to modify and improve the features of existing software applications for optimal performance. A lead software developer must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially in considering the current technology trends to meet demands.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a software engineer/technical lead are more likely to require skills like "database," "front end," "mvc," and "software design." On the other hand, a job as a lead software developer requires skills like "architecture," "application development," "python," and "project management." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Lead software developers tend to make the most money working in the manufacturing industry, where they earn an average salary of $115,917. In contrast, software engineers/technical lead make the biggest average salary, $139,104, in the utilities industry.On average, lead software developers reach similar levels of education than software engineers/technical lead. Lead software developers are 3.7% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Software engineer/technical lead vs. Lead engineer
A lead engineer's duties vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities will revolve around overseeing the progress of operations and performance of the workforce, ensuring that everything is running smoothly. They are also responsible for addressing issues and concerns, assessing risks, monitoring the budget, coordinating with clients and architects, and even training workers. Furthermore, as a lead engineer, it is crucial to conduct regular inspections to ensure the quality of work and maintain a safe environment for all workers.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that software engineer/technical lead responsibilities requires skills like "software development," "scrum," "code reviews," and "web application." But a lead engineer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "python," "architecture," "c #," and "git."
On average, lead engineers earn a lower salary than software engineers/technical lead. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, lead engineers earn the most pay in the automotive industry with an average salary of $110,872. Whereas software engineers/technical lead have higher pay in the utilities industry, with an average salary of $139,104.In general, lead engineers achieve lower levels of education than software engineers/technical lead. They're 6.9% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for software engineer/technical leads in the next 3-5 years?
Andrea Welker Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Engineering Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Villanova University
Software engineer/technical lead vs. Software architect
A Software Architect develops new programs for a variety of technological devices for businesses, computer games, mobile networks, and/or operating systems. They ensure architectural integrity and consistency across the entire product and work closely with executives to explain the benefits of the software.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, software engineers/technical lead are more likely to have skills like "mvc," "software design," "os," and "production issues." But a software architect is more likely to have skills like "architecture," "cloud," "python," and "aws."
Software architects earn the best pay in the health care industry, where they command an average salary of $119,142. Software engineers/technical lead earn the highest pay from the utilities industry, with an average salary of $139,104.software architects typically earn similar educational levels compared to software engineers/technical lead. Specifically, they're 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Software engineer/technical lead 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.
Types of software engineer/technical lead
Updated January 8, 2025
