Software Engineers and Designers
On this page
Job description
These individuals design and integrate software and operating systems. They also work on integrated software, data warehouses, and telecommunications software. They are self-employed or work in:
- Consulting firms
- IT research and development firms
- Private and public sector IT services
Environment
- Controlled ambient temperature
Main tasks
- Identify and document user needs.
- Design and test automated systems.
- Modify existing software to correct errors, adapt to new hardware, or upgrade interfaces and improve performance.
- Configure and run test cases for commissioning.
- Optimize the architecture and performance of software prototypes.
- Plan and coordinate the development and operation of automated systems.
- Develop and document maintenance procedures for systems and software.
- Lead teams of professionals in software and system development.
Hourly wage
The hourly wage is calculated by averaging wages from 2022 to 2024.- Minimum
- $33.50
- Median
- $52.88
- Maximum
- $80.00
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects
All of Québec
All of Québec
Total jobs for 2023
All of Québec
All of Québec
Gender distribution
All of Québec
- 14.2% Female
- 85.8% Male
- 14.2% Female
- 85.8% Male
Job types
All of Québec
- Full time
- Part time
- Full time
- Part time
Yearly wage on 2020
All of Québec
All of Québec
Other characteristics
All of Québec
- Non traditional for women
- None
All of Québec
- Non traditional for women
- None
Sectors of activity
All of Québec
-
NAICS 541546% of jobs
-
NAICS 5110% of jobs
-
NAICS 915% of jobs
-
NAICS 521, 522, 523, 5264% of jobs
-
NAICS 334, 3354% of jobs
-
Others31% of jobs
All of Québec
-
NAICS 541546% of jobs
-
NAICS 5110% of jobs
-
NAICS 915% of jobs
-
NAICS 521, 522, 523, 5264% of jobs
-
NAICS 334, 3354% of jobs
-
Others31% of jobs
Training and requirements
Formation
Most training programs are offered in French only.
University
Computer science
Bachelor’s degree
Placement rate: 88.4%
7.2% of graduates pursue further studies
Master’s degree
Placement rate: 82.3%
13.5% of graduates pursue further studies
- École de technologie supérieure
- École polytechnique de Montréal
- Bishop's University
- Concordia University
- Université de Montréal
- Université de Sherbrooke
- Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
- Université du Québec en Outaouais
- Université du Québec à Montréal
- Université du Québec à Rimouski
- Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
- Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue
- Université Laval
- McGill University
- TÉLUQ
Electrical, electronic or communications engineering
Bachelor’s degree
Placement rate: 81.4%
14.1% of graduates pursue further studies
Master’s degree
Placement rate: 72.3%
18.5% of graduates pursue further studies
- École de technologie supérieure
- École polytechnique de Montréal
- Concordia University
- Université de Sherbrooke
- Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
- Université du Québec en Outaouais
- Université du Québec à Montréal
- Université du Québec à Rimouski
- Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
- Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue
- Université Laval
- McGill University
- Institut national de recherche scientifique
Project engineering
Bachelor’s degree
Placement rate: 75%
25% of graduates pursue further studies
Master’s degree
Placement rate: 79.2%
11.1% of graduates pursue further studies
Software, computer or computer construction engineering
Bachelor’s degree
Placement rate: 82.1%
16.3% of graduates pursue further studies
Master’s degree
Placement rate: 83.9%
12.9% of graduates pursue further studies
Also required
Membership in the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ [Quebec Order of Engineers]) to practise as an Engineer and carry out activities that are reserved for them.
Sometimes required
- Computer programming experience is usually required.
- A graduate degree in a related discipline may be required.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Data collection
- Reading comprehension
- Active listening
- Critical thought
- Programing
- Information processing
- Active learning
- Oral expression
- Solving complex problems
- Judgment and decision-making
- Mathematics
- Social perception
- Technological design
- Coordination
- Result evaluation
- Written expression
- Time management
Abilities
- Written comprehension
- Oral comprehension
- Verbal skills
- Awareness of issues
- Deductive reasoning
- Inductive reasoning
- Written expression
- Information organization
- Near vision
- Speech recognition
- Speech clarity
- Selective attention
- Mathematical reasoning
- Originality
- Classification
- Idea generation
Knowledge and attributes
- Sense of responsibility
- Capacity to adapt
- Spoken and written bilingualism (French and English)
- Capacity to work in a team
- Sense of initiative
- Attention to detail
- Knowledge of computer science, digital and electronics
- Creativity
- Desire to upgrade one’s competencies
- Learning speed
Interests
- Direct, organize, and manage
- Draft, communicate, and inform
- Work with numbers
- Create, design
- Work in computer science or information and communication technologies (ICT)
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Investigative
- People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
- Conventional
- People with this profile prefer specific, well-defined tasks. They like to respect the order of things and follow established rules.
- Realistic
- People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
Official name of the NOC 21231
Software engineers and designers
Job titles
- Computer software engineer
- Software development engineer
- Software design engineer
- Systems architect
- Application architect
- Cloud administrator
- Software designer
- Cloud architect
- Software architect
- Software engineering lead
- Mobile development lead
- Software project manager
- Software design project manager
- Software and information technology project manager
- Embedded software designer
- Simulation software design engineer
- Lead software engineer
- Lead development and operations (devops) engineer
- Software design verification engineer
- Site reliability engineer
- Backend engineer
- Cloud operations engineer
- Systems engineer - software
- Systems applications engineer
- Computer applications engineer
- Software quality assurance (qa) engineer
- Automation engineer – software
- Test automation engineer – software
- Software testing engineer
- Cloud engineer
- Cloud infrastructure engineer
- Software systems integration engineer
- Telecommunications software engineer
- Embedded software engineer
- Development and operations (devops) engineer
- Computer systems platform engineer - software
- Telecommunications software specialist
- Computer telecommunications software specialist
- Software design supervisor
Skill type
Natural and applied sciences and related occupations
Related occupations
Last update: January 29, 2026