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Software engineering supervisor skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

7 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Galen Duree,

John Ring

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical software engineering supervisor skills. We ranked the top skills for software engineering supervisors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 16.5% of software engineering supervisor resumes contained software development as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a software engineering supervisor needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 software engineering supervisor skills for your resume and career

1. Software Development

Software development is the mechanism by which programmers create computer programs. The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a framework for developing applications that follow technological needs and consumer requirements. It consists of many stages. The SDLC establishes an international standard that software developers can use to enhance and create their programs. It provides a well-defined framework for software developers to pursue in the production, maintenance, and design of premium quality software. The aim of the software development process is to create high-quality software on time and within budget.

Here's how software engineering supervisors use software development:

Conduct business needs analysis and translate them into written business requirements for software development.
Supervised the Software Development Team consisting of four developers.

2. C++

C++ is a general-purpose programming language that is used to create high-performing applications. It was invented as an extension to the C language. C++ lets the programmer have a high level of domination over memory and system resources. C++ is an object-oriented language that helps you implement real-time issues based on different data functions

Here's how software engineering supervisors use c++:

Develop programs using C++, C#, Python, and scripting process for production, as well as Reverse Engineering.
Plan, design and implement C++ based deployment software to support software build, release and field installation.

3. Java

Java is a widely-known programming language that was invented in 1995 and is owned by Oracle. It is a server-side language that was created to let app developers "write once, run anywhere". It is easy and simple to learn and use and is powerful, fast, and secure. This object-oriented programming language lets the code be reused that automatically lowers the development cost. Java is specially used for android apps, web and application servers, games, database connections, etc. This programming language is closely related to C++ making it easier for the users to switch between the two.

Here's how software engineering supervisors use java:

Led a team of engineers in gathering requirements and developing a new order placement system with florists in Java and Oracle.
Developed a new autonomous web product personalization interface in JAVA that incorporates JSON classes for interfacing with JavaScript objects.

4. Linux

Linux is a Unix-like operating system. Just like Windows, Mac OS, and IOS, Linux is an operating system used by millions across the globe. Android itself is powered by the Linux operating system. Linux manages all the hardware resources that are associated with your computer. The software is famous because of the protection it grants from viruses, malware, and crashes. The Linux operating system is entirely free and is an open-source software meaning it can be altered by those equipped with the knowledge to code.

Here's how software engineering supervisors use linux:

Released to Linux and Mac servers and environments that host our application and web configuration scripts.
Worked extensively with PHP developers in making changes to PHP scripts on all Linux servers.

5. Architecture

Here's how software engineering supervisors use architecture:

Required extensive work with Vendor, Architecture and Local teams to meet legal spin deadline requirements and stay within budget.
Provided leadership support in planning for data clean up, data conversion, data mapping, and network/connectivity system architecture.

6. Software Applications

A software application is any computer program developed and used by consumers, such as Microsoft's suite of products (Office, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.), Internet browsers such as Firefox, Safari, and Chrome, or browser add-ons that Defendant preinstalls or causes to be preinstalled onto a Covered Product. The software application is designed to help the user perform specific tasks - personal, educational, and business functions.

Here's how software engineering supervisors use software applications:

Developed software applications and tests that improved the efficiency, usability, and quality of manufacturing tests.
Managed and released all standard and custom software applications for the telecommunications group.

7. Development Environment

Here's how software engineering supervisors use development environment:

Established and maintained the development environment.
Implemented a development environment for developing web based applications running on a LAMP platform.

8. Debugging

Here's how software engineering supervisors use debugging:

Provided support with debugging issues.
Create and configure virtual machines and environments for testing & debugging activities where actual user-environment equipment is not readily available.

9. SQL Server

Here's how software engineering supervisors use sql server:

Migrated the database for 40 sites from Access to SQL Server, with a 100% retention of existing customers.
Write SQL compatible code for an Access Database conversion to SQL Server.

10. MVC

Model-View-Controller (MVC) refers to the method of software development for creating user interfaces.

Here's how software engineering supervisors use mvc:

Implemented New Enterprise level authentication and authorization level implementation using MVC C#.
Developed initial proof-of-concept interface implementation using Spring MVC with an embedded Alfresco framework.

11. Technical Leadership

Here's how software engineering supervisors use technical leadership:

Provided technical leadership and grew the group into a high-performing team.
Provided technical leadership for team of 12 developers.

12. GIT

Here's how software engineering supervisors use git:

Experience with Clearcase, CVS, Git for source control and code management.
Implemented best practices: GIT version-control, automated server-deployment, JIRA project- management and Confluence Knowledge Base (wiki).

13. Development Life

Here's how software engineering supervisors use development life:

Interfaced with customer throughout the entire development life-cycle.
Developed an understanding of software development life cycle.

14. Software Quality

Here's how software engineering supervisors use software quality:

Participate in SCCB, TQM and Software Quality Management Task Force Activities.

15. Direct Reports

Here's how software engineering supervisors use direct reports:

Conducted periodic One-on-One meetings and prepared and delivered quarterly feedback and annual appraisals for direct reports.
Conduct regular meetings with direct reports to review goals and policy, provide company updates, and promote teamwork.

What skills help Software Engineering Supervisors find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What software engineering supervisor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Galen Duree

Head of the Department of Physics and Optical Engineering and Professor, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

It again depends on what the graduate sees as their next step - graduate school or a job with a company or lab. If the next step is graduate school, the graduate should investigate what they are interested in pursuing and then where the best school is to get the experience that the graduate thinks he or she wants.

General reading about technologies or reading available articles about subjects the graduate is interested in will help generate questions they can ask potential graduate schools. This time would also be a chance to improve areas where the graduate may feel weak while an undergraduate. Many online resources can help them brush up on week background topics. Do not worry about transfer credits because that is usually not helpful in graduate school, but improve knowledge and experience in areas where the graduate feels weak. If the graduate has identified a graduate school and program to study in, the graduate school might have some recommendations about what to review. All of this will help improve success in graduate school.

If the next step is a job with a company or lab, taking courses to improve communication will help. Many technically competent or even technically brilliant people struggle with effective communication. Techniques about writing reports, making oral presentations, or communicating technical information will help improve success. The gap year also provides time to investigate technologies that the graduate wants to be involved in and the companies or labs in those areas.

Once the graduate has identified areas of interest and companies or labs that the graduate might want to work for, they can be contacted to either answer questions or point the graduate in a direction for further investigation.

In either case, a gap year can provide a chance to refine the graduate's choice for the next steps and help them prepare other skills overlooked during the undergraduate years.

What type of skills will young software engineering supervisors need?

John Ring

Director Engineering Outreach, Elon University

While our universities consistently educate engineering students with hard skills and strong engineering fundamentals, tomorrow's engineers need to be strong communicators, collaborators, and critical thinkers. Our professional environments are filled with data and information, and the constraint is typically how much time individuals can dedicate to solving a problem. At Elon University, we educate tomorrow's engineers to have the hard skills necessary to analyze the information and situations, apply critical thinking techniques to determine ways to solve the issue, and then concisely and efficiently communicate with colleagues as solutions are being set in motion.

What technical skills for a software engineering supervisor stand out to employers?

Maria Larrondo Petrie Ph.D.

Professor, Florida Atlantic University

The potential employee needs to be comfortable and flexible to learn different technologies needed to be successful in the virtual work environment. More importantly than the technical schools are the soft skills that give the employee the self-discipline and communications skills to be effective and productive in a virtual work environment. The non-technical major needs to be computer literate and have the mindset to learn new technical skills.

What soft skills should all software engineering supervisors possess?

Christian Hansen Ph.D.

Professor and Department Chair, Eastern Washington University

The soft skills that all graduates should possess include strong communication and teamwork skills regardless of the discipline. Analytical skills will be in high demand, as well as the ability to adapt and learn new technology. Data will continue to play a bigger role in almost any type of business; therefore, the ability to analyze and interpret data for decision making will be increasingly critical. Many jobs in the future are jobs that do not yet exist and as a result, new graduates must have the ability to adapt.

What hard/technical skills are most important for software engineering supervisors?

Travis Mandel Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, University of Hawaii at Hilo

Being comfortable with refactoring code is definitely one of the big ones here. Absolutely no one writes perfect code right off the bat - a good software engineer should recognize that and always be open and receptive to suggestions about improving their code. Even in the absence of such suggestions, a software engineer must be able to independently recognize that "the tower is about to fall over"! Meaning, if the code is turning into a real mess, a good software engineer will be able to realize that and independently begin refactoring it into a better state, even if that takes time away from implementing new features.

Another one I'll mention briefly is designing class inheritance diagrams to solve a new problem. The right structure here can allow components to be easily re-used and extended. But the wrong structure can lead to disastrous consequences, so it requires a lot of thought about how things will likely evolve in the future.

Do you want to know more?

List of software engineering supervisor skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a software engineering supervisor resume and required skills for a software engineering supervisor to have include:

Software Development
C++
Java
Linux
Architecture
Software Applications
Development Environment
Debugging
SQL Server
MVC
Technical Leadership
GIT
Development Life
Software Quality
Direct Reports

UI
C Net
HTML
Code Reviews
Jenkins
Test Cases
QA
Technical Direction
Test Scripts
R
Unix
Perl
PHP
Software Design
Technical Specifications

Database
Technical Documentation
XML
Software Support
Windows
GUI
Maven
Software Releases
ASP
System Integration
TCP/IP
SharePoint
J2EE

Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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