Software Engineer Job Titles (as I see them)

Everyone knows titles are not a big deal, at least when you are a measly software developer. However, the following is what I personally expect from different levels of developers, engineers, programmers, or what ever you call coders at your place of employ:

Intern/Entry (0) - Is analytically minded, but is still struggling with the basics of syntax, ect.

Junior Developer (1) - Has mostly mastered language syntax and constructs, but still needs a lot of guidance to effectively leverage his tools to create a usable piece of software that can be reasonably maintained.

[Mid] Developer (2) - Can work on assigned tasks with minimal guidance only occasionally needing to seek help. May still struggle with translating high level requirements into code. He can be unable to see patterns in a high level in the application, or see them when they are not there. May not be able to deal with ambiguity.

Senior Developer (3) - Able to develop and deploy most applications from to start to finish with no guidance. She has the ability to translate requirements and user feedback into actionable plans. Must also possess the ability to help delegate work. Can deal with ambiguity and make plans to work around it. May have some trouble distinguishing between different design patterns and applying them appropriately.

Okay, some pedants may say the next one clashes with a senior developer, may not be generally used, or claim that software architecture is it's own distinguishable field; but if I don't list it a mid-level developer will not be in the middle of the list!

Architect (4) - Has mastered his area of technology and can immediately spot the causes of obscure errors. Is an expert at translating requirements in to software, and can often understand user feedback even if the verbal feedback contradicts their true intentions or goals. Can head off issues before they become problems. Has very good working knowledge of design patterns and when to they are appropriate. Able to understand how to make larges gains in application performance. Experience is broad enough to know if a language/framework is not appropriate for the problem at hand and seek the necessary expertise. Might be able to write a book in their area of expertise.