Senior Software Engineer in Washington, DC

Senior Software Engineer Job Description

The senior software engineer serves as the technical lead of a development team, overseeing the creation of new applications and services or the enhancement of existing ones. This professional wears the hats of creator, leader and mentor, guiding both in-house and contract engineering and developer talent on business-critical projects. A senior software engineer typically collaborates in close partnership with various stakeholders, including IT management and business teams, to ensure development projects deliver desired outcomes. A professional in this role should excel at driving success throughout the software development life cycle and be able to step in to work or help problem-solve in any layer of the software stack — front-end, back-end, server, hardware, network and database. Employers typically look for candidates with a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field, at least eight years of programming experience using languages such as JavaScript, C# and Python, proven success as a team leader, and a passion for continuous learning.

Typical senior software engineer duties:

Directing the development team in the design, initiation, coding, testing, and debugging of software applications and services

Coordinating the effective use of the development team’s time and ensuring efficient communication between team members and other functional IT areas

Providing feedback and suggestions for process and product improvement and identifying practical, efficient solutions for solving technical issues

Mentoring, coaching, and coordinating training for less-experienced developers to help accelerate their development and raise the bar on overall team performance

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Salary for Senior Software Engineer in Washington, DC

161263 - 235743

25th percentile

161263

The candidate is new to the role and building the needed skills, experience and autonomy.

50th percentile

196175

The candidate has the experience to perform core responsibilities without direct supervision and is comfortable with the role’s processes and subject matter.

75th percentile

235743

The candidate delivers value beyond the stated job duties, has advanced qualifications and experience, and is ready for the next career level.

Projected salaries for related positions

Position title

25th percentile

50th percentile

75th percentile

Applications Architect

181545

220115

263340