Different Types of Software Engineer Profiles

In a world full of developers, where there are more than 26.8 million active developers, it's impossible that you haven't come across Software Engineers. Software Engineer roles have been interesting, and every individual wants to become one. Software Engineers are highly paid professionals who earn lakhs of rupees in a month, even as a fresher. You all have probably heard of some of the software engineer profiles, such as Quality Assurance Engineer, DevOps Engineer, Software Developer, Cloud Engineer, Data Engineer, etc. Let’s look at each one in turn.

Various Types of Software Engineer Roles

1. Software Development Engineer(SDE)

The majority of well-known roles in this area include front-end developers, back-end developers, full-stack developers, mobile app developers, cross-platform developers, etc. SDE is a general profile that allows you to work on app development, front-end development, back-end development, etc. There are no restrictions or limitations; you are free to select the kind of development that appeals to you and to work on it. The pay scale of a Cloud Architect is around 1.1Lakh-1.25 Lakh/month, as a fresher.

Skills Required - Intermediate DSA (Data Structures and Algorithms), Programming Language, Web Development, and Projects.

Software Development Engineer in Testing (SDET) -

This is a more advanced profile than SDE because, in addition to developing a feature, you are also responsible for its testing. This profile ensures complete service testing.

2. Software Tester/Quality Assurance Engineer (QAE) 

Under this profile, one must test software in accordance with certain business requirements, such as the feature’s design, working, and expectations. After SDE develops the program, QAE receives it and runs certain test cases on it to make sure that the software satisfies the need in terms of end-to-end functioning. He reports any bugs in the developed program to the SDE so that they can be rectified. The pay scale of a Cloud Architect is around 1 Lakh/month, as a fresher.

Skills Required - Basic level DSA(Data Structures and Algorithms), testing concepts, troubleshooting skills.

3. DevOps Engineer/Software Liability Engineer/Operations Engineer 

A DevOps Engineer is in charge of maintaining the flow between software development and deployment. When software is developed via SDE, it must pass through infrastructure (i.e., a pipeline or containers) in order to reach the deployment phase. The DevOps Engineer manages or maintains this infrastructure to ensure a smooth flow. He makes sure that the infrastructure is error-free and does not malfunction or break in the middle of an operation. He verifies that the program is deployed smoothly and that the CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Development) concepts are upheld. The pay scale of a DevOps Engineer is 60,000–70,000/month, as a fresher.

Skills Required - Operating System, Computer Networks, Basic level DSA(Data Structures and Algorithms)

4. Cloud Support Engineer/Cloud Associate 

A Cloud Associate is in control of all the back-end code in the cloud as a cloud support engineer. He is responsible for fixing any bugs or issues that occur in the cloud, as well as making sure that the code and data stored there are kept up to date along with smooth functionality. The pay scale of a Cloud Support Engineer is around 70,000/month, as a fresher.

Skills Required - Operating System, Computer Networks, Scripting Language (Example- JavaScript, Python, Ruby)

5. Cloud Architect/Solutions Architect

A cloud architect is in charge of all infrastructure design in accordance with business needs. He is responsible for overseeing a company’s cloud computing strategy, which includes cloud adoption plans, cloud application design, and cloud management and monitoring. The pay scale of a Cloud Architect is around 1 Lakh/month, as a fresher.

Skills Required - Operating System, Computer Networks, Scripting Language(Example- JavaScript, Python, Ruby), Programming Language, Security concepts

6. Data Analyst 

The job of a data analyst is to collect, clean, and interpret data sets in order to answer a question or to find a solution. For businesses and organizations, interpret statistical data and transform it into useful information. The pay scale of a Data Analyst is around 50,000-60,000/month, as a fresher.

Skills Required - MS Excel, Python, SQL, Visualization Tools (for example- Power BI, Tableau, etc)

7. Data Engineer 

Relevant data is gathered by Data Engineers. They transport and transform this data into "pipelines" or "infrastructure" for the data science team. Data engineers establish "pipelines" of advanced queries to organize problems in the programmed system and design the big data infrastructure that will be used for analysis. The pay scale of a Cloud Architect is around 1 Lakh/month, as a fresher.  The pay scale of a Data Engineer is around 80,000-90,000/month, as a fresher.

Skills Required - Database tools, Data transformation tools, Data ingestion tools, Data mining tools, Data warehousing and ETL tools, Real-time processing frameworks, Machine Learning

8. Data Scientist 

It is the data scientist's job to interpret large amounts of data and identify trends in them to gain a deeper understanding of what they mean. Data scientists use business analytics to show how data will impact a company in the future. They can provide solutions to help that company deal with those effects in the present and future. The pay scale of a Cloud Architect is around 1 Lakh/month, as a fresher.  The pay scale of a Data Scientist is around 1.3-1.5 Lakh/month, as a fresher.

Skills Required - R/Python, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Natural Language Processing, Statistical analysis and computing, Data Visualization, Data Wrangling.

9. Security Engineer 

A security engineer creates procedures, methods, and systems that are used to test the security of software. They are often known as "white hat" or "ethical" hackers. Their major task is to exploit security holes and find vulnerabilities so that they may be fixed before the systems are used by the end user and deliver the best possible experience. The pay scale of a Security Engineer is around 60,000/month, as a fresher.

Skills Required - Python, Ruby, ethical hacking, C++, reverse engineering

Conclusion

There are many types of software engineer roles, each with its own focus and skills. Whether you want to build apps, test software, manage cloud systems, work with data, or protect against cyber threats, there is a role for you. Entry-level salaries vary but many freshers can earn good pay right from the start. Choosing the right role depends on your interests and skills, from coding and testing to data analysis and security. Understanding these roles helps you make an informed career choice in the vast world of software engineering.