Job Opportunities: What Does a Software Systems Developer Do?

Are you the type of person who loves to solve a complex problem? Do you get lost in thought about how to make things better? Do friends and family often come to you to solve their tech issues? 

If you nodded your head to all those questions, then a job as a software systems developer may be for you. All this sounds great, but what does a software systems developer do?

Software systems developers are the people behind the scenes of all those great apps that you love to use. Read on to learn more.

What Is a Software Systems Developer?

Software systems developers or back-end developers work behind-the-scenes to develop and implement applications and programs for businesses and organizations. 

Back-end systems don’t have a user interface. They are typically used for administration processes. Therefore, systems developers are often utilized in the banking and human resources industries. 

What Does a Software Systems Developer Do?

A systems developer designs the back-end of a web page. They must know the programming language the web application is written in as well as the database where the data is stored. 

Back-end developers are responsible for storing data that is accessible only to the people who are meant to have it.

Some responsibilities include:  

• User data – statistical information for user profiles
• Payment Processing – accepting credit card information, securely storing it, and processing charges
• APIs – (Application Programming Interfaces) store information from mobile phone apps 

Systems and software developer qualifications include an understanding of programming languages and their popular frameworks: 

• Javascript – node.js and express
• Python – Django and Flask
• C# – ASP.NET MVC and ASP.NET Core

Software systems developers may use their skills to write and test code, modify or test systems to ensure they run properly, assist in user training and user support, and diagnose and fix bugs in systems.

Key Skills for Systems Developers

Although this isn’t an exhaustive list, some key skills a systems developer should have include: 

• Strong mathematical aptitude
• Excellent organizational and time management skills 
• Attention to detail
• Teamwork mentality and effective communication skills

The job of a systems developer is one of working with teams, assisting web designers, other developers, and administration. Therefore systems developers must have requisite soft skills for a corporate environment. 

Top Industries for Systems Developers

Because computer systems are the backbone of many businesses, systems developers can find work in many industries. Some of these include manufacturing, finance and insurance, software publishers, human resources, and engineering services. 

How Much Can a Systems Developer Make?

Software developers can earn anywhere from $66,000 per year to up to $166,000 per year, with the median annual income of $110,000. Software systems developer jobs are expected to grow by 31% by 2026. 

Are You Looking for a Systems Developer?

What does a software systems developer do? Now you know!

Systems developers are important to many major business industries. Are you a business looking to hire software developers or systems developers?

Hiring a freelance developer for the role on a contract basis could be the perfect way to see if a hire is the right fit before bringing them on full-time.

For information on this topic and more, keep checking back on our blog regularly.