Software Engineer (SWE)

The software engineer role is that of an individual contributor (IC). Software engineers focus on impacting our customers via product contributions and improving WHOOP’s technical capabilities.

Here are some simplified analogies of the skills and how you might work throughout each level within the SWE role. They illustrate the progression in capabilities and autonomy for a software engineer as they develop their career.

Level	Skill Analogy (rope skills)	How I work Analogy (firefighter)
SWE0	I am learning what rope is and how to use it.	I learn the ins and outs of the firetruck and practice spraying fires.
SWE1	I know what rope is and how to use it	I hold and spray the hose while fighting a fire with my teammates’ help.
SWE2	I tie basic knots and am learning about complex knots.	I hook up the hose and spray the fire, calling upon teammates if I need help.
SWE3 Senior	I calculate rope strength and know a lot about knots!	I get a call that there is smoke rising, I gather my crew and set off to put out the fire with my whole firehouse at my back.
SWE4 Staff	I understand ropemaking.	I provide intelligence on smoke and fires and gather multiple firehouses to strategically collaborate to put out the fire before it spreads.
SWE5 Principal	I understand how to mass produce rope and help others understand ropemaking.	I see patterns in arising fires across the brevity of the nation and execute strategies for preventing fires from ever occurring.
SWE6 Distinguished	I invented nylon and used it to redefine what a rope is.	I advise those who execute strategies to prevent fires from ever occurring.