stevebrownlee/SENIOR_COMPETENCIES.md

## SENIOR_COMPETENCIES.md

      
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              SENIOR_COMPETENCIES.md
            
          
    Senior Software Engineer Competencies


Competency
Skills
Description


Technical Expertise
Coding, debugging, code quality, technical trade-offs
Demonstrates high-level proficiency in programming languages and frameworks, regularly writes and reviews code, makes decisions on technical trade-offs, and understands system security and performance implications.


Problem Solving
Debugging, critical thinking, technical decision-making
Regularly identifies, analyzes, and resolves complex technical issues, prioritizes technical debt management, and makes pragmatic decisions on when to focus on essential features versus additional refinements.


System Design
Architecture design, system integration, performance optimization
Designs resilient and scalable software architectures, considers the overall technical direction of the team or department, and integrates multiple technical components efficiently.


Leadership and Mentorship
Team management, mentoring, technical guidance
Leads technical projects, mentors junior engineers, facilitates technical discussions, and takes ownership of complex projects. Ensures team adherence to best practices and fosters an environment of continuous learning and improvement.


Communication
Technical writing, stakeholder communication, documentation
Clearly communicates technical concepts to various audiences, documents complex systems and solutions, runs effective meetings, and participates in the hiring process by conducting interviews and reviewing candidates.


Collaboration
Teamwork, cross-functional communication, feedback facilitation
Collaborates across teams to solve problems, seeks input from other teams, and fosters a culture of open communication and productive discussions. Actively participates in team rituals and ensures clear communication of project statuses and technical challenges.


Delivery and Execution
Project management, task prioritization, agile methodologies
Prioritizes technical work, breaks down complex tasks into manageable user stories, ensures timely delivery of projects, and continuously improves delivery processes. Moves blockers and provides clear status updates to stakeholders and team leads.


Continuous Learning
Curiosity, adaptability, skill development
Stays updated with the latest industry trends and technologies, participates in continuous learning through courses and certifications, and applies new knowledge to improve team and personal performance. Encourages a learning culture within the team by sharing knowledge and best practices.


Decision Making
Technical trade-offs, risk assessment, strategic thinking
Evaluates technical and business trade-offs, makes informed decisions considering both short-term and long-term impacts, and articulates the rationale behind decisions. Balances innovation with pragmatic solutions to meet project goals efficiently.


Innovation
Creativity, strategic vision, forward-thinking
Drives innovation by exploring new technologies and methodologies, proposes creative solutions to complex problems, and aligns technical direction with overall business goals. Encourages team members to think outside the box and experiment with new approaches to enhance product and process improvements.


Staff Software Engineer Competencies


Competency
Skills
Description


Technical Expertise
Advanced coding, debugging, architecture design, scalability
Demonstrates expert-level proficiency in multiple programming languages and frameworks, designs complex systems, ensures high code quality, and makes strategic technical decisions.


Strategic Problem Solving
Advanced debugging, architectural problem-solving, system optimization
Solves high-impact and complex technical challenges, optimizes system performance, and balances short-term and long-term technical strategies.


Architectural Vision
Enterprise architecture, large-scale system integration, technology strategy
Develops and implements a comprehensive technical vision that aligns with business goals, designs large-scale systems, and ensures alignment with organizational strategy.


Leadership and Strategic Guidance
Organizational leadership, mentorship, cross-team strategy
Provides strategic leadership, mentors senior and junior engineers, and guides cross-team initiatives. Plays a crucial role in setting the technical direction for the organization and ensuring the alignment of technical projects with business objectives.


Advanced Communication
Executive communication, technical evangelism, documentation
Communicates complex technical concepts to executive leadership, stakeholders, and technical teams, evangelizes new technologies and methodologies, and ensures comprehensive documentation of architectural decisions.


Cross-Functional Collaboration
Inter-departmental communication, strategic partnerships, consensus building
Facilitates collaboration across departments, builds strategic partnerships, and drives consensus on technical and business decisions. Actively participates in strategic planning and cross-functional projects to align technical and business objectives.


Execution Excellence
Advanced project management, strategic prioritization, agile leadership
Leads the execution of high-impact projects, prioritizes initiatives strategically, and implements best practices in project management and agile methodologies. Ensures that technical projects are aligned with business goals and delivered on time and within budget.


Continuous Innovation
Emerging technology adoption, process improvement, innovation strategy
Continuously explores and adopts emerging technologies, drives process improvements, and develops strategies for innovation. Fosters a culture of innovation within the organization by encouraging experimentation and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and methodologies.


Strategic Decision Making
High-stakes technical decisions, risk management, long-term planning
Makes high-stakes technical decisions, manages technical risks, and develops long-term strategic plans that align with business goals. Evaluates the impact of technical decisions on the organization and ensures that they support the overall business strategy.


Visionary Leadership
Vision setting, strategic influence, organizational impact
Sets a compelling technical vision for the organization, influences strategic technical and business decisions, and drives initiatives that have a significant impact on the organization’s success. Provides visionary leadership that inspires and motivates technical teams to achieve ambitious goals.
Competency	Skills	Description
Technical Expertise	Coding, debugging, code quality, technical trade-offs	Demonstrates high-level proficiency in programming languages and frameworks, regularly writes and reviews code, makes decisions on technical trade-offs, and understands system security and performance implications.
Problem Solving	Debugging, critical thinking, technical decision-making	Regularly identifies, analyzes, and resolves complex technical issues, prioritizes technical debt management, and makes pragmatic decisions on when to focus on essential features versus additional refinements.
System Design	Architecture design, system integration, performance optimization	Designs resilient and scalable software architectures, considers the overall technical direction of the team or department, and integrates multiple technical components efficiently.
Leadership and Mentorship	Team management, mentoring, technical guidance	Leads technical projects, mentors junior engineers, facilitates technical discussions, and takes ownership of complex projects. Ensures team adherence to best practices and fosters an environment of continuous learning and improvement.
Communication	Technical writing, stakeholder communication, documentation	Clearly communicates technical concepts to various audiences, documents complex systems and solutions, runs effective meetings, and participates in the hiring process by conducting interviews and reviewing candidates.
Collaboration	Teamwork, cross-functional communication, feedback facilitation	Collaborates across teams to solve problems, seeks input from other teams, and fosters a culture of open communication and productive discussions. Actively participates in team rituals and ensures clear communication of project statuses and technical challenges.
Delivery and Execution	Project management, task prioritization, agile methodologies	Prioritizes technical work, breaks down complex tasks into manageable user stories, ensures timely delivery of projects, and continuously improves delivery processes. Moves blockers and provides clear status updates to stakeholders and team leads.
Continuous Learning	Curiosity, adaptability, skill development	Stays updated with the latest industry trends and technologies, participates in continuous learning through courses and certifications, and applies new knowledge to improve team and personal performance. Encourages a learning culture within the team by sharing knowledge and best practices.
Decision Making	Technical trade-offs, risk assessment, strategic thinking	Evaluates technical and business trade-offs, makes informed decisions considering both short-term and long-term impacts, and articulates the rationale behind decisions. Balances innovation with pragmatic solutions to meet project goals efficiently.
Innovation	Creativity, strategic vision, forward-thinking	Drives innovation by exploring new technologies and methodologies, proposes creative solutions to complex problems, and aligns technical direction with overall business goals. Encourages team members to think outside the box and experiment with new approaches to enhance product and process improvements.
Competency	Skills	Description
Technical Expertise	Advanced coding, debugging, architecture design, scalability	Demonstrates expert-level proficiency in multiple programming languages and frameworks, designs complex systems, ensures high code quality, and makes strategic technical decisions.
Strategic Problem Solving	Advanced debugging, architectural problem-solving, system optimization	Solves high-impact and complex technical challenges, optimizes system performance, and balances short-term and long-term technical strategies.
Architectural Vision	Enterprise architecture, large-scale system integration, technology strategy	Develops and implements a comprehensive technical vision that aligns with business goals, designs large-scale systems, and ensures alignment with organizational strategy.
Leadership and Strategic Guidance	Organizational leadership, mentorship, cross-team strategy	Provides strategic leadership, mentors senior and junior engineers, and guides cross-team initiatives. Plays a crucial role in setting the technical direction for the organization and ensuring the alignment of technical projects with business objectives.
Advanced Communication	Executive communication, technical evangelism, documentation	Communicates complex technical concepts to executive leadership, stakeholders, and technical teams, evangelizes new technologies and methodologies, and ensures comprehensive documentation of architectural decisions.
Cross-Functional Collaboration	Inter-departmental communication, strategic partnerships, consensus building	Facilitates collaboration across departments, builds strategic partnerships, and drives consensus on technical and business decisions. Actively participates in strategic planning and cross-functional projects to align technical and business objectives.
Execution Excellence	Advanced project management, strategic prioritization, agile leadership	Leads the execution of high-impact projects, prioritizes initiatives strategically, and implements best practices in project management and agile methodologies. Ensures that technical projects are aligned with business goals and delivered on time and within budget.
Continuous Innovation	Emerging technology adoption, process improvement, innovation strategy	Continuously explores and adopts emerging technologies, drives process improvements, and develops strategies for innovation. Fosters a culture of innovation within the organization by encouraging experimentation and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and methodologies.
Strategic Decision Making	High-stakes technical decisions, risk management, long-term planning	Makes high-stakes technical decisions, manages technical risks, and develops long-term strategic plans that align with business goals. Evaluates the impact of technical decisions on the organization and ensures that they support the overall business strategy.
Visionary Leadership	Vision setting, strategic influence, organizational impact	Sets a compelling technical vision for the organization, influences strategic technical and business decisions, and drives initiatives that have a significant impact on the organization’s success. Provides visionary leadership that inspires and motivates technical teams to achieve ambitious goals.