Backend Career Path
See reference/career-levels.md for
the shared 8-level ladder, the progression diagram, and the three
track-agnostic advancement dimensions (Autonomy, Impact/scope,
Mentorship). This file adds only what’s specific to Backend.
Levels
Section titled “Levels”| Level | Scope in Backend |
|---|---|
| Trainee | Implements small, well-defined backend changes (a single field, a config value) under close guidance. |
| Junior | Implements a single content type/schema or endpoint from a spec, with review before and after. |
| Junior Advanced | Implements backend logic and integrations independently; asks for help only on ambiguous requirements. |
| Semi Senior | Owns a full integration or content model end-to-end: design, implementation and tests. |
| Semi Senior Advanced | Owns multiple related integrations, or a content model with cross-cutting dependencies. |
| Senior Level 1 | Owns a project’s backend architecture decisions (content modeling approach, integration patterns, performance). |
| Senior Level 2 | Defines backend patterns and standards reused across projects on the account. |
| Senior Level 3 | Leads the project’s technical delivery end-to-end, managing the Developers on the team — see roles/leader.md. |
Criteria to advance
Section titled “Criteria to advance”Each transition lists only the track-specific bar (Technical
complexity). Autonomy, Impact/scope and Mentorship are the same for
every track — see
reference/career-levels.md.
Trainee → Junior
Section titled “Trainee → Junior”- Technical complexity: Ships a small backend change (a config value, a single field) that passes review without rework on fundamentals.
Junior → Junior Advanced
Section titled “Junior → Junior Advanced”- Technical complexity: Implements a content type/schema or endpoint from a spec using the project’s stack, with review.
Junior Advanced → Semi Senior
Section titled “Junior Advanced → Semi Senior”- Technical complexity: Designs and implements an integration or content model independently, including its tests.
Semi Senior → Semi Senior Advanced
Section titled “Semi Senior → Semi Senior Advanced”- Technical complexity: Owns a content model or integration with cross-cutting dependencies (multiple content types, multiple systems).
Semi Senior Advanced → Senior Level 1
Section titled “Semi Senior Advanced → Senior Level 1”- Technical complexity: Makes performance and security trade-off calls for backend logic without escalating them.
Senior Level 1 → Senior Level 2
Section titled “Senior Level 1 → Senior Level 2”- Technical complexity: Defines the project’s backend architecture (content modeling approach, integration patterns).
Senior Level 2 → Senior Level 3
Section titled “Senior Level 2 → Senior Level 3”- Technical complexity: Sets backend standards adopted across multiple projects on the account, in addition to taking on project delivery ownership.