What Does a Software Engineer Do, and What Skills are Needed for Software Engineering?

Software engineers, also referred to as software developers, are responsible for designing and creating software for use in computer systems and applications. They apply engineering principles to the creation of software and may specialize in either systems development or application development. 

As a software engineer, you will likely be involved in the following elements of software creation: 

• Designing software programs
• Development and writing code
• Testing and evaluating new software systems
• Optimizing software in terms of scalability and speed
• Maintaining software packages

Software engineers need an in-depth knowledge of the relevant programming languages, platforms and architectures. They may create anything from network control systems to computer games, programs for cell phones and cars. 

An applications engineer creates applications for businesses. They will be responsible for designing, building, testing, installing and maintaining the applications. 

A systems engineer coordinates an organization’s computer systems. The role may involve recommending the technical direction for the organization, in addition to developing and maintaining systems networks. 

The role of a systems engineer may include:

• Producing clean and efficient code to meet specifications
• Testing software
• Fixing problems with existing software

• Ensuring that different software programs are integrated so they can communicate with one another
• Setting and enforcing standards for an IT infrastructure
• Developing and maintaining documentation for IT systems
• Updating systems as new technology becomes available and is needed
• Integrating third-party software with in-house systems
• Coordinating with systems architects and data science teams

If you enjoy tackling new challenges and solving problems and have a highly analytical mind, software engineering could be the ideal career for you. 

You will need to have the vision and creativity to come up with solutions for customers, designing applications or systems to meet their individual or business needs. At the same time, you must have the attention to detail required for successful coding and testing. 

You may need to determine how to improve an existing application or design a completely new one. Debugging and testing are a large part of the role, and this requires strong analytical skills to identify the problem and address it. You may be finding solutions to meet the requirements identified by customers, who could be other divisions within the organization or external clients, either businesses or individuals. 

Software engineer core skills

Some of the core skills required to succeed as a software engineer include: 

• Knowledge of coding languages, such as C++, Java and JavaScript, Python, Mean and Ruby
• The ability to learn new coding languages quickly
• Agile project management
• Database architecture
• Design testing and debugging
• Flowcharts
• Object-oriented programming
• Object Relational Mapping
• Operating systems
• Scrum project management
• Version control

Software engineer soft skills

In addition to the technical core skills a software engineer should possess, there are also some soft skills that are important for a successful career in software engineering. Software engineer soft skills that may be required, depending on the role, include:

• The ability to work as part of a team
• The ability to work with minimal supervision
• Attention to detail
• Communication skills
• Presentation skills
• Problem-solving
• Resourcefulness
• Time management

Part of the role of a software engineer will involve coordinating with customers to understand their requirements for a new system or the problems they are experiencing with an existing system or application that need to be resolved. It is important to have good listening skills for this element of software engineering so you can have a clear understanding of what the customer needs. 

Qualifications needed for software engineering

Most software engineer roles will require you to have a bachelor’s degree in software engineering. For more senior roles, you will be expected to have a master’s degree in software engineering or a master’s in computer science. 

If you wish to continue working while you study for your postgraduate degree, you may choose to earn a masters in software engineering online. This allows you to study at times that suit you and fit around your busy schedule. Many of these online courses are open to applicants with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, engineering, physics and other related subjects as well as those with a bachelor’s degree in computer science. 

Earning potential

The salaries for software engineers can vary depending on the organization you are working for and your specific role. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual median salary for a software engineer is $109,020. The software publishing sector tends to offer the highest salaries. 

What roles are open to graduates with a Master’s in Computer Science?

A master’s in computer science will open many opportunities to you, giving you an advantage over other candidates when you apply for a promotion and the chance to move into different sectors where you can put your new skills to use. 

With software being used in nearly every industry imaginable, there is a vast array of options for where to find work when you have a master’s in computer science. You will be able to work in sectors such as:

• Aeronautics
• Artificial Intelligence
• Automotive manufacturing
• Bioinformatics
• Blockchain engineering
• Computer graphics
• Cybersecurity
• Data engineering
• Finance
• Government
• Healthcare
• Machine learning

There is a wide range of roles available to graduates with a Master’s of Computer Science degree. These include database administrator, gaming engineer, information security analyst, network architect and web developer. These careers are constantly changing thanks to technological advances, so the future outlook for these types of jobs is extremely positive. 

Software engineering is an expanding sector, with continued growth projected. The BLS forecasts 25% growth in jobs in this industry over the next 10 years. This is significantly above the national average predicted job growth across all sectors, which stands at 4%. There is also a global trend of increasing demand for software engineers, so a Master’s in Software Engineering could create opportunities anywhere in the world.