Software Engineers and Designers
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