Skills & Competencies for Software Support Engineer I

Software Support Engineer I job profile

JOB SUMMARY for Software Support Engineer I

Troubleshoots and develops technical solutions related to software and setup errors for field engineers, technicians, and customers.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES for Software Support Engineer I

Creates workaround procedures when standard procedures have failed and ensures issues are resolved in a timely fashion. Escalates urgent problems requiring more in-depth knowledge to appropriate internal resources.

Software Support Engineer I SALARY RANGE

BASE 50%
$76,105
TOTAL 50%
$79,185
Job Level
P01
Job Code
IT10000267
Education/Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Reports To
Supervisor or Manager

Software Support Engineer I Skills and Competencies List

Proficiency Levels and Behavioural Indicators
Salary.com identifies five increasing levels of proficiency for each skill/competency. Some jobs require only a relatively low level of proficiency in each skill/competency, while other jobs will require a more advanced level of proficiency in the same skill/competency. These levels rate the degree of proficiency (skill level, expertise) we expect the incumbent to perform in the given skill/competency for the given job. Note that we intentionally do not associate timeframes or years of experience in performing the skill/competency because that can be misleading. Proficiency levels identify what the incumbent knows and can do rather than how long they have been doing it. Also, note that the proficiency levels are cumulative, e.g., a level 4 proficiency implies the ability to perform all the behaviors at the lower levels.
Check each Software Support Engineer I skill and competencie below to view definitions.

3 hard skills or competencies (industry competencies) for Software Support Engineer I

1 Industry Competency – Root Cause Analysis
Proficiency Level -1
Skill definition-Identifying and analyzing the causes of issues to reduce recurrence using problem-solving techniques.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Names data collection sources used in root cause analysis practices.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Selects and utilizes root cause analysis techniques in investigating fundamental problems.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Participates in brainstorming activities to gain insights into factors and root causes of engineering problems.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Trains teams in isolating process reliability interconnect weakness and proposing design improvements in the process.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Oversees performance of production operation to determine root cause and improve current processing technology.
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2 Industry Competency – Software Product Installation and Support
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Conducting installation and support functions to keep software products up to date and ensure the maintenance of custom software solutions.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Names the commonly used tools in installing and deploying software in any operating system.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Supports customers by addressing various installation, configuration, and support requests.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Works with the team on installing and integrating software products into the company's operating systems.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Trains cross-functional teams on the delivery of system installation and support services to clients.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Sets procedures for implementing software support solutions to ensure smooth performance of applications.
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3 Software Support Engineer I - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Software Support Engineer I
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Software Support Engineer I
Proficiency Level - 5

4 general skills or competencies (Job family competencies) for Software Support Engineer I

1 Job Family Competencies – Customer Escalation Management
Proficiency Level -1
Skill definition-Classifying and prioritizing customer concerns and issues based on severity to ensure proper resolution and retain customer trust.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Lists most common reasons for customers seeking escalation.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Tracks the escalation of customer issues to support real-time resolution of customer concerns.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Works with cross-functional teams in identifying steps to deescalate customer issues and concerns.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Trains and guides teams in handling and resolving customer issues promptly to avoid escalations.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Improves customer interactions and incident management to prevent escalation of future conflicts.
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2 Job Family Competencies – Customer Support
Proficiency Level -1
Skill definition-Providing responsive and relevant support to customers to address issues and problems on our products or services and ensure customer satisfaction.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Lists customer service tools used to track customer interactions and improve service delivery.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Supports the planning and execution of customer service tactics to improve service quality.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Uses metrics in analyzing areas of opportunities for customer service.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Trains and guides teams on effective techniques in customer service to retain customers and increase value.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Leads customer support operations to monitor and determine growth opportunities for customer satisfaction.
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3 Software Support Engineer I - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Software Support Engineer I
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Software Support Engineer I
Proficiency Level - 5

6 soft skills or competencies (core competencies) for Software Support Engineer I

1 Core Competencies – Critical Thinking
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Questioning, analyzing and evaluating various alternatives and situations to draw a rational conclusion independently.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Lists the methods, principles, and tools for practicing critical thinking.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Follows the "Who, What, When, Where, Why, How" model to ask critical questions.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Verifies the accuracy and quality of evidence and argumentation.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Predicts the potential impact of future decisions.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Shares experiences on how to develop critical thinking and analysis-synthesis of thinking.
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2 Core Competencies – Attention to Detail
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Executing and completing a task with a high level of accuracy.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Lists the traits of an employee showing great attention to detail.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Utilizes specific approaches and tools for checking and cross-checking outputs.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Uses tools to organize and monitor work progress.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Manages training to improve staffs' concentration and attention to detail.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Learns from previous works' strengths and weaknesses to guide new projects.
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3 Software Support Engineer I - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Software Support Engineer I
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Software Support Engineer I
Proficiency Level - 5

Summary of Software Support Engineer I skills and competencies

There are 3 hard skills for Software Support Engineer I, Root Cause Analysis, Software Product Installation and Support, Software Field Support.
4 general skills for Software Support Engineer I, Customer Escalation Management, Customer Support, Linux, etc.
6 soft skills for Software Support Engineer I, Critical Thinking, Attention to Detail, Time Management, etc.
While the list totals 13 distinct skills, it's important to note that not all are required to be mastered to the same degree. Some skills may only need a basic understanding, whereas others demand a higher level of expertise.
For instance, as a Software Support Engineer I, he or she needs to be proficient in Critical Thinking, be proficient in Attention to Detail, and be proficient in Time Management.

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