I learned how to be a Senior Engineer by listening to those around me and deputizing my co-workers as my unofficial mentors. As many teams have become stratified and Senior Engineers are more likely to work remotely, this learning-by-osmosis is no longer happening.

In an excerpt from my book, we’ll discuss the product lifecycle, including writing the pitch and designing the MVP, to releasing a fully productionized app to general availability and handling exponential growth with distributed systems.

Technical skills are only half of what you need. We’ll cover the professional skills, from navigating ambiguity and technical negotiation to documenting your work to build your brand, and finally acing the next interview you’ll get with your expanded network.

For the engineer looking to take control of their career, or the manager seeking a lesson plan to uplevel their team, the missing cipher will help them navigate this critical transition. Based on my personal story, interviews with a diverse set of engineers at every level, and research from reputable primary sources, this talk will highlight the skills to thrive as a Senior Engineer.

Takeaways
System Design breakdown, from basics to productionizing
Communication and research tactics for bringing ideas to life
Adding resilience and observability to reduce support costs
AI native thinking to focus our judgment and skills on critical tasks