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IT and Engineering > Software Engineer

Salary National Average

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95420.0000 108180.0000 130130.0000

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+10%

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Candidate Supply: 9,824 Job Openings: 92,406

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Short Description:

Create and produce software operating or applications systems. Provide analysis related to software design and development and solves problems. Formulate operating system advancements and perform improvements. Evaluate the impact of hardware on software performance, and recommend changes to hardware designers.

Duties / Responsibilities:

  • Modify existing software to correct errors, allow it to adapt to new hardware, or improve its performance.
  • Develop and direct software system testing and validation procedures, programming, and documentation.
  • Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers, and others to design systems and obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements, and interfaces.
  • Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine the feasibility of design within time and cost constraints.
  • Design, develop and modify software systems, using scientific analysis and mathematical models to predict and measure outcomes and consequences.
  • Store, retrieve, and manipulate data to analyze system capabilities and requirements.
  • Consult with customers about software system design and maintenance.
  • Supervise the work of programmers, technologists and technicians, and other engineering and scientific personnel.
  • Coordinate software system installation and monitor equipment functioning to ensure specifications are met.
  • Obtain and evaluate information on factors such as reporting formats required, costs, and security needs to determine hardware configuration.

Skills / Requirements / Qualifications

  • Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Programming: Writing computer programs for various purposes.
  • Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance relative to the system's goals.
  • Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Operations Analysis: Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
  • Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.

Job Zones

  • Education: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
  • Related Experience: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. Job Training: Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, or vocational training.
  • Job Zone Examples: Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, sales managers, database administrators, teachers, chemists, environmental engineers, criminal investigators, and special agents.
  • Specific Vocational Preparation in years: 2-4 years of preparation (7.0 to < 8.0)

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