Software Developers, Systems Software
SOC: 15-1133.00

Description:

Research, design, develop, and test operating systems-level software, compilers, and network distribution software for medical, industrial, military, communications, aerospace, business, scientific, and general computing applications. Set operational specifications and formulate and analyze software requirements. May design embedded systems software. Apply principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis.

National Salary Information:

Hourly Statistics:

Annual Statistics:

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2015 wage data.

Employment Projections:

Employment (2014):
395,600 employed

Projected (2024):
447,000 employed

Projected growth (2014-2024)


Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2015 2014-2024 employment projections external site. "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2014-2024). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.

Alternate Titles:

  • Applications Analyst
  • Automation Engineer
  • Beta Tester
  • Certified Novell Engineer (CNE)
  • Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)
  • Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
  • Computer Architect
  • Computer Engineer
  • Computer Systems Engineer
  • Computer Systems Software Architect
  • Computer Systems Software Engineer
  • Configuration Manager
  • Developer
  • E-Business Manager
  • Embedded Systems Software Developer
  • Engineer, System Electronic Data Processing (Engineer, System EDP)
  • Enterprise Architect
  • Enterprise Systems Engineer
  • Firmware Engineer
  • Graphic Engineer
  • Information Architect
  • Information Technology Analyst (IT Analyst)
  • Information Technology Consultant (IT Consultant)
  • Infrastructure Engineer
  • Mainframe Systems Programmer
  • Network Engineer
  • Networking Engineer
  • Operating System Designer
  • Operating Systems Specialist
  • Publishing Systems Analyst
  • Senior Software Engineer
  • Server Engineer
  • Software Architect
  • Software Design Engineer
  • Software Developer
  • Software Development Engineer
  • Software Engineer
  • Software Engineering Systems Information Technology Specialist
  • Software Systems Engineer
  • Solution Architect
  • Supplier Quality Engineer
  • System Engineer
  • Systems Analyst
  • Systems Analyst Engineer
  • Systems Coordinator
  • Systems Engineer
  • Systems Integration Engineer
  • Systems Software Designer
  • Systems Software Engineer
  • Systems Software Quality Assurance Specialist
  • Systems Software Specialist
  • Systems Support Engineer
  • Technical Support Engineer
  • Test Engineer
  • Usability Engineer
  • Wide Area Network Engineer (WAN Engineer)

    • Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

    Experience:

    A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

    Education:

    Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

    Job Training:

    Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

    Required Skills:

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Writing
  • Speaking
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Learning
  • Learning Strategies
  • Monitoring
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Coordination
  • Persuasion
  • Negotiation
  • Instructing
  • Service Orientation
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Operations Analysis
  • Technology Design
  • Programming
  • Operation Monitoring
  • Quality Control Analysis
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Systems Analysis
  • Systems Evaluation
  • Time Management
  • Management of Financial Resources
  • Management of Material Resources
  • Management of Personnel Resources

    • Knowledge Used:

  • Administration and Management
  • Clerical
  • Economics and Accounting
  • Sales and Marketing
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Personnel and Human Resources
  • Production and Processing
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Design
  • Mechanical
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Psychology
  • Sociology and Anthropology
  • Geography
  • Education and Training
  • English Language
  • Philosophy and Theology
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Law and Government
  • Telecommunications
  • Communications and Media

    • Tasks:

  • Modify existing software to correct errors, to adapt it to new hardware, or to upgrade interfaces and improve performance.
  • Design or develop software systems, using scientific analysis and mathematical models to predict and measure outcome and consequences of design.
  • Consult with engineering staff to evaluate interface between hardware and software, develop specifications and performance requirements, or resolve customer problems.
  • Analyze information to determine, recommend, and plan installation of a new system or modification of an existing system.
  • Develop or direct software system testing or validation procedures.
  • Direct software programming and development of documentation.
  • Consult with customers or other departments on project status, proposals, or technical issues, such as software system design or maintenance.
  • Advise customer about or perform maintenance of software system.
  • Coordinate installation of software system.
  • Monitor functioning of equipment to ensure system operates in conformance with specifications.
  • Store, retrieve, and manipulate data for analysis of system capabilities and requirements.
  • Confer with data processing or project managers to obtain information on limitations or capabilities for data processing projects.
  • Prepare reports or correspondence concerning project specifications, activities, or status.
  • Evaluate factors such as reporting formats required, cost constraints, or need for security restrictions to determine hardware configuration.
  • Supervise and assign work to programmers, designers, technologists, technicians, or other engineering or scientific personnel.
  • Train users to use new or modified equipment.
  • Use microcontrollers to develop control signals, implement control algorithms, or measure process variables, such as temperatures, pressures, or positions.
  • Recommend purchase of equipment to control dust, temperature, or humidity in area of system installation.
  • Specify power supply requirements and configuration.

    • Tools & Technology:

  • Application servers
  • Desktop computers
  • Directory servers
  • Graphics processing unit GPU
  • In circuit emulators ICE
  • Logic analyzers
  • Mainframe computers
  • Multi-core central processing unit CPU
  • Notebook computers
  • A programming language APL
  • ABC Compiler
  • ABC: the AspectBench Compiler for AspectJ
  • Ada
  • Adobe Systems Adobe ActionScript
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Flash
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Flex
  • Advanced business application programming ABAP
  • AJAX
  • Algorithmic language ALGOL
  • Allaire ColdFusion
  • American National Standards Institute ANSI C
  • Apache Cassandra
  • Apache Hadoop
  • Apache HTTP Server
  • Apache Maven
  • Apache Pig
  • Apache Solr
  • Apache Struts
  • Apache Tomcat
  • Apple Macintosh OS/X
  • Assembler
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Automated installation software
  • AWK
  • B-Method
  • Backup and archival software
  • Beginner's all-purpose symbolic instruction code BASIC
  • Bigloo Scheme
  • C
  • C#
  • C++
  • CA Erwin Data Modeler
  • Call-processing language CPL
  • Cisco Systems IOS
  • Citrix software
  • Collaborative Application Markup Language CAML
  • Common business oriented language COBOL
  • Common Lisp Object System CLOS
  • Component object model COM software
  • Computer assisted software engineering CASE software
  • Computer Associates integrated data management system CA-IDMS
  • Computer On-line Real-time Applications Language CORAL 66
  • Configuration management software
  • Customer information control system CICS software
  • Dassault Systemes CATIA software
  • Data analysis software
  • Data definition language DDL
  • Data manipulation language DML
  • DataVision software
  • Defect tracking software
  • Delphi software
  • Deployment software
  • Disk operating system DOS software
  • Distributed component object model DCOM software
  • Distributed database management software
  • Document management system software
  • Document Object Model DOM Scripting
  • Drupal
  • Dynamic analysis software
  • Dynamic hypertext markup language DHTML
  • Dynamic modeling software
  • E++ pattern language
  • Eclipse software
  • Eiffel
  • Embarcadero Delphi
  • Embarcadero JBuilder
  • Embedded systems development software
  • Emerald Software Group Emerald Green Office
  • Encryption software
  • Enterprise application integration EAI software
  • Enterprise JavaBeans
  • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Epic Systems software
  • ESRI ArcGIS software
  • Event-driven State-machines Programming
  • Ext JS
  • Extensible HyperText Markup Language XHTML
  • Extensible markup language XML
  • Extensible stylesheet language transformations XSLT
  • Fault testing software
  • File server software
  • Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
  • Forth
  • Functional testing software
  • Gambit Scheme
  • Graphical user interface GUI design software
  • Haskell
  • Hewlett Packard HP-UX
  • Hewlett Packard LoadRunner
  • Hibernate ORM
  • Human resource management software HRMS
  • Hyperion software
  • Hypertext markup language HTML
  • IBM AIX
  • IBM Cognos Impromptu
  • IBM DB2
  • IBM InfoSphere DataStage
  • IBM Middleware
  • IBM Notes
  • IBM Power Systems software
  • IBM Rational ClearCase
  • IBM Rational ClearQuest
  • IBM Rational PurifyPlus
  • IBM Rational Requisite Pro
  • IBM Rational Rose XDE Developer D93
  • IBM WebSphere
  • IBM z/OS operating systems
  • ICON programming language
  • IEA Software Emerald
  • Integrated development environment IDE software
  • Integration testing software
  • Interface definition language IDL
  • Interoperability testing software
  • Interstate connection ICON
  • J
  • JavaScript
  • Job control language JCL
  • jQuery
  • KornShell
  • LAMP Stack
  • LexisNexis software
  • Linux
  • List processing language LISP
  • Load testing software
  • Magellan Firmware
  • McAfee software
  • Microsoft .NET Framework
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
  • Microsoft ActiveX
  • Microsoft DirectX
  • Microsoft Dynamics software
  • Microsoft ESP SDK
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Exchange Server
  • Microsoft Internet Information Service IIS
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Project
  • Microsoft Sharepoint
  • Microsoft SharePoint software
  • Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services
  • Microsoft SQL Server software
  • Microsoft transact-structural query language T-SQL
  • Microsoft Visio
  • Microsoft Visual Basic
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition VBScript
  • Microsoft Visual Basic.NET
  • Microsoft Visual C# .NET
  • Microsoft Visual Studio
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word
  • Migration software
  • Migration testing software
  • Minitab software
  • Modula
  • MongoDB
  • MUMPS M
  • Mutation testing software
  • MVS software
  • MySQL software
  • Nagios
  • National Instruments LabVIEW
  • Node.js
  • NoSQL software
  • Novell network software
  • Oberon
  • Object Management Group Object Request Broker
  • Objective C
  • Objective Caml
  • Open Graphics Library OpenGL
  • Operating system shells
  • Oracle Application Server
  • Oracle Business Intelligence Discoverer
  • Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition
  • Oracle Business Intelligence Suite
  • Oracle Java
  • Oracle JavaServer Pages JSP
  • Oracle JDBC
  • Oracle PL/SQL
  • Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management software
  • Oracle Reports
  • Oracle Solaris
  • Oracle WebLogic Server
  • Pascal
  • Patch management software
  • Perforce Helix software
  • PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor
  • PostgreSQL software
  • Practical extraction and reporting language Perl
  • Process Control System Software
  • Programming language one PL/I
  • Prolog
  • PTC Creo Parametric
  • Puppet
  • Python
  • QNX software
  • Real time operating system RTOS software
  • Recovery testing software
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Red Hat WildFly
  • Regression testing software
  • Relational database management software
  • Requirements management software
  • Restructured extended executor REXX
  • Ruby
  • Ruby on Rails
  • SAP Business Intelligence
  • SAP Business Objects software
  • SAP Crystal Reports
  • SAP Netweaver
  • SAP software
  • SAS software
  • Scheme programming language
  • Security testing software
  • Self
  • Simple API for XML SAX
  • Simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis SPICE
  • Smalltalk
  • Software distribution management software
  • Splunk Enterprise
  • Spring Framework
  • Static analysis software
  • Storage area network SAN software
  • Stress testing software
  • String oriented symbolic language SNOBOL
  • Structured query language SQL
  • Sun Microsystems Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition J2EE
  • Sybase software
  • Sybase SQL Server
  • Symantec security software
  • Symantec Visual Cafe
  • System testing software
  • Teradata Database
  • Test design software
  • Test implementation software
  • The MathWorks MATLAB
  • The MathWorks Simulink
  • Transact-SQL
  • Unified modeling language UML
  • Unit testing software
  • UNIX
  • Verilog
  • Veritas NetBackup
  • Version control software
  • Virtual private networking VPN software
  • Visible Razor
  • VxWorks software
  • Web server software
  • Web service definition language WDSL
  • Win CE
  • Wireshark

    • computer and mathematical

    industry stats

    SOC: 15-0000

    Total Employed: 4,005,250

    Average Annual Salary: $86,170