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The IT field is broad, involving various roles and professions with different responsibilities, and among them is the software engineer. According to the Global Developer Population and Demographic Study (2023) report, there are more than 28 million software engineers worldwide, and the projection is that this number will reach 45 million by 2030. In Brazil, the scenario for the field is equally heated.
In this context, understanding what a software engineer really does has become fundamental for IT managers who need to build efficient teams or decide between direct hiring and allocation models. This article breaks down the responsibilities, skills, and participation of this professional in companies today.
What is a software engineer?
A software engineer is the professional responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining computer systems that solve business problems. Unlike a programmer, who focuses on writing code, or a developer, who implements specific functionalities, the engineer operates at a more strategic and architectural level.
The confusion between these terms is common in the market. In practice, the software engineer combines deep technical knowledge with product vision and architecture. They don’t just write code, but think about the scalability of that code when the application has 10 times more users. They don’t just implement functionalities, but consider the maintainability of the system five years from now.
This evolution of the profession reflects an important change in the market, as well as signals the increase in technology adoption in people’s daily routines. Two decades ago, it was enough to “make it work.” Today, with complex systems serving millions of users simultaneously, it’s necessary to think about architecture, performance, security, and technical sustainability from day one.
Main responsibilities of a software engineer
The first responsibility is to deeply understand the business problem that needs to be solved. This means talking to stakeholders, analyzing requirements, and translating often vague needs into technical specifications.
From this understanding, the engineer designs the system architecture. They decide whether to use a monolithic or microservices architecture, which design pattern is most appropriate, how components will communicate, and where data will be stored. These decisions have a direct impact on infrastructure costs, future development speed, and the application’s ability to scale.
Development itself naturally occupies a significant portion of time. This is where practices like code review, pair programming, and automated testing come in. An engineer must write code that other developers will be able to understand and modify without difficulty.
Collaboration is another essential front. Engineers work directly with UX designers to ensure the interface is technically viable, with QA professionals to define testing strategies, and with product managers to prioritize functionalities according to technical and timeline constraints.
Technical documentation is often neglected, yet it’s crucial. Architectures need to be documented so that new team members can quickly understand them. The same applies to APIs, data flows, and deployment processes.
Finally, there’s evolutionary maintenance. Legacy systems need to be constantly refactored, technical debt needs to be paid, and new technologies need to be evaluated and eventually incorporated.
Essential technical skills
A software engineer’s technical arsenal is extensive and constantly evolving. Programming languages form the foundation: Java, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, C#, Go, and Kotlin lead the demand in the Brazilian market, according to the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2023. The choice of language generally depends on the problem domain: Python dominates in data science, JavaScript in web development, Java in large-scale corporate systems.
Databases are another fundamental pillar. The choice between SQL (PostgreSQL, MySQL) and NoSQL (MongoDB, DynamoDB, Redis) depends on the type of data and access patterns. Engineers need to understand data modeling, query optimization, and caching strategies to ensure performance even with large volumes of information.
Code versioning with Git is basic, but mastering best practices like Git Flow, branching strategies, and merge requests makes a difference in team productivity. DevOps practices, including continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), containerization with Docker, and orchestration with Kubernetes, are increasingly expected.
Finally, information security cannot be treated as the exclusive responsibility of specialists. Every engineer needs to understand concepts of authentication, authorization, encryption, protection against common attacks (SQL injection, XSS, CSRF), and compliance.
Necessary soft skills
Technical skills are a prerequisite, but soft skills determine who really stands out. The ability to solve complex problems goes beyond knowing algorithms, as it involves breaking down large problems into manageable parts, identifying patterns, and proposing creative solutions for unprecedented scenarios.
Clear communication is the most important soft skill. An engineer who can explain complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders adds value. This includes writing understandable documentation, conducting effective presentations, and participating in strategic product discussions.
Teamwork within agile squads requires maturity. Code reviews need to be constructive, not defensive. Pair programming works when there’s openness to learning and teaching. Important architectural decisions should be made collectively, considering different perspectives.
Adaptability is crucial in an industry that constantly reinvents itself. What you learned three years ago may be obsolete today. Senior engineers maintain a continuous learning mindset, experiment with new technologies, and critically evaluate when it’s worth adopting them.
The job market for software engineers
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the software engineer profession is expected to grow 25% between 2021 and 2031, well above the average for other occupations. In Brazil, despite the heated market, supply doesn’t keep up with demand.
Salary ranges vary significantly according to experience and location. Junior engineers in Brazil earn between R$ 4,000 and R$ 7,000, mid-level professionals between R$ 8,000 and R$ 15,000, and seniors can exceed R$ 25,000 in technology companies and fintechs.
Hiring models have diversified. Internal hiring continues to be common in traditional companies, while the PJ (independent contractor) regime has gained ground in startups and technology companies. However, a growing trend is outsourcing, where specialized companies, like NextAge, which has over 18 years in the market, allocate professionals or complete IT squads.
How to become a software engineer
The traditional path goes through a degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related areas. Academic training provides a solid foundation in fundamentals: algorithms, data structures, discrete mathematics, theory of computation. This foundation facilitates adaptation to new technologies throughout the career. Additionally, intensive bootcamps have gained popularity as a faster alternative. Programs of 12 to 24 weeks promise to train developers ready for the market.
Self-taught learning is totally viable. Platforms like freeCodeCamp, Codecademy, Udemy, and freely available courses from MIT and Stanford allow learning at your own pace.
First opportunities generally come through internships or junior positions. Here, willingness to learn counts more than prior knowledge. Companies invest in juniors expecting them to evolve, so demonstrating rapid growth and progressive autonomy is essential.
Evolution to mid-level occurs when the professional needs little supervision and solves complex problems autonomously. The jump to senior happens when they start mentoring others, influencing architectural decisions, and thinking about the systemic impact of their choices.
Trends and future of the profession
Artificial Intelligence is transforming how engineers work, but not replacing them. Tools like GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and Claude function as powerful copilots, suggesting code, finding bugs, and accelerating repetitive tasks.
The integration of generative AI directly into the development lifecycle allows engineers to focus on complex business problems while AI automates documentation, testing, and boilerplate code. Methodologies like Nextflow AI are demonstrating productivity gains of up to 10 times in certain tasks, drastically reducing time-to-market.
Sustainability and green software are gaining attention. With data centers consuming about 1% of global electricity, optimizing code for energy efficiency has gone from being just cost savings to becoming an environmental responsibility.
Agile methodologies continue to evolve. DevOps has matured to include security (DevSecOps) and ML (MLOps). Frameworks like SAFe attempt to bring agility to large organizations, while approaches like Shape Up challenge established Scrum dogmas.
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