Software Company Roles
Full List of Roles in a Software Company
👨💻 Engineering / Technical
Development
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Frontend Developer | User interface (what you see) |
| Backend Developer | Server-side logic (behind the scenes) |
| Full Stack Developer | Both frontend + backend |
| Mobile Developer | Phone/tablet apps |
Quality Assurance (QA)
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| QA/Tester | Finding bugs manually |
| SDET | Writing automated tests |
| Performance Tester | Load/speed testing |
DevOps / Infrastructure
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| DevOps Engineer | Automation, CI/CD pipelines |
| SRE (Site Reliability) | Keeping systems running 24/7 |
| Cloud Engineer | AWS, Azure, Google Cloud setup |
| System Administrator | Managing servers |
| Network Engineer | Internet, firewalls, connections |
Database
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| DBA | Database management, backups |
| Data Engineer | Building data pipelines |
Data / AI
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Data Analyst | Reports, dashboards, insights |
| Data Scientist | Advanced analytics, predictions |
| ML Engineer | Machine learning/AI systems |
| AI Engineer | Building AI products |
Security
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Security Engineer | Protecting from hackers |
| Security Analyst | Monitoring threats |
| Penetration Tester | Ethical hacking to find holes |
Architecture / Tech Leadership
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Solutions Architect | Designing big-picture systems |
| Enterprise Architect | Company-wide tech strategy |
| Tech Lead | Senior dev who guides team |
| Engineering Manager | Manages developer teams |
🎨 Design
Product Design (UX/UI)
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| UI Designer | How things look (colors, buttons) |
| UX Designer | How things feel (easy to use?) |
| UX Researcher | Talking to users, understanding needs |
| Product Designer | Full design ownership (UI + UX) |
Visual / Creative Design
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Graphic Designer | Logos, images, visuals |
| Motion Designer | Animations, videos |
| Brand Designer | Company look and identity |
📋 Product / Project
Product
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Product Manager (PM) | Decides WHAT to build and WHY |
| Product Owner | Manages feature backlog (Agile) |
| Product Analyst | Product data and metrics |
Project Management
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Timelines, schedules, deadlines |
| Scrum Master | Runs Agile/Scrum process |
| Program Manager | Manages multiple projects |
Analysis / Documentation
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Business Analyst | Translates business needs to tech |
| Technical Writer | Documentation, guides, manuals |
💼 Business / Leadership
Executive (C-Suite)
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| CEO | Runs entire company |
| CTO | Top tech decision maker |
| COO | Operations |
| CFO | Money/finance |
| CPO | Product strategy |
| CMO | Marketing strategy |
Tech Leadership
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| VP of Engineering | Leads all engineering |
| VP of Product | Leads all product |
| Director of Engineering | Leads engineering teams |
📣 Sales
Lead Generation
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| SDR/BDR | Finding new leads (cold calls/emails) |
Closing / Deals
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Account Executive | Closing deals |
| Sales Engineer | Technical demos and support |
| Sales Manager | Leads sales team |
Account Management
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Account Manager | Managing existing customers |
📢 Marketing
Content
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Content Writer | Blogs, articles, social media |
| Social Media Manager | Managing social accounts |
Growth / Ads
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| SEO Specialist | Google search rankings |
| Paid Ads Specialist | Running ads (Google, Facebook) |
| Growth Marketer | Experiments to grow users |
Strategy
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Marketing Manager | Overall marketing strategy |
| Product Marketing | Positioning, messaging, launches |
🤝 Customer Facing
Customer Support
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Customer Support Rep | Answering questions/issues |
| Support Engineer | Technical troubleshooting |
| Support Manager | Leads support team |
Customer Success
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Customer Success Manager | Helping customers get value |
| Implementation Specialist | Setting up product for clients |
| Onboarding Specialist | Training new customers |
🏢 Operations / Admin
HR / People
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| HR Manager | Policies, benefits, culture |
| Recruiter | Finding and hiring candidates |
| HR Coordinator | Day-to-day HR tasks |
IT / Internal Tech
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| IT Support | Internal tech help (laptops, etc.) |
| IT Manager | Leads internal IT team |
Finance / Legal
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Accountant | Payroll, expenses, taxes |
| Finance Manager | Budgets, forecasts |
| Legal Counsel | Contracts, compliance |
Admin
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Office Manager | Office operations |
| Executive Assistant | Supports executives |
📊 Quick Summary
| Category | Sub-Category |
|---|---|
| Engineering | Dev, QA, DevOps, Database, Data/AI, Security, Architecture |
| Design | Product Design, Visual Design |
| Product/Project | Product, Project Mgmt, Analysis |
| Leadership | Executives, Tech Leaders |
| Sales | Lead Gen, Closing, Account Mgmt |
| Marketing | Content, Ads, Growth |
| Customer | Support, Success |
| Operations | HR, IT, Finance, Admin |