Core Track
The core track represents the level of autonomy an individual has, and their impact on the organization. It is expected that most people continue to progress through the levels until they reach L4, however, at that point many individuals may diversify their skills and experience instead of seeking to progress to L5 or switching to the manager track.
L1
A L1 engineer is taking their first steps into the world of professional software development. They're eager to learn and apply their knowledge, often surprised by the complexity of real-world systems. Their focus is on understanding the codebase, learning team practices, and gaining confidence in their ability to contribute. They're not just coding; they're learning how their work fits into the broader product context and starting to grasp the importance of user needs.
- Writes clean, maintainable code
- Develops basic understanding of product goals and user needs
- Understands the importance of testing and documentation
- Collaborates with team members on small features or bug fixes
- Seeks and incorporates feedback and guidance regularly
- Develops foundational knowledge of version control and CI/CD processes
L2
L2 engineers are finding their feet and beginning to spread their wings. They're becoming more independent, taking on larger tasks with less guidance. They're starting to see the bigger picture, understanding how their work impacts users and the business. They're becoming active participants in team discussions, offering ideas and asking insightful questions. Their confidence is growing, and they're starting to mentor newcomers on the basics.
- Contributes effectively to larger, cross-functional projects
- Understands and considers user needs when implementing features
- Writes efficient, well-tested code with proper documentation
- Participates in code reviews and provides constructive feedback
- Collaborates with product and design teams to refine feature implementations
- Understands and applies basic performance optimization techniques
- Demonstrates growing autonomy in task completion
L3
L3 engineers are hitting their stride. They're the reliable workhorses of the team, consistently delivering high-quality work. They're not just implementing features; they're actively involved in shaping them, bringing their technical expertise to product discussions. They're often the go-to person for specific areas of the codebase and are adept at balancing technical debt with feature delivery. They're also emerging as mentors, helping to guide and develop more junior team members.
- Owns small to medium-sized projects or features
- Proactively considers user needs and business impact in technical decisions
- Architects scalable and maintainable solutions for complex problems
- Mentors junior engineers and contributes to their growth
- Actively participates in product discussions, offering technical insights
- Drives improvements in development processes and tooling
- Demonstrates strong debugging and problem-solving skills
L4
Senior engineers are becoming the technical leaders of their teams. They're not just building features; they're shaping the technical direction of projects and influencing product strategy. They have a holistic view of the system and can anticipate future challenges. They're adept at navigating complex technical and non-technical challenges, often acting as a bridge between engineering and other departments. Their focus extends beyond their team, looking for ways to improve engineering practices across the organization.
- Leads small project teams and provides technical direction
- Balances technical debt with product delivery needs
- Influences product roadmap with technical insights and feasibility analysis
- Implements and advocates for best practices in code quality and architecture
- Drives adoption of new technologies that improve product delivery or user experience
- Collaborates effectively with other departments to drive business outcomes
- Provides valuable input in hiring and team growth decisions
L5
Staff engineers are the technical architects of the organization. They're thinking several steps ahead, anticipating industry trends and positioning the company to capitalize on them. They're not just solving today's problems; they're preventing tomorrow's. Their influence extends across multiple teams or departments, and they play a crucial role in shaping the company's technical strategy. They're also nurturing the next generation of technical leaders, helping to scale their impact across the organization.
- Leads large, high-priority, cross-functional strategic projects
- Drives technical decisions that significantly impact company direction and growth
- Develops technical strategies aligned with long-term product vision
- Identifies and mitigates technical risks that could affect product success
- Influences company-wide engineering standards and practices
- Mentors senior engineers and helps develop technical leadership
- Represents the engineering perspective in high-level product strategy discussions
L6
L6 engineers are the ones setting the technical north star, aligning engineering efforts with the company's long-term vision. They're not just exceptional engineers; they're thought leaders who shape the industry. Their deep technical expertise is matched by their business acumen, allowing them to make decisions that balance innovation with pragmatism. They're the ultimate problem solvers, brought in to tackle the most complex challenges facing the organization.
- Translates company vision into actionable technical strategies and projects
- Provides technical leadership across multiple teams or departments
- Drives innovation that creates significant competitive advantages
- Influences product strategy at the highest level, balancing technical feasibility with business goals
- Establishes engineering culture and values that align with product-focused mindset
- Acts as a key technical advisor to executive leadership
- Identifies and cultivates future technical leaders within the organization