Understanding the role of a Staff engineer

Define your own progression and responsibilities in becoming a senior individual contributor.

The role and definition of a Staff engineer differs from org to org. This poses a challenge when looking to recruit new ICs into the business as the job title doesn’t always translate to the skillset that you’re looking for. 

Whilst a standardised definition might be nice, we’re taking an alternative approach! How can you best define your own personal progression when your org doesn’t have a clear career ladder?

Join the first webinar in our ‘Defining the IC career ladder’ series to find out exactly what the job of a senior staff engineer looks like across an array of organizations and stay tuned in the coming months as we climb the career ladder and explore what Staff+ looks like from Staff engineer to CTO.

Key learnings

- Understand how to set your own definition of your job role in an organisation
- Learn the key skills you need for moving up towards a Staff engineer 
- Define the commonalities of the day to day job role across different organizations
- Create your own set standard KPIs and skills to build your career

[MattCM]

I recently got promoted to one of the first staff in our company, and am finding the expectations difficult to pin down. This has been immensely helpful thank you so much for all the content.

[thesoftwareengineershow]

Andrew makes sense as a staff software engineer. He points larger things that a staff engineer needs rather than a senior/mid software engineer needs.

[linonator]

Talk about a diamond in the rough. This was one of the best podcast on this topic I’ve seen. Awesome video!

[sephorasmuse]

Thanks for the information. I recently got hired as a Staff Engineer. At least, I know what I'm going into now.

[Hangar]

I wish I could have Allison as my mentor. She seems like a really good staff engineer.

[hanzladev]

That was something different which I just watched, Thank you so much for bringing up next level content 💗💗💗

[architectsofthecloud]

I needed as a great prep for a life changing staff engineer interview I will have in a week.

[kevvvinnn]

12:00 — The dopamine triggers disappear when you transition from Senior to Staff

[xinwang]

I feel if it is a 1:1 interview could be much deeper on the topic.

[JonLundy]

Such a leadership pull to let OKRs drop by the wayside.

[joshrose]

If this was an interview, Ras is the hire.

[radhaivaturi]

hello... I worked as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics and statistics for 9 years now i am taking a career transition into Data science... and i have an interview for Staff Engineer ... please help me how to prepare

[thaboshikwambane]

Links to the other parts of this series?

[handlechar]

i don't think its vague enough tbh. how about "working worker"? has a better ring to it.

[jn-tiof]

Me, a mid level: WOW I'm absolutely a staff engineer!

[ralhamami]

I, for one, think Laurie's Lego sets did not get enough attention. 😎

[mnrjruen]

how is it possible that every engineer is on the staff level? how arrogant!