MightyRecruiterThe job description you write will have a huge impact on the type of people who end up applying and interviewing for a position with your company. It can also cut down on the time you will spend sorting through resumes and combing over portfolios. A stellar job description will entice qualified individuals to apply and reduce the number of unqualified applications you receive. An honest job sketch will also give interested individuals the information necessary to understand your company culture and decide if they would work well within the job environment. To help you get started writing a stand-out job description, we have included a Senior Software Engineer job description sample below.
Senior Software Engineer Job Summary
You will be responsible for developing software solutions, troubleshooting and repairing programs, analyzing data and reporting figures to management teams. You will lead a team of 15 software engineers and provide training as well as support for this team. You will work with other managers to design and implement programs to increase efficiency and ensure privacy of client information.
Senior Software Engineer Job Responsibilities and Duties:
- Design software using collected data, systems analysis and prior bug reports; confer with management teams regarding user reports to personalize software and increase productivity
- Lead a team of 15 engineers to complete large-scale as well as smaller projects according to pre-determined specifications, system requirements and security requirements
- Determine viability of solutions by evaluating current problems, future requirements, existing solutions and customized programs
- Prepare, install, debug and analyze solutions in harmony with system requirements and in conjunction with offering suggestions for policy change to improve operations
- Gather and report information that has been collected, analyzed and summarized; work with management and other special teams to resolve issues or make changes based on data results
- Maintain databases of client information with the strictest attention to privacy and security
- Research new technologies, advancements and industry improvements in order to stay abreast of the latest developments and enhance the success of the company
- Document details of coding projects through a standardized process of writing program descriptions, cataloging changes made and recording any special instructions
Senior Software Engineer Skills and Qualifications
- A minimum of 10 years of experience in software engineering
- Creative thinking and problem solving skills as well as strategy development abilities
- Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to present technical solutions to teams from other departments while describing the integration strategies and cross-disciplinary effects of new software solutions
- Expert knowledge of computer languages, data structures, computer logic and flow-charting, design methods, program documentation and client database versions
- Strong leadership and coaching skills as well as the ability to manage complex projects with multiple staff members collaborating to produce a final product
- The ability to analyze large quantities of data and provide reports regarding efficiency with recommendations for enhancing employee productivity
Company Profile
National Warehouse Solutions has been providing warehousing and off-site shipping solutions for clients for over 20 years. Our team strategizes and collaborates to develop efficient routes for incoming and outgoing products as well as warehousing systems that meet high order demands with on-time results on a daily basis. We serve clients across North America and have 17 different warehouse locations that offer proximity to every type of shipping channel. Our San Francisco headquarters houses the Information Technology department and our in-house team of software engineers who develop programs for scheduling, order processing, billing and client service.
Writing a Job Description Best Practices
- The above Senior Software Engineer job description sample is a great starting point for writing your own job description, but there are times when you may need to add custom content or won’t have access to an outline. In those instances, it’s best to follow a few basic rules to ensure you end up with a clear, attractive job summary. Keep this list of dos and don’ts in mind and you’re sure to end up with a great pool of interview candidates.
- Do add industry or company-specific details. While you don’t want to get bogged down in the nitty-gritty details, it’s important to include enough specific information so that individuals have a clear picture of the qualifications necessary to be considered for the position.
- Do include keywords for the position, industry and geography. Most job hunters search online, especially for positions in the computer engineering industry, so spend some time brainstorming keywords that will yield the most hits.
- Don’t forget to include contact information and instructions regarding how to apply for the position.
Senior Software Engineer Job Responsibilities
If you want to attract well-suited jobseekers rather than wade through piles of applications from unqualified hopefuls, it’s helpful to craft your senior software engineer job description carefully. Ineligible candidates will often take a chance on a vaguely described position, leading to frustration and wasted time on both sides. It’s more efficient to correctly communicate the senior software engineer job responsibilities and narrow your search to those who will be able to handle the job.
It’s best to be specific not only about the role of senior software engineer, but also about your company. Will the new hire be expected to liaise with upper management? Will he or she lead a team of entry-level software engineers? Is he or she expected to produce new software or only work to improve existing programs? Consider these kinds of questions when writing your senior software engineer job description.
Here are some examples of what you might include:
- Identify needs for new features and programs, and initiate projects to address those needs
- Audit other software engineers’ code and give constructive feedback
- Follow software under development from the beginning of the process to its end
- Adapt workflow comfortably when priorities shift
- Meet project deadlines set by management
- Collect and analyze data to help evaluate software performance
Senior Software Engineer Job Specifications
A senior software engineer might need a number of specialized skills depending on the industry, company or department needs. Always be sure to separate minimum required skills from those that are just desired. For example, management may prefer a candidate with 5-7 years’ experience in software development, but it may be more important that the potential hire be comfortable with a specific programming language or development of mobile apps. Put two short lists in your senior software engineer job description: one of the things that are absolutely necessary to the position, and a second list with skills that are preferred but that the right candidate could potentially develop on the job.
It may not seem critical to the hiring process to spend time over senior software engineer job specifications. But taking the time to consult with the hiring manager, department heads and even current employees filling that role at your company can lead to better hiring outcomes, including less time weeding out unqualified applicants and less turnover in the position.Here are some bullets that might appear in a senior software engineer job description:
- Expert knowledge of Java
- Demonstrated history of adapting software to mobile UIs
- Specialty in encryption systems for sensitive data, such as medical or financial information
- Creative and lateral thinking skills for unusual problem-solving
- Ability to acquire competence in new programming languages quickly
- Experience teaching and training entry-level hires
