Skip to content

IT and Engineering > Program Developer

Salary National Average

Low Medium High
71080.0000 84590.0000 106650.0000

Supply and Demand

Candidate Supply: 2,973 Job Openings: 1,208

0 50 100

More Difficult Less Difficult

Salary Variance

Enter City, State to view local salaries and candidate demand.

Short Description:

Analyze and design program logic to determine the best method of accomplishing requirements for changes to existing programs, developing new programs, or determining the cause of program malfunctions. Prepare detailed program technical specifications, design documents, and programming. Additional responsibilities may include testing and debugging developed programs, participating in systems unit tests, creating or updating procedural documentation, and implementing programs.

Duties / Responsibilities:

  • Modify existing software to correct errors, allow it to adapt to new hardware, or improve its performance.
  • Develop and direct software system testing and validation procedures, programming, and documentation.
  • Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers, and others to design systems and obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements, and interfaces.
  • Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine the feasibility of design within time and cost constraints.
  • Design, develop and modify software systems, using scientific analysis and mathematical models to predict and measure outcomes and consequences.
  • Store, retrieve, and manipulate data to analyze system capabilities and requirements.
  • Consult with customers about software system design and maintenance.
  • Supervise the work of programmers, technologists and technicians, and other engineering and scientific personnel.
  • Coordinate software system installation and monitor equipment functioning to ensure specifications are met.
  • Obtain and evaluate information on factors such as reporting formats required, costs, and security needs to determine hardware configuration.

Skills / Requirements / Qualifications

  • Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Programming: Writing computer programs for various purposes.
  • Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance relative to the system's goals.
  • Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Operations Analysis: Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
  • Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
  • Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Job Zones

  • Education: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
  • Related Experience: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. 
  • Job Training: Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, or vocational training.
  • Job Zone Examples: Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, sales managers, database administrators, teachers, chemists, environmental engineers, criminal investigators, and special agents.
  • Specific Vocational Preparation in years: 2-4 years of preparation (7.0 to < 8.0)

Share Role Details

Return to job listings