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Software Engineer Independent Contractor Jobs in Seattle, WA

Seattle, Washington, United States Software and Services The Apple Services Engineering (ASE) team ... Gaining in-depth understanding of the domain, leading independent research where needed, and ...

New

Embedded Software Engineer Sr

Lynnwood, WA

$145K - $191K/yr

The Senior Embedded Software Engineer is a key contributor to the development of advanced sensing ... As a US Department of Defense contractor, we are bound by International Traffic in Arms Regulations ...

Software Engineer V

Redmond, WA · On-site

$85 - $95/hr

Software Engineer (C++, NLP) V Location: Redmond, WA, Burlingame, CA, or NYC Duration: 06+ months ... Expert ability to work independently and manage time effectively. * Proven mentoring skills to ...

Senior Software Engineer

Redmond, WA · On-site

$137K - $180K/yr

Apply AI-native development practices by independently using appropriate AI tools and practices ... DJOBS Software Engineering IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD ...

Senior Software Engineer

Home, WA · Remote

$136K - $179K/yr

We are looking for Senior Software Engineers to join our Engineering team. Your mission will be to ... You should be comfortable working independently with little supervision on a 100% remote team. If ...

Senior Software Engineer

Seattle, WA

$139K - $183K/yr

In-depth expertise and a track record of independently owning programs and multiple components with ... Software Engineer Employment Type: Full time Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code: Seattle, WA ...

If you love the intersection of software engineering and large-scale operations, and you want your ... Gaining in-depth understanding of the domain, leading independent research where needed, and ...

Senior Software Engineer

Redmond, WA · On-site

$110K - $120K/yr

About Ascendion Ascendion is an AI-native software engineering disruptor helping businesses ... Ability to work independently and drive solutions end-to-end * Excellent problem-solving, debugging ...

SOFTWARE ENGINEER (STARSHIELD) Starshield leverages SpaceX's Starlink technology and launch ... Ability to work independently and in a team, take initiative, and communicate effectively * Ability ...

Sr Software Engineer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$148K - $199K/yr

Self-motivated, independent, and excellent at problem-solving, with strong verbal and written ... Software Engineer Employment Type: Full time Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code: Seattle, WA ...

You will work independently on well-scoped features and collaborate with senior engineers on larger ... We expect Software Engineer II's to own scoped features end-to-end, make sound technical decisions ...

SOFTWARE ENGINEER (STARSHIELD) Starshield leverages SpaceX's Starlink technology and launch ... Ability to work independently and in a team, take initiative, and communicate effectively * Ability ...

Lead Software Engineer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$150 - $190/hr

Ability to work independently and drive execution across distributed teams. Experience 8 to 12 years in software or Software Engineering, Data Engineering including recent hands-on work with AI ...

Showing results 21-40

Software Engineer Independent Contractor information

See Seattle, WA salary details

$72.3K

$167.9K

$233.9K

How much do software engineer independent contractor jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 23, 2026, the average yearly pay for software engineer independent contractor in Seattle, WA is $167,886.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $136,600.00 and $196,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a software engineer independent contractor?

A Software Engineer Independent Contractor is a self-employed professional who provides software development services to clients on a contractual basis. Unlike full-time employees, independent contractors work on specific projects, often for multiple clients, and handle their own taxes, benefits, and work schedules. They may be responsible for designing, coding, testing, and maintaining software solutions based on client requirements. This role offers flexibility and autonomy but requires strong time management and business skills.

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

To thrive as a Software Engineer Independent Contractor, you need proficient coding abilities, problem-solving skills, and a solid understanding of software development methodologies, often supported by a degree in computer science or related experience. Familiarity with popular programming languages, project management tools, code repositories like Git, and relevant certifications such as AWS Certified Developer or Scrum Master are commonly expected. Excellent self-management, communication, and client relationship skills help you stand out in this position. These abilities are crucial for delivering high-quality solutions, maintaining professionalism, and ensuring client satisfaction while working independently.

What are the typical challenges faced by software engineer independent contractors, and how can they be addressed?

As a Software Engineer Independent Contractor, common challenges include managing multiple projects simultaneously, adapting to different client expectations, and ensuring consistent communication across remote teams. Successful contractors often establish clear project scopes, set realistic timelines, and utilize productivity tools to stay organized. Building strong client relationships and proactively addressing feedback can help mitigate misunderstandings and foster repeat business. Additionally, investing in ongoing learning and networking can open opportunities for higher-value projects and career growth. Embracing flexibility and self-discipline is key to thriving in this dynamic, self-driven work environment.

What are the most commonly searched types of Software Engineer jobs in Seattle, WA?

The most popular types of Software Engineer jobs in Seattle, WA are:

What cities near Seattle, WA are hiring for Software Engineer Independent Contractor jobs?

Cities near Seattle, WA with the most Software Engineer Independent Contractor job openings:

Infographic showing various Software Engineer Independent Contractor job openings in Seattle, WA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 85% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $167,886 per year, or $80.7 per hour.

Software Engineer - Observability

Apple Inc.

Seattle, WA • On-site

$140 - $200/hr

Other

Posted 3 days ago

New


Apple rating

8.0

Company rating: 8.0 out of 10

Based on 677 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

7th of 30 rated technology retailers


Job description

Seattle, Washington, United States Software and Services

The Apple Services Engineering (ASE) team is building the next generation of foundational tools that empower software developers at Apple to build products that our customers love. The Observability team within ASE is a fast moving, highly skilled team that is designing and building a suite of platforms and services that help Apple engineers observe and get insights into their systems. If the thought of working with petabytes of data interests you, this is the place to be. Our systems must scale globally, stay highly available, and "just work," while supporting some of the largest services in the world.We are seeking a versatile engineer who thrives wearing multiple hats. In this role you will primarily design and build the control plane tooling and automation that operates our time series database (TSDB) in production at scale, spanning provisioning, orchestration, scaling, health, and self-healing. Just as importantly, you will not be confined to tooling: you will regularly pick up core developer tasks on the data platform itself, contributing to the distributed systems that ingest, store, and query time series data. If you love the intersection of software engineering and large-scale operations, and you want your work to make massive fleets effortless to run, this is the place to be. If you'd love to join this amazing team, we'd love to hear from you!

Description

We are looking for an engineer who blends strong software engineering fundamentals with a deep operational mindset. You will own the control plane that makes our TSDB reliable, scalable, and easy to operate, and you will fluidly move between building operational tooling and shipping product features. You should be comfortable owning problems end to end, from requirement gathering through design, implementation, rollout, and on-call operability.

Responsibilities
  • Designing and building control plane tooling to provision, orchestrate, scale, upgrade, and self-heal a time series database operating in production at scale.
  • Building automation for deployment, configuration management, capacity planning, and fleet lifecycle management across globally distributed clusters.
  • Wearing multiple hats: in addition to tooling, picking up developer tasks on the core TSDB and distributed data services, contributing to ingestion, storage, and query paths.
  • Requirement gathering across cross functional teams and leading technical design discussions.
  • Driving down operational toil through automation, and improving reliability, performance, and cost efficiency of the fleet.
  • Gaining in-depth understanding of the domain, leading independent research where needed, and mentoring other engineers on the team.
  • You will have the courage and experience to be frank and ambitious but humble enough to listen to others. We want your thoughts on how we can move faster, be more creative, and deliver tools and ideas to empower developers. We expect you to challenge the status quo, to care about the details, the end user, and how it all comes together. You should be someone with ideas and passion for software and systems delivered as a service to maximize reuse, efficiency, and simplicity. Your work will impact millions of Apple users and is necessary to the success of some of the most visible current and future features.
Minimum Qualifications
  • BS or MS in CS or equivalent
  • 5+ years of industry experience
  • Deep understanding of core CS concepts including data structures, algorithms, and concurrent programming
  • Proficiency in one or more programming languages such as Java, Scala, Go, or Python
  • Experience designing, implementing, and operating highly scalable infrastructure services in production
  • Deep understanding and work experience in distributed systems
  • Hands-on experience building automation and tooling for deployment, orchestration, and operations at scale
  • Strong attention to detail, excellent analytical capabilities, and a bias
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What Apple employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


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About Apple

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Imagine what you could do here! At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish. Dynamic, intelligent people and inspiring, innovative technologies are the norm here. The people who work here have reinvented entire industries with all Apple Hardware products. The same real passion for innovation that goes into our products also applies to our practices strengthening our dedication to leave the world better than we found it.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Cupertino, CA, US

Year founded

1976