This is a complete, ready-to-use system with clear levels, competencies, and progression paths.

Engineering Growth Framework

Structure Overview

Component	Purpose
6 Levels	From junior to staff+ (IC track) + parallel management track
4 Competency Pillars	Technical, Execution, Collaboration, Impact
Behavioral Anchors	Observable, measurable behaviors per level
Dual Track	Individual Contributor (IC) and Engineering Manager (EM)

Level Definitions

Individual Contributor (IC) Track

Level	Title	Typical Scope	Time at Level
L1	Junior Engineer	Tasks with guidance	1-2 years
L2	Engineer	Features independently	1-3 years
L3	Senior Engineer	Projects, mentors others	2-4 years
L4	Staff Engineer	Domain/area ownership	3-5 years
L5	Principal Engineer	Company-wide impact	4+ years
L6	Distinguished Engineer	Industry impact	5+ years

Engineering Management (EM) Track

Level	Title	Typical Scope
M3	Engineering Manager	Team (3-8 engineers)
M4	Senior EM	Multiple teams/area
M5	Director of Engineering	Department
M6	VP Engineering	Organization

The 4 Competency Pillars

1. Technical Excellence

Level	L1	L2	L3	L4	L5
Code Quality	Writes working code with review	Clean, tested code	Designs for maintainability	Sets technical standards	Defines org-wide patterns
Architecture	Follows existing patterns	Extends designs	Designs subsystems	Owns system architecture	Multi-system strategy
Technical Depth	1 language/framework	2-3 technologies	Deep in 1, broad in others	Deep in domain, T-shaped	Multiple deep domains

Behavioral Anchors (L3 example):
Designs APIs that other teams adopt without friction
Refactors legacy code without breaking production
Debugs complex production issues across service boundaries

2. Execution

Level	L1	L2	L3	L4	L5
Delivery	Completes assigned tasks	Delivers features end-to-end	Leads project delivery	Drives multi-team initiatives	Sets org delivery standards
Estimation	Estimates own tasks	Estimates features	Estimates projects	Forecasts roadmap delivery	Strategic planning
Risk Management	Raises blockers	Mitigates own risks	Manages project risks	Anticipates systemic risks	Organizational risk strategy

Behavioral Anchors (L4 example):
Breaks down ambiguous 6-month initiative into deliverable milestones
Identifies dependencies 2 quarters ahead and resolves conflicts
Delivers project with 20% scope reduction but 100% business value preserved

3. Collaboration

Level	L1	L2	L3	L4	L5
Communication	Clear in standups	Documents decisions	Influences team direction	Aligns cross-functional teams	External speaking/writing
Mentorship	Receives feedback	Mentors juniors	Formal mentorship	Scales mentorship (programs)	Industry mentorship
Conflict Resolution	Escalates issues	Resolves 1:1 conflicts	Mediates team disputes	Resolves cross-team tensions	Organizational culture

Behavioral Anchors (L3 example):
Onboards 2 new engineers who both reach productivity in <1 month
Writes RFCs that get adopted by default across teams
Gives feedback that changes behavior without defensiveness

4. Impact

Level	L1	L2	L3	L4	L5
Scope	Task	Feature	Project/Team	Domain/Area	Company/Industry
Business Impact	Completes work	Measurable feature impact	Team-level metrics	Area-level outcomes	Company-level transformation
Innovation	Implements solutions	Optimizes existing	Introduces new approaches	Creates new capabilities	Disrupts industry standards

Behavioral Anchors (L5 example):
Architecture decision saves $2M/year in infrastructure costs
Open-source tool adopted by 500+ companies
Technical strategy enables new business line

Progression Mechanics

Promotion Criteria (Must Meet All)

• Sustained Performance: Operating at next level for 6+ months
• Business Need: Role exists at next level (not automatic)
• Scope Expansion: Actually doing the work of next level
• Peer Calibration: Consistent with others at target level

Calibration Process

Quarterly:

├── Self-assessment against framework
├── Manager assessment
├── Peer feedback (360)
├── Calibration meeting (cross-manager)
└── Growth plan for gaps

Annually:

├── Formal level review
├── Compensation adjustment
└── Track decision (IC vs EM)

IC vs EM Track Decision

Factor	Stay IC	Move to EM
Motivation	Solving hard technical problems	Growing people and teams
Satisfaction	Shipping code, system design	1:1s, hiring, strategy
Impact Style	Technical leverage	Organizational leverage
Warning Sign	“I should manage to advance”	“I miss coding too much”

L3 → M3 is NOT a promotion. It’s a lateral move to different skills.

Practical Implementation

Week 1-2: Rollout

• Present framework to team
• Everyone self-assesses current level
• Identify gaps (individual + team)

Month 1: Calibration

• Manager assessments
• 360 feedback collection
• Level calibration across managers

Ongoing: Growth Plans

Each engineer has:
├── Current level with evidence
├── 2-3 specific competencies to develop
├── Projects/experiences to get there
├── Mentor at target level
└── Check-in every 4-6 weeks

Example Growth Plan (L2→L3)

Competency	Gap	Action	Timeline	Success Metric
Technical: Architecture	No experience with service boundaries	Lead split of monolith module	Q2	New service in production
Execution: Risk Mgmt	Misses dependencies	Run pre-mortem for all projects	Q1-Q2	Zero missed dependencies
Collaboration: Mentorship	Informal help only	Formal mentor to L1 hire	Q2	Mentee promoted to L2
Impact: Scope	Feature-level only	Own technical roadmap for team	Q3	Roadmap delivered

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

Pattern	Problem	Fix
“Time-based” promotions	Seniority ≠ skill	Evidence-based assessment
Only coding matters	Ignores collaboration	Weight all 4 pillars
Hidden levels	Politics over clarity	Publish full framework
No EM track	Force ICs to manage	Parallel paths with equal prestige
Set it and forget it	Framework becomes obsolete	Annual review of framework itself