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.
$100K - $130K *
Take ownership of developing innovative software solutions, leveraging new technologies and processes. Collaborate closely with customers to create high-quality applications while adapting to evolving...
1 week ago
$95K - $115K *
Manage the design, fabrication, and operation of test infrastructures for spaceflight hardware, ensuring rigorous testing and data analysis through all development phases. Collaborate with engineers t...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
Sr. Technical Program Manager, Engine AI Transformation
$163K - $221K *
Champion AI Native Transformation initiatives across Engine, driving adoption and collaboration. Lead strategic partnerships, define processes, and deliver impactful results in a complex environment...
1 week ago
Senior Oracle Technical Developer
$127K - $191K *
Join a team that's driving innovation in Oracle integrations. Leverage your expertise in Oracle Integration Cloud to design, develop, and support seamless integrations across enterprise applications w...
Yesterday
Software Engineer 2 (Data and Embedded SWE)
$95K - $115K *
Contribute to the development of innovative biomedical algorithms for fitness wearables, enhancing user experience through advanced software engineering practices and collaboration with cross-function...
2 weeks ago
Senior Software Engineer (Cloud Native, React/Node.js)
$120K - $160K *
Innovate cloud-native solutions in IoT, leveraging TypeScript and Azure for scalable, reliable software. Collaborate in an agile environment to deliver high-quality applications with automated testing...
1 week ago
$95K - $115K *
Join a dynamic team to design and implement software solutions for mission-critical defense applications, collaborating in an Agile environment to enhance combat systems and ensure reliability in soft...
3 weeks ago
$116K - $174K *
Champion operational excellence by ensuring application reliability through technology updates and migrations. Collaborate with teams to enhance performance and streamline processes, driving innovatio...
Yesterday
Senior Systems Software Engineer
$106K - $206K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of geospatial intelligence software. Leverage your expertise in software development, data analysis, and modern engineering practices to create mission-critical s...
Today
Senior Software Engineer, Observability
$220K - $325K *
Drive the evolution of a large-scale observability platform, leveraging Go and Rust to enhance performance and reliability while integrating AI tools for innovative engineering solutions across divers...
5 days ago
$150K - $160K *
Elevate your career as a Staff Software Engineer, leading full-stack development in a dynamic team. Design, build, and support healthcare applications while ensuring data security and compliance in a...
3 weeks ago
$95K - $115K *
Transform the future of embedded systems by developing reliable software solutions. Collaborate on diverse projects, ensuring compliance and integration with hardware while driving innovation in therm...
2 weeks ago
Staff Software Engineer - Platform Team
$135K - $160K *
Lead the charge in shaping our platform's technical direction, mentoring engineers, and driving high-impact initiatives. Collaborate across teams to build scalable, resilient systems in a fast-paced s...
3 weeks ago
Staff Software Engineer - Platform Team
$150K - $180K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of AI by leading the development of scalable, high-quality systems. Leverage your expertise to mentor engineers and drive architectural decisions in a dynamic sta...
3 weeks ago
$138K - $173K *
Lead the design and development of high-scale applications, architecting resilient systems and collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive technical initiatives and mentor engineers in a dynami...
Today
Senior Software Engineer, Full Stack
$119K - $150K *
Champion transformative software development in a high-trust Engineering team, focusing on third-party risk management. Collaborate closely to solve complex problems with innovative solutions, ensurin...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
Senior Software Development Engineer - Verity Solutions - Remote
$130K - $217K *
Lead the charge in designing innovative, scalable software solutions that transform complex processes into actionable insights, partnering with diverse teams to deliver high-performance applications f...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
Senior Software Engineer, Full Stack
$170K - $240K *
Collaborate across teams to develop scalable full-stack applications for fleet management. Shape robust features, ensuring seamless customer experience with real-time data and video from Skydio drones...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
Senior II Software Engineer - Linux Kernel Development
$146K - $263K *
Lead the charge in enhancing Akamai's custom Linux kernel for a global cloud platform. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to improve performance, reliability, and security while staying ahead of...
4 weeks ago
Senior Test and Evaluation Systems Engineer III
$112K - $168K *
Lead the evaluation and integration of advanced systems for national security. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure rigorous testing and documentation, while enhancing engineering proces...
Today
$180K - $240K *
Unlock your potential as a Senior Software Engineer, leading the design, development, and testing of innovative software solutions while collaborating with cross-functional teams to meet system requir...
Today
$180K - $240K *
Design and implement software solutions while leading technical design and integration testing. Collaborate with teams to ensure software meets system requirements and maintain documentation throughou...
Today
Firmware Engineer, Annapurna Labs, ML Acceleration - Performance Instrumentation & Developer Tools
$165K - $223K *
Drive the development of advanced firmware for power management and performance on ML chips. Lead the design of control algorithms, optimize thermal constraints, and build telemetry solutions to enhan...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
$92K - $161K *
Unlock potential by joining a dynamic Agile Scrum team to design, develop, and maintain complex software solutions, collaborating across multiple teams to enhance security and meet enterprise requirem...
1 week ago
$135K - $160K *
Help us design and enhance robust software systems, guiding teams on innovative projects while ensuring software performance and quality standards are met with leading-edge technologies...
4 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.