An estimate from 2022 shows that there are 26.3 million professional software engineers in the world! Since the early days of computer programming in the 1960s, the profession has come a long way.
For starters, within computer science, software was once seen as an easier sub-branch and was often delegated to women, while men held the prestigious hardware jobs. Historical studies suggest that some types of software engineering were seen as “a low-skill clerical function, akin to filing, typing, or telephone switching.”
A lot has changed since then. Software engineering roles today are some of the most sought-after in the world. The profession has become highly prestigious, commanding some of the biggest compensation packages.
Most of all, the nature of work in the field of software engineering is now incredibly varied and multitudinous. From a data engineer setting up the architecture for enterprise applications to a hacker testing perimeter security, there are all kinds of software engineers!
Before we get into the top roles and how you can excel at them, let’s understand what software engineering covers today.
Types of Software Engineering Roles | ClickUp
Summarize this article for me pleaseUnderstanding the Scope of Software Engineering
Software engineering includes everything to do with the planning, design, development, testing, and maintenance of digital applications. This expands across various parameters.
Device or operating systems: You could be an iOS or Android developer
Application type: What you’re programming could be an enterprise HR application, a consumer-focused food delivery service, or the latest multi-player game
Programming languages: Depending on the device and application type, you might be skilled in a small set of languages such as Java, Kotlin, Swift, etc.
Business process: When people say app development, we often think of coding a website or mobile app. However, software engineering can encompass workflows, data, collaboration, and more.
Lifecycle stage: Engineers are not just the people who write code to ‘build’ software. As a software engineer, you might work in architecture design, UX, programming, testing, deployment, infrastructure management, data systems, security, monitoring, etc.
Each of these roles is unique and critical to the usability, performance, and security of software. What you choose plays a huge role in how your career shapes up. Before you make a choice, here’s the starting point.
There are two kinds of engineers: Generalists and specialists.
A generalist is often skilled in a range of technologies and languages. They can develop, deploy, and maintain apps. They might also have the experience to gather requirements, manage projects, or coach teams.
Specialists, on the other hand, focus deeply on one area of work. For instance, one might specialize in AI app engineering for a specific industry, such as healthcare or finance. Specialists have deep knowledge and can solve complex problems.
Here are some of the most common generalist and specialist software engineering roles.
Summarize this article for me pleaseDifferent Types of Software Engineers
Not all software engineer roles are created equal. The skills, responsibilities, and compensation for each vary widely. Let’s see what the top ten software engineering roles look like.
1. Frontend engineer
A frontend engineer builds the user interface that we see and interact with. They take the designs built by the UX team and bring them to life as a functional piece of software.
Their responsibilities include:
- Developing interfacing with technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
- Converting the vision of the designer to working software
- Writing high-performance reusable UI components
- Enabling seamless backend integrations
Expected salary range
According to Glassdoor, the average salary a frontend engineer can earn is between $113,000 and $183,000. With experience, this can go up to $260,000 for lead engineers.
2. Backend engineer
A backend engineer builds the server side of the business. They take care of everything under the hood, including the architecture, business logic, databases, and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
The responsibilities of a backend engineer include:
- Building scalable infrastructures for the app on the cloud or on-prem
- Ensuring high performance, low latency, and high availability
- Getting the application ready to be deployed as microservices in containers
Expected salary range
Indeed estimates that a backend developer makes between $111,000 and $217,980, with the average being $155,800.
3. Full-stack engineer
By now, you may have gathered that full-stack software engineers, as the name suggests, can typically take care of the frontend and the backend. It’s important to know that full-stack is more than the sum of its parts.
A full-stack engineer is a generalist who takes end-to-end responsibility for application development. They are proficient in frontend languages and libraries, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript as well as backend tech, such as Java, Python, Ruby, PHO, etc.
In their job, full-stack engineers:
- Design architecture
- Build data structures
- Implement scalable web services, APIs, and other integrations
- Write frontend and backend code
- Troubleshoot and fix bugs
- Write technical documentation
Expected salary range
Full-stack engineers make an average of $125,600, with experienced developers earning as much as $192,325. In the startup space, businesses want to build more with lean teams, increasing the demand for full-stack engineers. This means that their compensation can also include performance bonuses or stock options.
4. DevOps engineer
A DevOps engineer takes responsibility for smooth operations throughout the software development lifecycle. This means that they set up the processes and tools that engineering teams need to traverse from writing code to functioning applications.
A DevOps engineer is a generalist responsible for:
- Choosing the tools for automation and management
- Designing effective processes for software development
- Selecting, provisioning, and maintaining the CI/CD
- Deploying and maintaining servers, storage devices, virtualization machines, software, and more
Expected salary range
A DevOps Engineer makes an average salary of $133,750, with experienced workers earning north of $171,000.
5. AI engineer
As the name suggests, an AI engineer develops artificial intelligence or machine learning applications. As part of this role, an AI engineer would:
- Design and develop scalable AI pipelines
- Deploy AI models optimizing for performance and stability on cloud platforms like AWS/Azure/Google Cloud
- Manage version control
Some AI engineers also design and develop statistical models using various data mining and machine learning techniques.
Expected salary range
AI engineering is a much-wanted skill today. An AI engineer makes $155,900 on average, with salaries going all the way up to $338,000 with experience and exposure.
6. Game developer
One of the most coveted software engineering jobs is that of a game developer, who works on designing and developing computer/console-based games. Typically, game developers are generalists within their space, working on frontend/backend/AI, etc.
Their software development KPIs include:
- Translating imaginative visual ideas into working code using languages such as C++, C#, and Java
- Consistently testing UX and optimizing the game experience
- Integrating elements like graphics, audio, and animation into the game environment
- Ensuring stability and speed across platforms
With experience, game development engineers also architect game systems, manage infrastructure, drive innovation, and more.
Expected salary range
Game developers make an average salary of $116,189. With experience and specialization, the salary can go up to $214,000.
7. Quality assurance engineer
A quality assurance engineer, as the name suggests, is responsible for upholding the standards of software. They ensure that the software passes all the necessary tests—hence the alternate name ‘tester’—before release.
Their responsibilities include:
- Setting standards for the quality of software systems
- Running manual and automated tests
- Analyzing test results to identify bugs and communicate to the development team
- Tracking quality issues and maintaining necessary documentation
- Identifying process gaps and helping create a continuous improvement strategy
Expected salary range
The average QA makes about $107,235 per year. Entry-level positions start at $89,000, and with experience, you can earn up to $140,000.
8. Data engineer
A data engineer builds systems that enable organizations to collect, store, use, and drive insights from data. They take care of setting up the compute and storage needed by data scientists to perform their analysis and create their algorithms.
A data engineer’s job responsibilities include:
- Acquiring the right data and consolidating it efficiently
- Developing data streaming systems
- Automating data cleaning and processing to enable faster insights
- Building, testing, and maintaining data pipelines
- Ensuring compliance with governance and security protocols
Expected salary range
The salary range for a data engineer’s position is from $82,278 to $196,879. The average salary is about $127,275.
9. Mobile application developer
Mobile developers build software that works on mobile devices, including phones and tablets. The two most popular mobile development jobs are in Android and iOS. This software engineering job includes:
- Writing software with Java/Kotlin (for Android) or Swift (for iOS)
- Creating cross-platform capabilities
- Managing data analysis and server-side components using Python
- Ensuring app security and data privacy
- Integrating to third-party libraries for various needs
- Running tests and other quality assurance processes
Expected salary range
A mobile developer’s salary ranges from $80,643 to $203,794.
10. Cybersecurity engineer
One of the most in-demand jobs across industries and business types is that of a cybersecurity engineer. They are responsible for application, network, and data security in the organization. Their day-to-day responsibilities include:
- Securing the software system
- Managing security protocols for identity and access control, authentication, and authorization
- Developing incidence response strategies to overcome security threats
- Conducting regular risk and vulnerability assessments
- Staying updated on emerging threats and best practices
- Ensuring network and third-party security standards
Expected salary range
A cybersecurity engineer can earn an average of $154,000. With experience, you can earn as much as $333,000.
The above list is simply the beginning. As your career as a software engineer grows, you can take on any of the hundreds of various roles available. Here’s a quick look at how you can build your career path.
Summarize this article for me pleaseCareer Path and Growth Opportunities in Software Engineering
As a software development engineer, career progression mostly happens in one of two ways:
- You become a team leader, managing people who deliver projects
- You become a highly specialized technologist contributing individually
As a team leader, you have a bird’s eye view. You get to collaborate with various people, mentor team members, solve problems, and move things forward. Goals for software engineers working up the management ladder include behavioral and leadership skills in addition to technical expertise.
For example, if you start your career as a frontend developer, you might gain some additional backend experience, become a full-stack software engineer, and manage app development teams. You might also take on roles like project manager or scrum master.
As an individual contributor, you have the opportunity to do some of the most niche work, solving complex problems and addressing innovative/unique requirements. Both are great paths offering different kinds of benefits and opportunities.
This is the line of work that many star engineers often take. For instance, Shigeru Miyamoto, a leader at Nintendo, started off as a manga artist, going on to develop the iconic Super Mario Bros in 1985.
They flourish in taking on sophisticated challenges, solving them, and then moving on to the next task. With the rise of remote work and freelancing, individual contributors have more opportunities than ever before.
If you’re looking to move to software engineering from any other industry, here’s some advice:
Gain relevant skills. Start with any programming language, learn it, and start building something, however small. You can also get programming certifications or complete a bootcamp.
Be patient. It can take anywhere between 3-9 months for you to gain the skills and find an entry-level job or an internship. If you’re looking to accelerate your transition, consider attending software engineering conferences and networking with peers.
Build a portfolio: Software engineering is a practical job. Show potential recruiters you can code by building a portfolio of projects, even if they’re not paying projects. Track software engineering trends and create products to show that you’re up to date with what’s out there.
Differentiate: As a Reddit user suggests, “The entry level market is getting really crowded, so if you go the self-taught or boot camp route you will have to stand head and shoulders above the competition.”
Learn the tools: Software teams use a wide range of tools for various purposes. Knowing how to navigate them can be a game-changer. Try some engineering templates and learn to customize them for your purposes.
Get a mentor: Navigating the dynamic and complex world of software engineering can be a challenge. A mentor is a sureshot way to ease your way forward. Find a mentor in software engineering and seek pointed, actionable advice.
Don’t know where to start? Try some of the best side hustles for software engineers.
Summarize this article for me pleaseThe Role of Tools in the Life of a Software Engineer
Every team uses numerous software development tools for requirement gathering, ticket management, testing, automation, workflow management, etc. Being familiar with these tools can be crucial to your success. One of the most important tools you’ll use is a project management software like ClickUp.
With ClickUp, teams break down large projects into manageable tasks for features or bugs. They write user stories, add acceptance criteria, and collaborate in real time on their tasks.
Developers see all the tasks that are assigned to them. They estimate the time needed for each task, plan their work, and deliver efficiently. They also track time and create timesheets.
Testing teams have complete visibility into the workload coming their way, broken down by deadline. They can plan the testing schedule. With ClickUp Automations, you can automatically change status when the developer is finished, pushing the workflow down faster.
You can also allow users to submit bug/issue requests with ClickUp Forms. Convert them into trackable tasks, prioritize, link related issues, and manage your backlog, all in one place.
Are you a new software development manager? No sweat! Use ClickUp’s Software Project Template to create project structure, add tasks, track progress, monitor goal achievement, and improve team collaboration.
For more on what it would be like to work in this field, read about the day in the life of a software developer.
Summarize this article for me pleaseStrengthen Your Software Engineering Career With ClickUp
Software engineering is one of the most dynamic fields in the world today. It contributes over $1.9 trillion to the US GDP, which is more than 10% of the national economy.
The job market for software developers is expected to grow 25% in the decade from 2022-2032, much faster than the average growth across industries. With the emergence of technologies like blockchain, generative AI, wearables, and augmented reality, the software industry is on a steep growth path.
But, with great demand also comes great competition. There are a lot of fresh graduates and transitioners looking to create a career in software. Standing out from the crowd requires special attention to the little things, like learning how to use a popular software development tool like ClickUp.
Understand the software development life cycle, explore the processes, try the templates, and scale your career with ClickUp.
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