roles
Principal Engineer
Primary Role:
Company-level technical authority for major systems
Reporting Relations:
Reports to Director/VP
Decision Making Authority:
Final say on major technical standards
Stratigic Planning
Shapes long-term tech strategy
Team Management:
None formally; deep influence
Meeting Involvment:
Executive-facing design reviews
Project Management:
Oversees strategic system initiatives
Communication:
Communicates with execs and stakeholders
Professional Development:
→ Distinguished Engineer
Distinguished Engineer
Primary Role:
Highest IC level; sets enterprise technical direction
Reporting Relations:
Reports to CTO/VP
Decision Making Authority:
Defines technical principles and standards
Stratigic Planning
Defines multi-year technical vision
Team Management:
No direct reports
Meeting Involvment:
Executive + board technical advisor
Project Management:
Oversees transformational initiatives
Communication:
External thought leadership + board-level clarity
Professional Development:
→ Fellow / CTO track
Technical Lead Manager (TLM)
Primary Role:
Hybrid manager and technical leader
Reporting Relations:
Reports to Director
Decision Making Authority:
People + technical decisions
Stratigic Planning
Contributes to org planning
Team Management:
Manages 5–8 engineers
Meeting Involvment:
Facilitates roadmap & execution reviews
Project Management:
Oversees sprint + roadmap execution
Communication:
Cross-functional leadership
Professional Development:
→ Senior EM / Director