What does a team lead engineer do?
A team leads engineer is in charge of spearheading and overseeing the efforts of an engineering team, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Although the duties may depend on one's industry of employment, it typically includes designing and developing systems according to project requirements, setting objectives and construction guidelines, delegating tasks, managing budgets and schedules, and monitoring the workflow, performing corrective measures as needed. Furthermore, as a team leads engineer, it is essential to encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while enforcing the company's safety standards and regulations.
Team lead engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real team lead engineer resumes:
- Manage and develop the OS image for the flexible class Linux thin client devices.
- Lead a team of 13 for a major multi-tenant scalability feature major changes to the SAN OS.
- Manage software update process: vendor interaction, QA testing, web release, & authore documentation.
- Manage subcontractor's installation of the HVAC systems to the successful completion of a fast pace project.
- Lead the evaluating, testing and integration of new devices to enhance SAN switching, management, and storage provisioning.
- Manage day-to-day QA tasks as dictated by project launch schedule and collaborate across work-streams to validate actual test results against expect results
- Create HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for developers.
- Engage in development of web pages using HTML, CSS and UI enhancement coding.
- Used ASP.Net CSS, DHTML, HTML, and JQuery to design web pages.
- Work on implementation and extension of OO java classes.
- Transform XML with XSLT to create dynamic HTML web pages.
- Ensure ISO compliance within the team and participate in audits.
- Train engineers in Java services development against SQL and NoSQL data stores.
- Used JavaScript to add navigation controls dynamically to all the tutorial pages.
- Cable machines to the network switches in a clean, traceable manner.
Team lead engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Team Lead Engineers are proficient in Python, Architecture, and Java. They’re also known for soft skills such as Creativity, Listening skills, and Mechanical skills.
We break down the percentage of Team Lead Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Python, 15%
Worked with engineers to develop ISV training materials for Python based SDK.
- Architecture, 9%
Facilitated engineering and architecture meetings with the project team, and detailed project status in presentations to senior management.
- Java, 9%
Developed Java application for testing performance improvements of MAC layer enhancements.
- C++, 8%
Designed and Implemented the WRP Caching mechanism in C++ for caching search results.
- Infrastructure, 8%
Maintained all infrastructure connectivity needs, including Ethernet/serial/parallel/SCSI communications in the form of cabling and hardware.
- Windows, 7%
Manage Windows Engineering team, day-to-day server operations, system performance/tuning and project implementation.
"python," "architecture," and "java" are among the most common skills that team lead engineers use at work. You can find even more team lead engineer responsibilities below, including:
Creativity. One of the key soft skills for a team lead engineer to have is creativity. You can see how this relates to what team lead engineers do because "mechanical engineers design and build complex pieces of equipment and machinery." Additionally, a team lead engineer resume shows how team lead engineers use creativity: "interact with all product development teams to stimulate inventive discipline. "
Listening skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling team lead engineer duties is listening skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "mechanical engineers often work on projects with others, such as architects and computer scientists." According to a team lead engineer resume, here's how team lead engineers can utilize listening skills in their job responsibilities: "defined the system architecture and communicated to management and technical staff. "
Mechanical skills. This is an important skill for team lead engineers to perform their duties. For an example of how team lead engineer responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "mechanical skills allow engineers to apply basic engineering concepts and mechanical processes to the design of new devices and systems." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a team lead engineer: "aided team engineers with engineering calculations and principles and stepped in as mechanical engineer/designer to manage team workloads. ".
Problem-solving skills. team lead engineer responsibilities often require "problem-solving skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "mechanical engineers need good problem-solving skills to take scientific principles and discoveries and use them to design and build useful products." This resume example shows what team lead engineers do with problem-solving skills on a typical day: "supported other interfacing product development teams for the 2002 major suv program.resulted in seamless problem resolution and interface coordination. "
Math skills. Another common skill required for team lead engineer responsibilities is "math skills." This skill comes up in the duties of team lead engineers all the time, as "mechanical engineers use the principles of calculus, statistics, and other advanced subjects in math for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work." An excerpt from a real team lead engineer resume shows how this skill is central to what a team lead engineer does: "prepared quantitative analysis and c++, python, java programs with quantlib for fixed income instruments. "
The three companies that hire the most team lead engineers are:
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Compare different team lead engineers
Team lead engineer vs. Senior applications engineer
A senior applications engineer specializes in designing and developing a variety of applications and systems, ensuring quality and efficiency. Their responsibilities typically revolve around utilizing feedback and client needs when making decisions, creating test structures for applications, performing installment and repairs, troubleshooting, and performing regular maintenance checks and upgrades. Furthermore, as a senior applications engineer, it is essential to lead and encourage the engineering team to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, team lead engineer responsibilities require skills like "python," "architecture," "infrastructure," and "windows." Meanwhile a typical senior applications engineer has skills in areas such as "provide customer support," "web services," "application development," and "help support." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Senior applications engineers earn the highest salaries when working in the insurance industry, with an average yearly salary of $111,125. On the other hand, team lead engineers are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $117,918.The education levels that senior applications engineers earn slightly differ from team lead engineers. In particular, senior applications engineers are 3.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a team lead engineer. Additionally, they're 1.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Team lead engineer vs. Technical team lead
The responsibilities of a technical team lead revolve around overseeing the progress and performance of a technical team, ensuring they are functioning efficiently. They mostly delegate tasks, manage schedules, set goals, produce reports and presentations, respond to correspondence, and coordinate with staff, clients, and other department personnel to ensure accuracy and timeliness for all projects. As the leader, it is crucial to implement the policies and regulations of the company, all while leading and encouraging the staff to reach goals.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real team lead engineer resumes. While team lead engineer responsibilities can utilize skills like "python," "infrastructure," "windows," and "san," technical team leads use skills like "customer service," "patients," "web services," and "quality standards."
On average, technical team leads earn a lower salary than team lead engineers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, technical team leads earn the most pay in the automotive industry with an average salary of $114,182. Whereas team lead engineers have higher pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $117,918.technical team leads earn similar levels of education than team lead engineers in general. They're 3.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for team lead engineers 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
Team lead engineer vs. Consulting engineer
A consulting engineer is an individual who aids in the planning, designing, and construction of a project from the public and private clients. Consulting engineers are required to advise on the best component suitable according to the needs of their clients. They can manage the project by coordinating with designers, architects, and relevant persons who have commissioned the project. They may incorporate green sustainable energy solutions based on the demands of their clients. Consulting engineers must also conduct a feasibility study and prepare the estimated cost for the project.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from team lead engineer resumes include skills like "python," "architecture," "infrastructure," and "windows," whereas a consulting engineer is more likely to list skills in "working independently," "pre sales," "data analysis," and "virtualization. "
Consulting engineers earn the highest salary when working in the technology industry, where they receive an average salary of $99,126. Comparatively, team lead engineers have the highest earning potential in the technology industry, with an average salary of $117,918.Most consulting engineers achieve a similar degree level compared to team lead engineers. For example, they're 2.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Team lead engineer vs. Senior principal engineer
A senior principal engineer is responsible for leading engineering tasks within an organization and reports project updates to senior management. Senior principal engineers develop strategic methods and principles to improve the technical stability and efficiency of the company's systems, creating business proposals according to clients' specifications, and negotiating contracts with suppliers and other service providers. They also train new staff and identify innovations and business opportunities that would generate more revenue resources for the company.
Types of team lead engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
