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Senior Software Engineer resume example & writing guide

  • What should your senior software engineer resume include?   
  • How can you create a professional summary?
  • How should you describe your professional experience as a senior software engineer?   
  • Include a fitting senior software engineer education and achievements section
  • Which key skills are relevant for a senior software engineer resume?
  • How to select the most impactful senior software engineer resume template
  • Key takeaways for writing a senior software engineer resume

As a senior software engineer, you need to be skilled in leading engineers and developers while directing software development projects. These are all critical skills when it comes to the software development process. That’s why having a stellar resume is so important when you are trying to land a new job.

In this resume writing guide and example, we will show you exactly how to craft your resume so you catch the eye of a hiring manager. Here are the topics we will cover:

  • What should a senior software engineer resume include

  • Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education)

  • Adding relevant key skills to your resume

  • Choosing the right resume template for a senior software engineer

What should your senior software engineer resume include?   

When crafting a resume for your next senior software engineer role, showing your expertise in software design and end-to-end project lifecycles is paramount. Your goal should be to include information that shows a business that you can adapt to their development environment with ease. Your resume should include the following sections:

  • The resume header with your contact information

  • The resume summary 

  • The resume skills section

  • The professional experience section

  • The education and certifications section

How can you create a professional summary?

Software engineering experience and a broad knowledge of software testing and updates are some of the most sought-after skills. In your professional summary, show your abilities to lead these types of projects and the team associated with them. You should also cover any skills you have related to developing new technology and training engineering teams.

One way to draw attention to your technical development strengths is by listing them in a bullet point list separate from your professional summary. Here, you can highlight any of the in-demand skills you possess that make you an excellent senior software engineer candidate. 

Senior Software Engineer summary example

Technologically sophisticated software engineering professional with a solid history leading end-to-end project lifecycles to align technology solutions with current and emergent business needs. Broad knowledge and success in an engineering development environment. Skilled trainer and team leader; able to guide and contribute to all facets of qualification, integration, streamlining, and testing for sophisticated systems.

How should you describe your professional experience as a senior software engineer?   

Work experience is critical for a senior software engineer. Craft your professional experience section in chronological order. Under each position you’ve held, include a list of the core technologies you worked with in that role. Next, you should dive into a brief overview of your responsibilities and the specific ways you used your core technologies.

To further expand your experience, showcase your key projects as bullet points that are listed under each role. Remember to be specific and highlight the results of each project as well as the role you held.

Expert Tip

Focus on the cloud Recent studies show that 70% of tech companies are looking to fill cloud-related positions. If you have experience in this sector, especially when it relates to finance, healthcare, or security, be sure to include it on your resume.

Senior Software Engineer employment history example

Senior Software Engineer at Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Miami, FL July 2018 — Present

Core Technologies: Jetbrains IntelliJ, Struts2, Spring framework, JPA 2.1 with Hibernate, CSS3, jQuery and JqGrid, Oracle, Linux server side, Windows 7, Weblogic

Key Projects:

  • Analyzed and validated selected delimiters and column counts to reduce errors from a previous high of 247 down to only three.

  • Developed and implemented a use case to localize a remote file with FTP, validate the file, and subsequently submit the file to a database import script.

Software Engineer at Florida Lottery, Miami, FL November 2014 — June 2018

Core Technologies: IBM Rational Developer, Git, CVS, Struts2, Servlets/JSP, CSS3, jQuery, JavaScript, Spring Framework, JPA/Hibernate, Jenkins, Maven 3, BASH and Korn Shell, TOAD, SQL Developer, Slf4J, IBM Software Analyzer, Oracle, Derby, MySQL, SQLite, AIX Linux, Windows 7, Tomcat, WebSphere

Key Projects:

  • Developed an application for Android 4.0 that featured search and display of an Android SQLite database as well as tools for automatically updating onboard database on set schedule.

  • Rewrote and modernized Java code for three applications, the Lottery website, Second Chance, and retailers, reducing lines of code by 50% while improving application clarity and performance; developed code generation tools to assist in test and development efforts.

  • Determined security configuration changes to solve failed audit findings, and created file operation scripts required by customer reporting processes; met with clients to analyze/evaluate system requirements to create functional and technical specifications.

Include a fitting senior software engineer education and achievements section

One especially important section, especially to new senior software engineers, is the education and achievements section. Here, you will want to list any licenses you have as well as all your degrees in reverse chronological order. Here are some other tips to keep in mind:

  • Stay up to date. With any certifications that have expiration dates or identification numbers, include that information here.

  • List your degree and specialization and include the name of your college and its location.

  • Keep things relevant. Since software engineering is an ever-changing industry, you need to show that you are adaptable to the fast-moving nature of IT. 

Senior Software Engineer education example

Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia

Professional Engineer, Virginia, Licensure

Which key skills are relevant for a senior software engineer resume?

Companies who are looking to hire a senior software engineer will look for someone with experience in using web technologies, popular programming languages, and databases. They will also look for employees who have extensive experience in designing APIs, performing testing, and debugging.

To ensure they find the right applicants, many companies will utilize an applicant tracking system that looks for certain skills on a resume.

To ensure your resume stands out, you should include keywords your potential employer may be searching for. Here are some you should include on your senior software engineer resume:

Senior Software Engineer key skills example
  • Process improvement

  • Research & development

  • Innovative IT initiatives

  • Project lifecycles

  • Database management

  • Application architecture

  • Cloud applications

How to select the most impactful senior software engineer resume template

For a senior software engineer resume, it isn’t necessary to keep the information on just one page. Instead, you should focus on displaying your work history and experience in a way that highlights your most valuable skills and attributes. You should also include all the core technologies you have worked with in the past to show your knowledge of the industry as a whole.

Another goal of your resume should be to display the projects you have worked on and how you contributed to their success. A hiring manager will want to be assured you have the expertise to be successful in a senior software engineer role in their company.

We have many resume templates available in our resume builder. While designed to fit perfectly with the software engineer role, the example included here is just one of over 250 resume examples you can choose from.

Resume example

Summary example

Technologically sophisticated software engineering professional with a solid history leading end-to-end project lifecycles to align technology solutions with current and emergent business needs. Broad knowledge and success in an engineering development environment. Skilled trainer and team leader; able to guide and contribute to all facets of qualification, integration, streamlining, and testing for sophisticated systems.

Employment history example

Senior Software Engineer at Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Miami, FL July 2018 — Present

Core Technologies: Jetbrains IntelliJ, Struts2, Spring framework, JPA 2.1 with Hibernate, CSS3, jQuery and JqGrid, Oracle, Linux server side, Windows 7, Weblogic

Key Projects:

  • Analyzed and validated selected delimiters and column counts to reduce errors from a previous high of 247 down to only three.

  • Developed and implemented a use case to localize a remote file with FTP, validate the file, and subsequently submit the file to a database import script.

Software Engineer at Florida Lottery, Miami, FL November 2014 — June 2018

Core Technologies: IBM Rational Developer, Git, CVS, Struts2, Servlets/JSP, CSS3, jQuery, JavaScript, Spring Framework, JPA/Hibernate, Jenkins, Maven 3, BASH and Korn Shell, TOAD, SQL Developer, Slf4J, IBM Software Analyzer, Oracle, Derby, MySQL, SQLite, AIX Linux, Windows 7, Tomcat, WebSphere

Key Projects:

  • Developed an application for Android 4.0 that featured search and display of an Android SQLite database as well as tools for automatically updating onboard database on set schedule.

  • Rewrote and modernized Java code for three applications, the Lottery website, Second Chance, and retailers, reducing lines of code by 50% while improving application clarity and performance; developed code generation tools to assist in test and development efforts.

  • Determined security configuration changes to solve failed audit findings, and created file operation scripts required by customer reporting processes; met with clients to analyze/evaluate system requirements to create functional and technical specifications.

Education example

  • Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia

  • Licensure Professional Engineer, Virginia

Skills example

  • Application Architecture

  • Innovative IT Initiatives

  • Research & Development

  • Database Management

  • Strategy & Execution

  • Process Improvement

  • Cross-functional Collaboration

  • Team Building & Leadership

Key takeaways for writing a senior software engineer resume

  1. Senior software engineers are typically those who lead software development teams and need to have experience in end-to-end project lifecycles.

  2. When designing your senior software engineer resume, include lists of the core technologies you’ve worked with in each role you’ve held.

  3. Since senior software engineers are highly skilled in technology, it’s important to show you can adjust to the ever-changing world that is software design.

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