Software engineering is a crucial aspect of the technology industry and plays a significant role in the success of tech companies.
You must have encountered your software engineer friends working at Big Tech companies at various designations as SDE- I/II/III, or L3/ L4/ L5, etc. This is confusing for even IT professionals and job seekers aspiring to work for software engineering roles in big MNCs or organisations.
In the world of big tech, software engineers are in high demand, and the level of expertise required varies depending on the company’s size, scope, and the specific role an engineer is filling.
Well, all the FAANG companies or unicorn tech startups practise a long 7-8 interview rounds session before hiring for different software engineering roles. Like any other non-tech job roles, levels/ hierarchy exist in these companies for software engineering roles with respective abbreviations, with some differences and similarities in roles.
Let’s understand what are different software engineering levels, and differences in their scope, responsibilities, and salary in various tech companies.
What Are Software Engineering Levels?
Software engineering levels represent a hierarchy of seniority in experience in an organisation as entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level. These job levels exhibit your seniority, experience, accountability, number of people to manage, along with the respective salary package offered. As you climb up the job levels, the responsibilities and experience increase with an increment in salary package.
Moreover, the Big tech companies like Google, Microsoft, Apple, etc. deploy better employee growth practices to decide authority levels and assist in developing a fair wage system along with constant advancement or growth possibilities. This happens on the basis of regular employee evaluations and performance reviews based on crucial factors like employee skill set, past project experiences, interview experience, on-job work experience, and contribution to a company’s growth metrics. This performance evaluation and feedback mechanism becomes a major decision-making factor regarding promotions, retentions, or employee termination.
Now, let’s understand various software engineering roles in different Big tech companies.
Different Software Engineering Levels
When it comes to job levels, each FAANG company has different levels of software engineering roles, with varying salaries, level of experience required, and other differences.
We shall understand the individual roles and responsibilities for every software engineering level in general.
Junior Software Engineer
A junior software engineer is someone who is just starting their career in software development. They typically have a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field, and they have some basic programming skills and knowledge of software development processes. They are usually responsible for writing simple code snippets, fixing bugs, and working on smaller projects under the guidance of senior engineers.
Software Engineer
A software engineer is someone who has at least three-four years of experience and has developed a more extensive skill set. They have a deeper understanding of software development processes and are capable of working on more complex projects independently. They are responsible for designing, developing, and testing software applications and may lead small teams of junior engineers.
Senior Software Engineer
A senior software engineer is someone who has more than six years of experience and has developed a deep understanding of software development best practices. They are responsible for leading teams of software engineers and overseeing the entire software development process. They are experts in their field and are often involved in the design and architecture of complex software systems.
Staff Software Engineer
A staff software engineer is someone who has achieved a high level of expertise in software engineering and is recognized as a subject matter expert within their organisation. They play a critical role in shaping the direction of the company’s technology and are often involved in research and development of new software technologies. They lead teams of senior engineers and are responsible for the development of complex software systems.
Principal Software Engineer
A principal software engineersoftware engineer is a software engineering job level which requires at least 10 years of high level of expertise in software engineering and has a significant impact on the technology industry. They are often involved in the development of cutting-edge technologies and are responsible for setting the technical direction for their organisation. They lead teams of staff engineers and are recognized as leaders in their field.
Preparing for Software Engineering Interviews
While interviewing at companies among the big tech for software engineering roles, it is important for you to prepare for the technical interview as well as other rounds such as culture-fit interview. There are various aspects of software engineering interviews with big tech that you should hone your skills for.
Conclusion
The different software engineering levels in big tech reflect the level of expertise and experience an engineer has achieved in their field. From junior engineers who are just starting their careers to distinguished engineers who are recognized leaders in their field, the software engineering levels in big tech provide a clear career path for software engineers to grow and develop their skills.
Whether you are just starting your career in software engineering or are an experienced engineer looking to take your skills to the next level, there is a level for you in big tech.
