Software Developers, Applications - 15-1132.00

Develop, create, and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions. Design software or customize software for client use with the aim of optimizing operational efficiency. May analyze and design databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team. May supervise computer programmers.

Sample of reported job titles: Application Developer, Application Integration Engineer, Applications Developer, Computer Consultant, Information Technology Analyst (IT Analyst), Software Architect, Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, Software Engineer, Technical Consultant

Tasks

• Modify existing software to correct errors, allow it to adapt to new hardware, or to improve its performance.
• Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost constraints.
• Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and others to design system and to obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements and interfaces.
• Store, retrieve, and manipulate data for analysis of system capabilities and requirements.
• Design, develop and modify software systems, using scientific analysis and mathematical models to predict and measure outcome and consequences of design.
• Develop and direct software system testing and validation procedures, programming, and documentation.
• Supervise the work of programmers, technologists and technicians and other engineering and scientific personnel.
• Determine system performance standards.
• Coordinate software system installation and monitor equipment functioning to ensure specifications are met.
• Consult with customers about software system design and maintenance.
• Analyze information to determine, recommend, and plan computer specifications and layouts, and peripheral equipment modifications.

Technology Skills

• Access software - Citrix ; PuTTY
• Accounting software - Fund accounting software ; Sage 50 Accounting; Tax software
• Analytical or scientific software - IBM SPSS Statistics ; Minitab ; SAS ; The MathWorks MATLAB (see all 7 examples)
• Application server software - Docker ; GitHub ; Oracle WebLogic Server ; Spring Boot (see all 5 examples)
• Backup or archival software - Veritas NetBackup
• Business intelligence and data analysis software - IBM Cognos Impromptu ; MicroStrategy ; Qlik Tech QlikView ; Tableau (see all 5 examples)
• Communications server software - IBM Domino
• Computer aided design CAD software - Autodesk AutoCAD ; Bentley MicroStation ; Dassault Systemes CATIA ; PTC Creo Parametric (see all 9 examples)
• Configuration management software - Chef ; Perforce Helix software ; Puppet ; Red Hat Ansible Engine (see all 9 examples)
• Content workflow software - Atlassian JIRA ; Emerald Software Group Emerald Green Office
• Customer relationship management CRM software - Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge ; Oracle Eloqua ; Salesforce software
• Data base management system software - Apache Cassandra ; MongoDB ; Relational database management software ; Teradata Database (see all 22 examples)
• Data base reporting software - Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services ; SAP Crystal Reports
• Data base user interface and query software - Apache Hive ; Microsoft Access ; MySQL ; Oracle JDBC (see all 14 examples)
• Data mining software - Google Analytics
• Desktop publishing software - Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign ; Microsoft Publisher
• Development environment software - Apache Maven ; Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition VBScript ; National Instruments LabVIEW ; Ruby (see all 56 examples)
• Document management software - Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
• Electronic mail software - Google Gmail; IBM Notes ; Microsoft Exchange Server ; Microsoft Outlook
• Enterprise application integration software - Atlassian Bamboo ; Extensible markup language XML ; IBM InfoSphere DataStage ; SAP Netweaver (see all 6 examples)
• Enterprise resource planning ERP software - Microsoft Dynamics ; NetSuite ERP ; Oracle PeopleSoft ; SAP Business Objects (see all 10 examples)
• Enterprise system management software - IBM Power Systems software ; Splunk Enterprise
• Expert system software - Ansible software
• File versioning software - Apache Subversion SVN ; Git ; Version control software
• Financial analysis software - Delphi Technology ; Oracle E-Business Suite Financials
• Graphical user interface development software - Graphical user interface GUI builder software
• Graphics or photo imaging software - Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop ; GNU Image Manipulation Program GIMP; Microsoft Visio ; Trimble SketchUp Pro (see all 8 examples)
• Human resources software - ADP Workforce Now ; Human resource management software HRMS ; Oracle Taleo
• Industrial control software - Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
• Information retrieval or search software - Apache Avro; LexisNexis
• Map creation software - ESRI ArcGIS software ; Geographic information system GIS software
• Medical software - Epic Systems ; Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS ; Medical procedure coding software ; MEDITECH software
• Metadata management software - CA Erwin Data Modeler ; Talend Data Fabric
• Network monitoring software - Nagios ; Wireshark
• Network security and virtual private network VPN equipment software - Virtual private networking VPN software
• Object or component oriented development software - C++ ; Oracle Java ; Practical extraction and reporting language Perl ; Python (see all 29 examples)
• Object oriented data base management software - Hibernate ORM ; PostgreSQL
• Office suite software - LibreOffice; Microsoft Office
• Operating system software - Bash ; Job control language JCL ; Linux ; Shell script (see all 12 examples)
• Platform interconnectivity software - Migration software
• Portal server software - Apache HTTP Server
• Presentation software - Google Slides; Microsoft PowerPoint
• Program testing software - Hewlett Packard LoadRunner ; JUnit ; Selenium ; Usability testing software (see all 23 examples)
• Project management software - Confluence ; Microsoft Project ; Microsoft SharePoint ; Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management
• Requirements analysis and system architecture software - IBM Rational Requisite Pro; Requirements management software; Unified modeling language UML
• Sales and marketing software - Google AdWords ; Marketo Marketing Automation
• Spreadsheet software - Google Sheets; Microsoft Excel
• Transaction security and virus protection software - Encryption software; McAfee ; Symantec
• Transaction server software - Customer information control system CICS ; IBM Middleware; Microsoft Internet Information Service IIS; Object Management Group Object Request Broker (see all 5 examples)
• Video creation and editing software - Adobe Systems Adobe AfterEffects ; Apple Final Cut Pro ; YouTube
• Web page creation and editing software - Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver ; Facebook ; LinkedIn
• Web platform development software - AJAX ; Google AngularJS ; jQuery ; Microsoft ASP.NET Core MVC (see all 28 examples)
• Word processing software - Google Docs; Microsoft Word

Tools Used

• Computer servers - Application servers
• Desktop computers
• Digital cameras
• Flash memory storage card - Flash disks
• Integrated circuit testers - In circuit emulators ICE; Logic analyzers
• Mainframe computers
• Notebook computers
• Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers - Personal digital assistants PDA

Knowledge

• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Skills

• 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.
• Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• 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.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Technology Design - Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities

• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
• Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
• Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
• Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.

Interests

• Interest code: IRC
  • Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
  • Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
  • Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Work Context

• Electronic Mail - 100% responded “Every day.”
• Spend Time Sitting - 99% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
• Face-to-Face Discussions - 87% responded “Every day.”
• Work With Work Group or Team - 82% responded “Extremely important.”
• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - 51% responded “Extremely important.”
• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
• Time Pressure - 41% responded “Every day.”
• Coordinate or Lead Others - 11% responded “Important.”
• Freedom to Make Decisions - 38% responded “Some freedom.”
• Level of Competition - 44% responded “Extremely competitive.”
• Structured versus Unstructured Work - 45% responded “Some freedom.”
• Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - 65% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
• Contact With Others - 43% responded “Constant contact with others.”
• Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - 39% responded “More than half the time.”
• Telephone - 34% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
• Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - 45% responded “Very important.”
• Duration of Typical Work Week
• Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - 40% responded “Moderate results.”
• Physical Proximity - 83% responded “Slightly close (e.g., shared office).”
• Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable - 31% responded “Once a month or more but not every week.”

Education

Percentage of Respondents	Education Level Required
80%	Bachelor's degree
16%	Master's degree
3%	Associate's degree

Work Styles

• Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
• Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
• Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
• Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
• Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
• Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
• Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
• Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
• Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
• Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
• Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
• Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
• Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
• Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

Work Values

• Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
• Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
• Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Wages & Trends

• Median wages (2017)
  • $48.94 hourly, $101,790 annual
• Employment (2016)
  • 831,000 employees
• Projected growth (2016-2026)
  • Much faster than average (15% or higher)
• Projected job openings (2016-2026)
  • 85,700