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Software Development Staff Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Staff Engineer, Software Engineering (SRE Availability and Incident Management) Position ... Develop and execute technical software development strategy for a variety of domains * Accountable ...

Staff Engineer, Software Engineering (SRE Availability and Incident Management) Position ... Develop and execute technical software development strategy for a variety of domains * Accountable ...

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Software Development Staff Engineer information

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$82K

$147.9K

$210.5K

How much do software development staff engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 12, 2026, the average yearly pay for software development staff engineer in the United States is $147,950.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $110,500.00 and $184,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Software Development Staff Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Software Development Staff Engineer, you need advanced programming expertise, architecture design experience, and typically a degree in computer science or a related field. Mastery of version control systems (like Git), cloud platforms (such as AWS or Azure), and knowledge of CI/CD pipelines are commonly required, along with relevant certifications. Leadership, strong problem-solving abilities, and effective communication are vital soft skills for mentoring teams and collaborating across departments. These skills and qualities are crucial for delivering robust technical solutions, driving innovation, and guiding engineering teams toward organizational goals.

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

AspectSoftware Development Staff EngineerSoftware Development Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in CS or related field; extensive experienceBachelor's or Master's in CS or related field; entry to mid-level experience
Work EnvironmentLeads technical projects, mentors teams, influences architectureDevelops features, writes code, collaborates within teams
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in large tech companies, enterprise environmentsCommon across startups, mid-sized, and large companies
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding senior technical roles, leadership scopeEntry to mid-level development roles, career growth

The Software Development Staff Engineer typically holds a senior technical position, leading projects and mentoring teams, whereas a Software Development Engineer focuses on coding and feature development. Both roles require strong technical skills and relevant experience, but the Staff Engineer has a broader scope of influence and leadership within an organization.

What are Software Development Staff Engineers?

Software Development Staff Engineers are highly experienced software engineers who serve as technical leaders within their organizations. They often design complex systems, set technical direction, mentor junior engineers, and collaborate across teams to solve challenging problems. Staff Engineers are expected to have deep expertise in software development and architecture, and they play a critical role in ensuring high-quality code and scalable solutions. They may not directly manage people, but their influence and leadership are felt through technical guidance and strategic decision-making.

How does a Software Development Staff Engineer typically collaborate with cross-functional teams?

As a Software Development Staff Engineer, you'll regularly work with cross-functional teams, including product managers, designers, QA engineers, and operations specialists. Collaboration often involves leading technical discussions, aligning on project goals, and ensuring that architectural decisions support business objectives. You may also mentor junior engineers and facilitate communication between development and other departments to address dependencies and resolve potential roadblocks. This role requires strong communication and leadership skills to drive projects forward and deliver high-quality software solutions.
More about Software Development Staff Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Software Development Staff Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Software Development Staff Engineer job openings:
Who are the top companies hiring for Software Development Staff Engineer jobs? The top employers for Software Development Staff Engineer jobs are:
Staff Engineer, Software Engineering

Staff Engineer, Software Engineering

GEICO

Bethesda, MD • On-site

$100K - $230K/yr

Full-time

Retirement

Posted 7 days ago


GEICO rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 351 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

133rd of 261 rated insurance


Job description

At GEICO, we offer a rewarding career where your ambitions are met with endless possibilities.
Every day we honor our iconic brand by offering quality coverage to millions of customers and being there when they need us most. We thrive through relentless innovation to exceed our customers' expectations while making a real impact for our company through our shared purpose.
When you join our company, we want you to feel valued, supported and proud to work here. That's why we offer The GEICO Pledge: Great Company, Great Culture, Great Rewards and Great Careers.
Staff Engineer, Software Engineering (SRE Availability and Incident Management)
Position Description
Our Staff Engineer works with Junior and Sr. Engineers to innovate and build new systems, improve and enhance existing systems, and identify new opportunities to apply your knowledge to solve critical problems. You will lead the strategy and execution of a technical roadmap that will increase the velocity of delivering products and unlock new engineering capabilities. The ideal candidate has deep technical expertise in their domain.
Position Responsibilities
As a Staff Engineer, you will:
  • Focus on multiple areas and provide technical and thought leadership to the enterprise
  • Collaborate with product managers, team members, customers, and other engineering teams to solve our toughest problems
  • Develop and execute technical software development strategy for a variety of domains
  • Accountable for the quality, usability, and performance of the solutions
  • Utilize programming languages like Python, C# or other object-oriented languages, SQL, and NoSQL databases, Container Orchestration services including Docker and Kubernetes, and a variety of Azure tools and services
  • Be a role model and mentor, helping to coach and strengthen the technical expertise and know-how of our engineering and product community. Influence and educate executives
  • Consistently share best practices and improve processes within and across teams
  • Analyze cost and forecast, incorporating them into business plans
  • Determine and support resource requirements, evaluate operational processes, measure outcomes to ensure desired results, and demonstrate adaptability and sponsoring continuous learning

Qualifications
  • Exemplary ability to design, perform experiments, and influence engineering direction and product roadmap
  • Experience partnering with engineering teams and transferring research to production
  • Track-record of publications history in credible conferences and journals
  • Experience with continuous delivery and infrastructure as code
  • In-depth knowledge of CS data structures and algorithms
  • Experience solving analytical problems with quantitative approaches
  • Ability to excel in a fast-paced, startup-like environment
  • Knowledge of developer tooling across the software development life cycle (task management, source code, building, deployment, operations, real-time communication)
  • Fluency and Specialization with at least two modern languages such as Go, Java, C++, Python or C# including object-oriented design
  • Experience with Microservices oriented architecture and extensible REST APIs
  • Experience building the architecture and design (architecture, design patterns, reliability, and scaling) of new and current systems
  • Fluency in DevOps Concepts, Cloud Architecture, and Azure DevOps Operational Framework
  • Experience in leveraging PowerShell scripting
  • Experience in existing Operational Portals such as Azure Portal
  • Experience with application monitoring tools and performance assessments
  • In depth knowledge of Datacenter structure, capabilities, and offerings, including the Azure platform, and its native services including the Azure platform and its native services
  • Experience in security protocols and products: Understanding of Active Directory, Windows Authentication, SAML, OAuth
  • Experience in Azure Network (Subscription, Security zoning, etc.)
  • Able to design and develop ALM features
  • Experience with development and management of EAP

Experience
  • 10+ years of professional software development experience (focus on SRE and Incident/Change Management)
  • 8+ years of experience with architecture and design
  • 6+ years of experience in open-source frameworks
  • 4+ years of experience with AWS, GCP, Azure, or another cloud service
  • 5+ years of development in a large-scale, mission-critical environment preferred
  • 2+ years' experience with automated testing including Unit, Integration, and End-to-End functional testing preferred

Education
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or equivalent education or work experience

Annual Salary
$100,000.00 - $230,000.00
The above annual salary range is a general guideline. Multiple factors are taken into consideration to arrive at the final hourly rate/ annual salary to be offered to the selected candidate. Factors include, but are not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the role, the selected candidate's work experience, education and training, the work location as well as market and business considerations.
At this time, GEICO will not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization for this position.
The GEICO Pledge:
Great Company: At GEICO, we help our customers through life's twists and turns. Our mission is to protect people when they need it most and we're constantly evolving to stay ahead of their needs.
We're an iconic brand that thrives on innovation, exceeding our customers' expectations and enabling our collective success. From day one, you'll take on exciting challenges that help you grow and collaborate with dynamic teams who want to make a positive impact on people's lives.
Great Careers: We offer a career where you can learn, grow, and thrive through personalized development programs, created with your career - and your potential - in mind. You'll have access to industry leading training, certification assistance, career mentorship and coaching with supportive leaders at all levels.
Great Culture: We foster an inclusive culture of shared success, rooted in integrity, a bias for action and a winning mindset. Grounded by our core values, we have an an established culture of caring, inclusion, and belonging, that values different perspectives. Our teams are led by dynamic, multi-faceted teams led by supportive leaders, driven by performance excellence and unified under a shared purpose.
As part of our culture, we also offer employee engagement and recognition programs that reward the positive impact our work makes on the lives of our customers.
Great Rewards: We offer compensation and benefits built to enhance your physical well-being, mental and emotional health and financial future.
  • Comprehensive Total Rewards program that offers personalized coverage tailor-made for you and your family's overall well-being.
  • Financial benefits including market-competitive compensation; a 401K savings plan vested from day one that offers a 6% match; performance and recognition-based incentives; and tuition assistance.
  • Access to additional benefits like mental healthcare as well as fertility and adoption assistance.
  • Supports flexibility- We provide workplace flexibility as well as our GEICO Flex program, which offers the ability to work from anywhere in the US for up to four weeks per year.

The equal employment opportunity policy of the GEICO Companies provides for a fair and equal employment opportunity for all associates and job applicants regardless of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, familial status, disability or genetic information, in compliance with applicable federal, state and local law. GEICO hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled.
GEICO reasonably accommodates qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to receive equal employment opportunity and/or perform the essential functions of the job, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship to the Company. This applies to all applicants and associates. GEICO also provides a work environment in which each associate is able to be productive and work to the best of their ability. We do not condone or tolerate an atmosphere of intimidation or harassment. We expect and require the cooperation of all associates in maintaining an atmosphere free from discrimination and harassment with mutual respect by and for all associates and applicants.

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About GEICO

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

GEICO is built on ingenuity, perseverance, innovation, resilience, and hard, honest work. From its humble beginnings in the midst of the Great Depression to its current place as one of the most successful companies in the nation, GEICO represents a quintessential American success story. At GEICO, we love that our associates are proud goal-seekers, and that's why we believe in celebrating their milestones and rewarding their achievements. Throughout the year we reward performance and accomplishments, host programs that recognize personal successes, and acknowledge innovation, service, and leadership.

Industry

Insurance services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Chevy Chase, MD, US

Year founded

1936