Career Ladder Inspiration · Engineering
Medium's engineering career framework
Engineering growth framework from Medium covering 6 competency areas across 5 levels from Engineer 1 to Principal Engineer. Based on their public growth rubric.
Company Medium|Year 2026|Discipline Engineering|Tracks TBD|License
Scroll horizontally to explore all 5 levels
Clone this templateEngineer 1 | Engineer 2 | Senior Engineer | Staff Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Skills Technical Skill | Writes correct and clean code. Has some knowledge of an engineering discipline. Learns to use tools and processes of the team. | Writes correct, clean, and performant code. Possesses broad knowledge of an engineering discipline. Uses tools and processes of the team effectively. | Designs major components of moderately complex systems. Demonstrates deep knowledge of at least one engineering discipline. Drives improvements to tools and processes. | Designs and builds complex systems spanning multiple services. Expert in multiple engineering disciplines. Defines and evolves tools and processes for the team. | Designs groundbreaking systems. Has deep expertise across multiple disciplines. Creates new tools and processes that benefit the entire organization. |
Skills Execution | Completes well-defined tasks on time. Follows through on commitments. | Breaks down moderately complex tasks. Completes work without constant oversight. | Breaks down complex tasks into smaller deliverables. Delivers substantial features with minimal oversight. Sets aggressive timelines and meets them. | Leads execution of complex, multi-team projects. Identifies and removes systemic blockers. Creates processes that accelerate team delivery. | Drives execution of company-wide technical initiatives. Establishes standards for delivery excellence. |
Skills Impact | Delivers assigned tasks that contribute to team goals. | Delivers features that directly impact users. Contributes to team planning. | Has a meaningful impact on the team's ability to deliver. Identifies and champions improvements that benefit the broader organization. | Delivers solutions that significantly impact multiple teams. Drives architectural decisions that shape the platform. | Delivers solutions that materially change outcomes for the company. Shapes the technical trajectory of the organization. |
Skills Communication | Communicates clearly within the team. Asks for feedback actively. | Communicates effectively with team and cross-functional partners. Gives clear, actionable feedback. | Communicates complex technical concepts clearly to diverse audiences. Facilitates productive technical discussions. | Communicates technical vision and strategy across the organization. Influences without authority. Bridges gaps between teams. | Represents the company's technical perspective externally. Communicates with executive leadership on strategy and direction. |
Skills Leadership | Seeks mentorship and acts on feedback. Supports teammates. | Mentors newer team members. Participates in hiring and interviewing. | Mentors multiple engineers. Leads technical design discussions. Sets examples for engineering best practices. Actively contributes to hiring. | Grows and develops senior engineers. Leads cross-team technical initiatives. Establishes mentorship programs. Shapes team culture. | Defines engineering culture and values. Grows Staff engineers and engineering leaders. Represents the organization externally as a thought leader. |
Skills Community & Evangelism | Participates in team discussions and learning opportunities. | Shares knowledge within the team. Writes internal documentation. | Contributes to internal tech talks and blog posts. Actively participates in engineering-wide discussions. | Speaks at conferences and writes external blog posts. Drives community engagement and open source contributions. | Recognized as an industry thought leader. Represents the company at major conferences. Shapes industry best practices. |
Framework by Medium · Licensed
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