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Software Development Engineer Jobs in Massachusetts

As a Software Development Engineer, you will design and implement modern automation solutions, contribute to engineering and DevOps best practices, and partner closely with development teams across ...

ABOUT THIS ROLE As a Software Development Engineer, it's up to you to define, design and refine the tech that keeps us one step ahead of listeners. Anticipate. Innovate. Bring challenging ideas and ...

ABOUT THIS ROLE As a Software Development Engineer, it's up to you to define, design and refine the tech that keeps us one step ahead of listeners. Anticipate. Innovate Bring challenging ideas and we ...

ABOUT THIS ROLE As a Software Development Engineer, it's up to you to define, design and refine the tech that keeps us one step ahead of listeners. Anticipate. Innovate Bring challenging ideas and we ...

UKG is seeking a highly skilled and influential Lead Software Development Engineer to join our Shared Services team within Employee Solutions & Experience (ESE). This role is focused on advancing ...

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Software Development Engineer information

See Massachusetts salary details

$69.3K

$161.1K

$224.4K

How much do software development engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 27, 2026, the average yearly pay for software development engineer in Massachusetts is $161,114.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $131,100.00 and $188,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a software development engineer?

Software Development Engineers (SDEs) are professionals who design, develop, test, and maintain software applications or systems. They work with programming languages, frameworks, and tools to solve problems and build functional solutions for users or businesses. SDEs may specialize in various areas such as web development, mobile applications, or backend systems, and often collaborate with other team members like designers, testers, and product managers. Their responsibilities typically include writing code, debugging, optimizing performance, and ensuring software quality.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a software development engineer?

To thrive as a Software Development Engineer, you need strong programming skills in languages such as Java, Python, or C++, along with a degree in computer science or related fields. Familiarity with version control systems like Git, cloud platforms, and development frameworks is essential, and certifications such as AWS Certified Developer can be advantageous. Problem-solving ability, effective teamwork, and strong communication are crucial soft skills in this role. These skills and qualities enable engineers to build robust software solutions, adapt to evolving technologies, and collaborate efficiently within development teams.

What are some common challenges software development engineers face when working on large-scale projects?

Software Development Engineers working on large-scale projects often encounter challenges such as coordinating with cross-functional teams, managing code integration from multiple contributors, and ensuring consistent coding standards. Maintaining effective communication and clear documentation becomes essential to prevent misunderstandings and bottlenecks. Additionally, addressing scalability, performance optimization, and thorough testing can be complex, but these experiences also offer valuable opportunities for professional growth and learning.

What is the difference between Software Development Engineer vs Software Engineer?

AspectSoftware Development EngineerSoftware Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's degree in CS or related field; sometimes certificationsBachelor's degree in CS or related field; certifications optional
Work EnvironmentDevelops, tests, and maintains software; often in tech companies or startupsDesigns and implements software solutions; in various industries including tech, finance, healthcare
Industry UsageCommonly used in tech companies, especially in North America and AsiaWidely used across multiple industries and regions
Search & Comparison IntentOften compared for roles involving coding and software creationGeneral term for software development roles

Both roles involve coding and software creation, but a Software Development Engineer typically focuses on developing, testing, and maintaining software in tech environments, often with a more specialized or technical emphasis. Software Engineer is a broader term used across industries, encompassing various aspects of software design and implementation.

Is 25 too late to become a software development engineer?

Becoming a software development engineer at 25 is common and feasible, as many professionals start or switch careers in their mid-20s or later. Success depends on acquiring relevant skills, such as programming languages and development tools, and gaining practical experience through projects or internships.

What does a software development engineer do?

A software development engineer designs, develops, tests, and maintains software applications and systems. They write code using programming languages, collaborate with teams to define requirements, and ensure software quality through debugging and documentation. Proficiency in tools like version control and understanding of software development methodologies are essential for the role.

What are the most commonly searched types of Software Development Engineer jobs in Massachusetts?

The most popular types of Software Development Engineer jobs in Massachusetts are:

Infographic showing various Software Development Engineer job openings in Massachusetts as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 78% Full Time, 16% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 3% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 86% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $161,114 per year, or $77.5 per hour.

Software Development Engineer

Lowell, MA • On-site, Remote


UKG, Inc.

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 42 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

139th of 246 rated software companies

Good employer

Recommended by parents

Respectful managers


Full-time

Posted 9 days ago


Job description

Why UKG:
At UKG, the work you do matters. The code you ship, the decisions you make, and the care you show a customer all add up to real impact. Today, tens of millions of workers start and end their days with our workforce operating platform. Helping people get paid, grow in their careers, and shape the future of their industries. That's what we do.
We never stop learning. We never stop challenging the norm. We push for better, and we celebrate the wins along the way. Here, you'll get flexibility that's real, benefits you can count on, and a team that succeeds together. Because at UKG, your work matters-and so do you.
About the Team:
UKG is seeking a highly skilled Software Development Engineer to join our Shared Services team within Employee Solutions & Experience (ESE). This role is focused on advancing Quality Engineering through scalable test automation, strong software engineering practices, AI-enabled capabilities, and shared solutions that enable product teams to deliver high-quality software at speed.
About the Role:
As a Software Development Engineer, you will design and implement modern automation solutions, contribute to engineering and DevOps best practices, and partner closely with development teams across ESE to improve quality, test coverage, delivery efficiency, and release confidence. You will contribute to quality transformation through reusable automation frameworks, continuous testing, observability, AI-assisted development, and agentic approaches to software validation.
The ideal candidate combines strong technical expertise with a passion for improving engineering processes, supporting other engineers, and building reusable solutions that benefit multiple teams across UKG. They will bring the mindset of a software engineer, with practical experience applying modern development tools, AI coding assistants, Model Context Protocol, and AI agents to improve engineering productivity and quality outcomes.
Responsibilities:
  • Design, develop, and maintain scalable test automation frameworks, libraries, shared services, and developer tools.
  • Build reusable capabilities for browser, API, integration, contract, performance, accessibility, and end-to-end testing.
  • Establish engineering standards for automation architecture, code quality, testability, reliability, and maintainability.
  • Integrate automated quality checks, release validations, and quality gates into CI/CD pipelines while improving execution speed, parallelization, stability, diagnostics, and feedback time.
  • Implement automation observability through logging, metrics, traces, dashboards, and alerts; analyze test, build, deployment, application, and production telemetry to identify quality issues.
  • Partner with development, DevOps, SRE, security, architecture, and release teams to improve delivery quality and advance common platforms and reusable engineering patterns.
  • Mentor engineers and manual testers in automation, software development, DevOps, and AI-assisted engineering.

Basic Qualifications
  • 5+ years of experience in software engineering, quality engineering, DevOps, platform engineering, test automation, or a related field, with proficiency in TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, Java, C#, or a comparable language.
  • Experience designing and maintaining automation frameworks, internal engineering tools, and automated workflows.
  • Hands-on experience with Playwright, Selenium WebDriver, or similar browser automation technologies, as well as API, integration, contract, and end-to-end testing.
  • Proficiency with Git, pull requests, code reviews, build systems, deployment workflows, and CI/CD platforms such as Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, or Jenkins.
  • Working knowledge of Docker, Kubernetes, cloud services, modern application architectures, and observability practices, including logging, metrics, tracing, dashboards, and failure diagnostics.
  • Hands-on experience with Claude Code, Codex, or comparable AI coding assistants, with a working understanding of MCP, tool calling, and agentic application development.
  • Ability to review, validate, and safely apply AI-generated code and automated workflows.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience helping teams transition from manual testing or tool-specific automation to reusable, maintainable engineering solutions.
  • Knowledge of performance, security, accessibility, resiliency, and production validation practices.
  • Familiarity with retrieval-augmented generation, vector search, AI evaluation, and multi-agent systems.
  • Experience with observability platforms such as OpenTelemetry, Azure Monitor, Application Insights, Datadog, Grafana, or Splunk.

What Success Looks Like
  • Teams adopt shared automation capabilities and reusable engineering patterns, reducing flakiness, duplicated effort, and maintenance.
  • CI/CD feedback becomes faster, more reliable, actionable, and easier to diagnose.
  • Automation components are well designed, documented, observable, secure, and reusable.
  • AI-assisted development improves productivity and failure analysis while maintaining appropriate validation, governance, security, and human oversight.
  • Team members build stronger automation, programming, DevOps, and AI-engineering capabilities.

The strongest candidate will think like a software engineer who specializes in quality. They should be able to demonstrate meaningful systems, frameworks, or engineering capabilities they have designed and implemented-not only tools they have used.
Company Overview:
UKG is the Workforce Operating Platform that puts workforce understanding to work. With the world's largest collection of workforce insights, and people-first AI, our ability to reveal unseen ways to build trust, amplify productivity, and empower talent, is unmatched. It's this expertise that equips our customers with the intelligence to solve any challenge in any industry - because great organizations know their workforce is their competitive edge. Learn more at ukg.com.
Equal Opportunity Employer
UKG is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, disability, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.
View The EEO Know Your Rights poster
UKG participates in E-Verify. View the E-Verify posters here.
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
Disability Accommodation in the Application and Interview Process
For individuals with disabilities that need additional assistance at any point in the application and interview process, please email UKGCareers@ukg.com.
The pay range for this position is $90,900 to $130,700. The actual base pay offered may vary depending on skills, experience, job-related knowledge and work location. In addition to base pay, employees may be eligible to participate in a performance-based bonus plan and to receive restricted stock unit awards as part of total compensation. Learn more about UKG's benefits and rewards at https://www.ukg.com/about-us/careers/benefits

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