# Individual Contributor Levels

Name	Level 1 (Entry)	Level 2 (Intermediate)	Level 3 (Advanced)	Level 4 (Highly Skilled)	Level 5 (Expert)	Level 6 (Principal)
Analogy	Learning about rope	-Can tie basic knots -Participates as others tie complex knots	- Ties complex knots - Calculates rope strength -Knows a lot about knots	Understands rope making	Knows more about rope than anyone else in the company	Knows more about rope than anyone else, period
Knowledge	Learns to use professional concepts. Applies company policies and procedures to resolve routine issues.	Developing professional expertise, applies company policies and procedures to resolve a variety of issues.	A full understanding of area; resolves a wide range of issues in creative ways.	Has wide-ranging experience, uses professional concepts and company objectives to resolve complex issues in creative and effective ways.	Has broad expertise or unique knowledge, uses skills to contribute to development of company objectives and principles and to achieve goals in creative and effective ways.	Expert in the field, uses professional concepts in developing resolution to critical issues and broad design matters.
Job Complexity	Works on problems of limited scope. Follows standard practices and procedures. Builds stable working relationships internally.	Works on problems of moderate scope where analysis of situations or data requires a review of a variety of factors. Exercises judgment within defined procedures and practices to determine appropriate action.	Works on problems of diverse scope where analysis of data requires evaluation of identifiable factors. Demonstrates good judgment in selecting methods and techniques for obtaining solutions.	Works on complex issues where analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors. Exercises judgment in selecting methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.	Works on significant and unique issues where analysis of situations or data requires an evaluation of intangibles. Exercises independent judgment in methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.	Works on issues that impact design/selling success or address future concepts, Works on issues that impact design/selling success or address future concepts
Supervision	Normally receives detailed instructions on all work.	Normally receives general instructions on routine work, detailed instructions on new projects or assignments.	Normally receives little instruction on day-to-day work, general instructions on new assignments.	Determines methods and procedures on new assignments and may coordinate activities of other personnel.	Acts independently to determine methods and procedures on new or special assignments. May supervise the activities of others.	Exercises wide latitude in determining objectives and approaches to critical assignments.
Detailed expectations			Software Engineering	Software Engineering

# Brief aid

IC Levels - impact on their team, the company, and skill growth

Level 1 - scope & impact
- straightforward tasks
- no impact expected, focused on own work, leads self
Level 2 - scope & impact
- mostly routine tasks, starts to have varied tasks,
- starts to have impact on team work, leads self
Level 3 - scope & impact
- varied tasks, starts to receive assignments without much detail, may coordinate parts of a project
- identifies skills gaps in the team, questions processes, suggests improvements, understands the impact they have in their team, starts to facilitate others’ activities within their own team
Level 4 - scope & impact
- receives full assignments/projects, proactive in cutting up in smaller tasks,
- has an impact on a project/a product, actively takes part in the skill growth of their team, may technically lead an activity or a team, cooperates with other teams
Level 5 - scope & impact
- assigned multiple complex projects, innovative in their delivery,
- identified by others in the company as an expert in their field, is a go-to-person for their expertise, actively takes part in the skill growth of teams similar to theirs, will influence decisions for a project/product,
Level 6 - scope & impact
- scope involves multiple large complex projects
- identified by other outside of the company as an expert in their field, actively takes part in the skill growth of their peers, has an impact on company strategy, may have an impact on the industry

# Level analogy for Software Engineers (IC)

Imagine you would like to give a banana as a present to someone. You ask a software engineer to package it.

Level 3 → they will prepare nice packaging with a ribbon on top, and that’s it. But before delivering this package, they will try a couple of other packaging colors just to ensure it will be the nicest possible.

Level 4 → will ask who you want to give this gift to, and if the person has any preferences. Maybe they will ask for additional details. They will make the package in maybe two attempts, and you’ll get the most fabulous package ever.

Level 5 → They will deliver superb packaging, not needing much information and taking into consideration: will the receiver eat the banana quickly? when will you send the package? because they could also provide for thermal-packaging.

Level 6 → they have done this so many times that they know the banana is not the perfect gift. You should offer an apple instead. Also, they’ll make the perfect packaging without even thinking.

# Detailed expectations: L3 - Software Engineering

Matching title → Software Engineer

# TL; DR for L3

Scope → Works on varied tasks, starts to receive assignments without much detail, may coordinate parts of a project. Questions processes, suggest improvements.

Impact → Is a reliable referent inside and outside their team. Starts to facilitate others’ activities within their own team. Is pragmatic and understands their impact. Is focused on delivering impact in a minimal amount of time, with a minimal amount of risks.

# Level 3 expectations

The candidate (internal & external) for a IC position will need to have a proven track record of the following hard and soft skills:

➡️ Knowledge: full understanding of the area; resolves a wide range of issues in creative ways.

For external candidates: 3/4+ years of experience in a similar role (indicator, not a hard requirement)
Excellent command of English,
Fully understand their team's practices and processes (release, review, reporting…) and the rationale behind them, uses them successfully, is able to be a referent in their team and to onboard newcomers,
Advocates for good use of technical processes within their team,
Provides good quality of code (clean and readable) delivered on time, for which a review from others is necessary. Ability to solve complex problems through code and avoid predictable bugs. May be developed in concert with other teams (other engineering teams, product, design),
Clear, concise, and proactive communication
- Proactively updates all parties on the advancement of a project,
- Able to provide a realistic estimation of a timeline for a task,
- When late on a task, they understand the impact on the project or other teams → proactively warns managers and relevant parties,
- Listens carefully to develop a clear understanding of issues,
- Accurately and articulately explains detailed information when it is important for others to understand,
- Openly shares information and contributes to discussions
Proactively seeks and gives feedback, aiming for own skill improvement and improvement of peers,
Curious about their field, does technical watches regularly and starts sharing information with their team,
Understands their function and/or product strategy and detailed objectives,
Able to understand the user’s point of view; solves user issues and technical issues,
Knows and understands company values; they are aware of how they fit into them,
Not only focused on coding: understands their function/product area of focus and how it fits into the overall business; educates others in their team,

➡️ Job complexity: works on problems of diverse scope where analysis of data requires evaluation of identifiable factors. Demonstrates good judgment in selecting methods and techniques for obtaining solutions.

Pragmatic mindset, starts to prioritize tasks depending on what will have the most impact,
Handles a variety of tasks and/or works on several projects,
Able to efficiently adapt to unplanned events,
Looks for different ways of solving a problem, shows initiative in solving problems by applying previous learning and asking questions (doesn’t stay stuck too long on an issue),
Guides others on technical procedures,
Asks deeper questions and explores problems to make suggestions for improvement, may take part in discussions with manager and/or tech lead to choose methods and techniques,
Proactive in helping others who are stuck, able to guide others on simple and medium issues,
Consistently and reliably delivers on commitments,
Starts to suggest ideas for the company that are out of their scope,
Takes part in recruitment processes by discussing what is missing in the team and helping to design recruitment stages (e.g. technical assessments).

➡️ Supervision: Normally receives little instruction on day-to-day work and general instructions on new assignments.

Able to work alone on a project or plan a whole project autonomously (depending on complexity),
Will autonomously cut up a project or a feature into detailed tasks, and will write about them in a clear way,
Monitors their own work to ensure requirements and targets are met,
Drives themselves to achieve common goals with minimal guidance,
Starts to encourage others to achieve common goals.

# On the road to Level 4

Has the necessary hard and soft skills to be trusted with the supervision of technical projects
Cares about the team’s skillset
- Pinpoints what may be missing
- Consciously takes part in the growth of other team members
- Suggests ways to improve and grow skillset: training, conferences, new recruitments

# Detailed expectations: L4 - Software Engineering

Matching title → Senior Software Engineer

# TL; DR for L4

Scope → Receives full assignments/projects, proactive in cutting up smaller tasks,

Impact → Has an impact on a project or a product, actively takes part in the skill growth of their team, may technically lead an activity or a team, cooperates with other teams

# Level 4 expectations

The candidate (internal & external) for a senior IC position will need to have a proven track record of the following hard and soft skills:

➡️ Knowledge: Has wide-ranging experience and uses professional concepts and company objectives to resolve complex issues in creative and effective ways.

For external candidates: 6+ years experience in a similar role (indicator, not a hard requirement)
Excellent command of English,
Provides high-quality, clean, and readable front-end/back-end code, delivered on time → ability to write complex code, avoid predictable bugs, use best practices. Very few mistakes in their code when reviewed. May be developed in concert with other teams (other engineering teams, product, design),
Provides guidance to others, actively helps teammates, supports teammates in solving complex and medium issues,
Is an advocate for good practices that are essential to the success of a project (e.g., tests, benchmarks, CI, documentation),
Clear and concise written communication,
- ideally, has worked in a remote company before. If not: is used to a written culture of work or capable of adapting quickly
- synthetic and transparent writing
- writes relevant updates in a timely manner
- has the right level of communication: provides the right information, at the right time, and adapts communication depending on priority/level of emergency,
Synthetic and relevant oral communication,
- used to presenting work for their team and company-wide,
- used to giving feedback regarding others’ work. In their team and others. Gives efficient feedback aligned with team objectives
Values and encourages collaboration, inside and outside the team,
Ability to provide critical thinking at every phase of a project. Technically comfortable enough to challenge the ideas of peers and tech lead/management.
Helps strengthen the team by passing on craftsmanship through close collaboration, knowledge shares, and mentorship,
Does a regular watch over new technologies and shares with teams, may organize training sessions or workshops.

➡️ Job complexity: Works on complex issues where analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors. Exercises judgment in selecting methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.

Ability to identify success factors for a task or a project (e.g. will proactively ask themselves “how do I measure my success in this role?”)
Ability to quickly identify who the stakeholders are for a project, and understand their expectations,
Ability to see things from a business perspective and to prioritize work and/or coordinate projects accordingly,
Has a pragmatic approach to iteration, knows when to “bet” on something vs. when to spend more time focusing on details for scalability,
Has experience working across teams (cross-team coordination),
Able to solve complex problems, considering cost (not necessarily financial) and value in order to make the best decision,
Helps the manager or the tech lead to select the most relevant methods and techniques,
Proactively identifies skill gaps within the team and where external recruitment would be necessary. May lead the technical aspect of a recruitment process.

➡️ Supervision: Determines methods and procedures on new assignments and may coordinate activities of other personnel.

Able to take up a task or work on a project without detailed assignments,
Will autonomously cut up a project or large task into smaller pieces,
Proactively updates all parties on the advancement of a project,
Reliable, holds themselves accountable for their tasks and their results,
Aware of impact on others and continuously developing skills,
Will lead the way in terms of method and procedure, either because they exist internally, or by replicating what they learned with experience,
Is an advocate for good practices, inside and outside team
Able to offer ways of improving current procedures and methods,
Able to provide a realistic estimation of a timeline for a project,
May support the manager and/or tech lead with task coordination within the team.

# On the road to L5

Naturally through their scope, but also their personal initiative → starting to impact company growth, not only their team.
Has the relevant soft and hard skills to lead various complex projects with little guidance

# Detailed expectations: Head of X (WIP)

# Role

# Management of manager

Grow the team by hiring new people when it’s needed for the business.
Make the teammates grow with training, coaching, book recommendations, pairing with other team members, and presentations.
Increase the ownership of each team and employee empowerment.
Put in place and maintain processes and frameworks that help the department and teams to grow. (table of responsibility, career framework, 360 feedbacks, async communication, company policies, onboarding)
Manage your department and team's budget. (Hiring, tools, diverse expenses)
Improve the global managerial culture of the company.

# Strategy and Business

You should always think about what is in the best interest of Meilisearch regarding the culture and the business.
Put in place strategies in your department. (Processes, good practices, guides)
Being the culture and business representative role for your teams.
Anticipate your future need and create roadmaps each quarter.
Work on quantitative objectives and set clear deadlines and expectations for each project.
Take time for your own growth (read books, benchmark, technical watch)

# Communication

Forward the information to your teams and bring up the important information to the top management.
Be an evangelist of your department. (Prepare a presentation about what you’re working on, Promote works that have been done)

# Skills

Being able to communicate in an efficient way.
- sync or async, video, voice or text,
- put a context when it’s needed, be sure to highlight the most important fact in your memos,
- often communicate but not too much,
- find the right ton of voice in your messages,
- strong capacity to take meetings notes,
- synchronize your teams and the communication between the departments,
Be organized and reliable.
- don’t miss deadlines,
- as meeting owner, organize the meetings well, as meeting participants start the meeting prepared,
- prepare small but efficient planning for every task when it’s needed,
- don’t forget to answer a message,
- be clear about your teams capacity, know to say no,

# Detailed expectations: L3 - Advanced X (WIP)

# TL; DR for L3

Scope → Works on varied tasks, starts to receive assignments without much detail, may coordinate parts of a project. Questions processes, suggest improvements.

# Level 3 expectations

➡️ Knowledge: full understanding of the area; resolves a wide range of issues in creative ways.

Excellent command of English,
Fully understand their team's practices and processes and the rationale behind them, uses them successfully, is able to be a referent in their team and to onboard newcomers,
Full proficiency in a range of technical processes: knows what process to use and when, successful use of processes, knows where to find documentation about them, able to onboard newcomers,
Advocates for good use of technical processes within their team,
Provides good quality work delivered on time, for which a review from others is necessary.
Clear, concise, and proactive communication
- Proactively updates all parties on the advancement of a project,
- Able to provide a realistic estimation of a timeline for a task,
- When late on a task, they understand the impact on the project or other teams → proactively warns managers and relevant parties,
- Listens carefully to develop a clear understanding of issues,
- Accurately and articulately explains detailed information when it is important for others to understand,
- Openly shares information and contributes to discussions
Proactively seeks and gives feedback, aiming for own skill improvement and improvement of peers,
Curious about their field, does technical watches regularly and starts sharing information with their team,
Understands their function and/or product strategy and detailed objectives,
Able to understand the user’s point of view; solves user issues and technical issues,
Knows and understands company values; they are aware of how they fit into them,
Not only focused on your main job: understands their function/product area of focus and how it fits into the overall business; educates others in their team,

Pragmatic mindset, starts to prioritize tasks depending on what will have the most impact,
Handles a variety of tasks and/or works on several projects,
Able to efficiently adapt to unplanned events,
Looks for different ways of solving a problem, shows initiative in solving problems by applying previous learning and asking questions (doesn’t stay stuck too long on an issue),
Guides others on technical procedures,
Asks deeper questions and explores problems to make suggestions for improvement, may take part in discussions with manager and/or tech lead to choose methods and techniques,
Proactive in helping others who are stuck, able to guide others on simple and medium issues,
Consistently and reliably delivers on commitments,
Starts to suggest ideas for the company that are out of their scope,
Takes part in recruitment processes by discussing what is missing in the team and helping to design recruitment stages (e.g. technical assessments).

➡️ Supervision: Normally receives little instruction on day-to-day work and general instructions on new assignments.

Able to work alone on a project or plan a whole project autonomously (depending on complexity),
Will autonomously cut up a project or a feature into detailed tasks, and will write about them in a clear way,
Monitors their own work to ensure requirements and targets are met,
Drives themselves to achieve common goals with minimal guidance,
Starts to encourage others to achieve common goals.

# On the road to Level 4

Has the necessary hard and soft skills to be trusted with the supervision of technical projects
Cares about the team’s skillset
- Pinpoints what may be missing
- Consciously takes part in the growth of other team members
- Suggests ways to improve and grow skillset: training, conferences, new recruitments

# Detailed expectations: L4 - Senior X

Matching title → Senior

# TL; DR for L4

Scope → Receives full assignments/projects, proactive in cutting up smaller tasks,

Impact → Has an impact on a project or a product, actively takes part in the skill growth of their team, may technically lead an activity or a team, and cooperates with other teams.

—

Ownership → Works independently and owns projects entirely, both in their area and cross-functionally. Initiative → Gives guidance and unblocks others; finds opportunities to mentor and grow teammates.

# Expectations

➡️ Knowledge: Has wide-ranging experience and uses professional concepts and company objectives to resolve complex issues creatively and effectively.

Excellent command of English,
Provides high-quality work on time.
Provides guidance to others, actively helps teammates, supports teammates in solving complex and medium issues,
Is an advocate for good practices that are essential to the success of a project,
Clear and concise written communication,
- ideally, has worked in a remote company before. If not: is used to a written culture of work or capable of adapting quickly
- synthetic and transparent writing
- writes relevant updates promptly
- has the right level of communication: provides the right information at the right time and adapts communication depending on priority/level of emergency,
Synthetic and relevant oral communication,
- used to present work for their team and company-wide,
- used to give feedback regarding others’ work. In their team and others. Gives efficient feedback aligned with team objectives
Values and encourages collaboration, inside and outside the team,
Ability to provide critical thinking at every phase of a project. Technically comfortable enough to challenge the ideas of peers and tech lead/management.
Helps strengthen the team by passing on craftsmanship through close collaboration, knowledge shares, and mentorship,
Does a regular watch over new technologies and shares with teams, may organize training sessions or workshops.

➡️ Job Complexity: Works on complex issues where analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors. Exercises judgment in selecting methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.

Ability to identify success factors for a task or a project (e.g. will proactively ask themselves, “how do I measure my success in this role?”)
Ability to quickly identify who the stakeholders are for a project and understand their expectations,
Ability to see things from a business perspective and to prioritize work and/or coordinate projects accordingly,
Has a pragmatic approach to iteration, knows when to “bet” on something vs. when to spend more time focusing on details for scalability,
Has experience working across teams (cross-team coordination),
Able to solve complex problems, considering cost (not necessarily financial) and value to make the best decision,

➡️ Supervision: Determines methods and procedures on new assignments and may coordinate activities of other personnel.

Able to take up a task or work on a project without detailed assignments,
Will autonomously cut up a project or large task into smaller pieces,
Proactively updates all parties on the advancement of a project,
Reliable, holds themselves accountable for their tasks and their results,
Aware of impact on others and continuously developing skills,
Will lead the way in terms of method and procedure, either because they exist internally or by replicating what they learned with experience,
Is an advocate for good practices, inside and outside the team
Able to offer ways of improving current procedures and methods,
Able to provide a realistic estimation of a timeline for a project,
May support the manager and/or tech lead with task coordination within the team.

# On the road to L5

Naturally, through their scope, but also their personal initiative → starting to impact company growth, not only their team.
Has the relevant soft and hard skills to lead various complex projects with little guidance

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