Explore senior software development engineer jobs with Ladders, where you can find vetted professional opportunities paying $100,000 or more. Senior software development engineers design, build, and maintain complex software systems while helping teams deliver reliable, scalable products. Browse roles across industries, technologies, and levels of technical leadership.
These experienced engineers translate product and business needs into robust technical solutions. Their work may include designing system architecture, writing and reviewing code, improving application performance, troubleshooting production issues, and guiding engineering teams through complex projects. Many roles also involve mentoring developers and partnering with product, design, security, and operations teams.
Employers commonly look for strong software design and programming experience, expertise in relevant languages and frameworks, and a record of delivering production systems. Depending on the role, useful qualifications may include cloud infrastructure, distributed systems, databases, API design, automated testing, DevOps practices, and security. Communication, technical judgment, and the ability to lead through influence are also important at the senior level.
Senior software development engineers work in technology, financial services, healthcare, e-commerce, media, and other sectors. Opportunities may focus on backend services, mobile or web applications, data platforms, infrastructure, machine learning systems, or developer tools. With experience, engineers can grow into staff or principal engineering roles, architecture positions, or engineering management.
Use Ladders to search vetted professional openings with salaries of $100,000 or more. Compare roles by technology, industry, location, and scope, then focus on opportunities that match your experience and career goals.
Senior Software Engineer - REMOTE
$120K - $170K *
Lead the development of scalable systems, balancing individual contributions with technical guidance. Collaborate across teams to tackle complex engineering challenges in security and AI, while evolvi...
1 week ago
Staff Software Development Engineer - Java
$106K - $284K *
Elevate your career by leading the design and development of innovative healthcare platforms. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver scalable, secure applications that enhance user experie...
5 days ago
Staff Software Engineer, App Platform
$150K - $180K *
Transform the foundational platform that powers diverse products by leading design and evolution efforts, driving product velocity, and ensuring reliability and scalability for a variety of deployment...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
(USA) Senior, Software Engineer
$143K - $286K *
Transform the future of technology by driving AI-powered reliability and automation. Own platform scalability and observability while enhancing customer support excellence through innovative solutions...
1 week ago
(USA) Senior, Software Engineer
$143K - $286K *
Join a team that's driving innovation in software engineering and reliability. You'll build AI-powered tools, enhance platform observability, and ensure service reliability while collaborating cross-f...
1 week ago
(USA) Senior, Software Engineer
$90K - $180K *
Shape the future of smart entertainment technology by leading the design and integration of scalable software solutions for HDMI-CEC and device interoperability, driving innovation and enhancing custo...
1 week ago
$110K - $130K *
Join a dynamic team to innovate and deliver high-quality software solutions. Collaborate in an Agile environment, leveraging modern technologies to enhance product functionality and customer satisfact...
2 weeks ago
$149K - $256K *
Lead the technical strategy for complex global opportunities, collaborating with sales teams to develop tailored solutions. Drive technical discovery, architecture design, and customer engagement to e...
5 days ago
Principal Software Engineer - Loom
$209K - $273K *
Drive innovation by owning customer-facing products end to end, leading technical strategy, and shaping product direction. Collaborate across teams to build AI-native experiences that enhance user eng...
5 days ago
Software Engineer II - Java, Spring, AWS, CI/CD
$121K - $191K *
Join the team to design and develop scalable software solutions for healthcare supply chain transactions. Collaborate with cross-functional partners to enhance the rules engine and deliver high-qualit...
1 week ago
Senior Full-Stack Software Engineer
$159K - $164K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of enterprise applications by designing and maintaining robust web solutions in Azure Government Cloud, leveraging full-stack technologies to enhance user experie...
1 week ago
Senior Software Engineer II, Mobile - Revenue Experiences (AI Native)
$118K - $216K *
Transform premium user experiences by owning the development and maintenance of features that drive revenue growth. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality, AI-enhanced solutio...
1 week ago
Senior Software Engineer II, Mobile - Revenue Experimentation (AI Native)
$118K - $216K *
Unlock growth through AI-native engineering expertise to design and ship monetization experiments. Lead the enhancement of mobile user experiences for a vast user base by collaborating across teams an...
4 weeks ago
$110K - $160K *
Transform advanced semiconductor facilities by leading electrical design projects. Collaborate with multi-discipline teams to ensure compliance, quality, and innovation while utilizing cutting-edge AI...
Today
$110K - $160K *
Transform the future of technology by leading electrical design for advanced semiconductor facilities. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure compliance, innovation, and quality in every p...
Today
Sr Manager Software Engineering
$175K - $204K *
Champion innovative software solutions by leading engineering teams, driving strategic initiatives, and fostering a culture of collaboration and growth. Oversee technical execution and ensure alignmen...
1 week ago
$221K - $235K *
Champion the development of secure, reliable software solutions by guiding technical direction, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring high-quality code delivery while addressing comp...
Yesterday
Principal Software Engineer, Agentic Data Platform
$255K - $290K *
Drive the technical vision for a complex database platform, ensuring scalability and performance. Lead architecture decisions, mentor engineers, and collaborate across teams to enhance data infrastruc...
2 weeks ago
Senior Forward Deployed Engineer
$120K - $145K *
Empower innovation by leading the development of production Generative AI solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design, build, and optimize workflows, ensuring operational excellence a...
Reposted 5 days ago
Senior Embedded Software Engineer
$120K - $145K *
Innovate your career by designing and developing safety-critical firmware for vehicle control systems. Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to enhance performance and ensure compliance with forma...
3 weeks ago
Manager II, Software Engineering, Infrastructure
$154K - $260K *
Join an innovative team to lead and evolve critical Core Infrastructure. Oversee infrastructure strategy, improve operational health, and drive automation to boost performance across a globally distri...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
Senior DevOps Platform Engineer
$107K - $195K *
Join a team that's driving innovation in cloud infrastructure and DevOps. As a Senior Platform DevOps Engineer, you'll lead the design and implementation of OpenShift solutions, ensuring reliability a...
Today
Software Engineer 6 - Feature Infrastructure
$500K+*
Unlock potential by building a next-gen ML data platform that enhances productivity for ML practitioners. Collaborate with experts to create scalable infrastructure for feature computation and sharing...
Yesterday
Senior Software Engineer II, Mobile (iOS) - Global Monetization (AI Native)
$118K - $216K *
Reimagine mobile monetization by leveraging AI to build premium user experiences. Drive product innovation and ownership, ensuring reliability for millions of users while expanding into new markets wi...
Today
Software Development Engineer Test III -REMOTE
$92K - $115K *
Engineer robust end-to-end test automation frameworks using Playwright. Collaborate across teams to enhance QA capabilities, leveraging AI tools for efficient testing and maintenance, while mentoring...
2 weeks ago
What does a senior software development engineer do?
A senior software development engineer designs, builds, tests, and maintains software systems. They often make architecture decisions, solve complex technical problems, review code, mentor teammates, and coordinate with other departments to deliver reliable products.
What qualifications are typically required for senior software development engineer jobs?
Requirements vary, but employers generally seek substantial professional software engineering experience, proficiency in one or more programming languages, and a history of delivering production applications or systems. Familiarity with system design, cloud platforms, databases, testing, and technical leadership may also be expected.
How much do senior software development engineer jobs pay?
Compensation depends on factors such as location, industry, experience, and technical specialty. Ladders focuses on vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more, including senior software development engineer opportunities.
What is the difference between a senior software engineer and a senior software development engineer?
The titles often describe similar work, and employers may use them interchangeably. Responsibilities typically include designing and developing software, though the exact emphasis depends on the company and team.
What career paths can follow a senior software development engineer role?
Experienced engineers may advance to staff or principal engineer, software architect, or other technical leadership positions. Those interested in people management may move into engineering manager or director roles.