Advanced Software Developer Responsibilities

Advanced software developers are software developers who have additional technical knowledge when compared to basic developers and they perform high value tasks with the help of their advanced expertise in the field of software programming. Advanced software developer responsibilities consist of the development, implementation, documentation, and testing functions that are performed by them. In many cases, the titles of senior and advanced software developers are interchangeable as software developers are promoted to these positions on the basis of good performance, excellent programming skills and experience in the field. They act as a mentor to junior developers and trainees and provide feedback on the basis of their daily work. Advanced software developers play an important part in the organizational structure of any software development company because of the role they play in creating software applications that require a high amount of technical experience and dedication.

Responsibilities of an Advanced Software Developer

Although the core nature of an advanced software developer's responsibilities are similar to those carried out by other software developers, there are a few tasks that are unique to those working in this position and they have been given below:

Coordinating with client representatives and understanding their requirements and expectations from the software product that has to be delivered. They have to discuss the finer points about how the final output will look like and also about the deadline dates associated with the completion of the software program.
Implementation of the software code by using sound programming techniques based on the requirements set by the clients. They must also link the various database administration systems and security modules that will be required by the software.
Performing extensive tests on the software during the time of its development and making necessary changes to the code whenever necessary. They may also take the help of other developers and testers to find flaws in the coding whenever they need a second opinion on the usability of the system.
Documenting the progress of the software development and preparing timely estimates about the time required to finish the project. These reports are sent to the project manager as well as the client representatives on a periodic basis.
Providing technical support to end users after the software has been delivered and making appropriate changes to the system based on the feedback given by these users.
Ensuring software updates in order to improve the usability and functionality of the software program on a regular basis.

Skills required in an advanced software developer

Being extremely proficient in the field of software development and programming is what separates advanced developers from other developers. Thus, they must possess excellent knowledge in various software programming concepts as well as information about other software concepts such as database management, software security and web development. They should possess good problem solving and analytical skills that help them in overcoming tough situations related to coding and troubleshooting any problems associated with the software.

Having good documentation and reporting skills is necessary for any advanced software developer as it plays a huge part in their overall job responsibilities. They must be self motivated at all times and should be able to work independently or in a team-based environment with equal ease. Due to the nature of their job positions, they are expected to act as a mentor to junior developers and thus, they should have good leadership and motivational capabilities as well.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in computer engineering, computer science or software engineering is required for those aiming to work as an advanced software developer. Some companies may require the candidate to have a master's degree in the same field due to the high profile nature of this job. Advanced certificate courses in software development along with prior experience in the field as a software developer helps in giving a candidate an edge over other applications. Besides these qualifications, they are expected to have good knowledge of software programming languages and concepts such as C++, C#, Java, SQL and ASP.NET. Knowledge of web technologies such as HTML, XML, CSS and JavaScript are also essential, especially for those involved in the creation of software programs for web based services.

Thus, an advanced software developer's responsibilities contain the various software development and implementation related tasks performed by skilled and experienced developers.