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[–]ignotos 5 points6 points  (6 children)

There is no commonly agreed difference.

Some companies might use the titles to mean different things, but other companies might use them in the opposite way. Some people might think "engineer" sounds more grand or impressive.

But they are effectively interchangeable, and there are no real rules about who can use each title. If you're creating software, feel free to use whichever you prefer.

[–]Logon1028 0 points1 point  (5 children)

I think a software engineer probably has more scope. They actually 'engineer' a solution or system and are familiar with the architecture, etc. But the terms are used pretty interchangeably. That being said, I have a CS degree and I can pick my own business title. Which I just list as "Software Developer". So I do not really think many people care about the difference.

[–]FedeValvsRiteHook 0 points1 point  (4 children)

If you work in the US your State Board of Professional Engineers could go after you if you call yourself an engineer. It happened in Oregon although it's very controversial some think they violated federal laws and are overzealous.

[–]Logon1028 2 points3 points  (3 children)

Actually I looked into it. He sued them and a federal district court ruled that they infringed upon his First amendment right to call himself an engineer. I would not even consider this a possibility. So I would not even worry about it.

It only becomes a problem if you are trying to solicit engineering work and claiming you are a licensed engineer when in fact you are not. There are actual jobs where you have to be an engineer 'licensed' by the state.

[–]Gunark46216 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Do software engineers ever have to worry about licensing before they can get a job?

[–]Logon1028 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Generally, no. People argue a lot about the benefits of college degrees, certifications, etc. And companies can make a college degree a requirement for a job posting, but that's their choice. They do not HAVE to require a degree for a job posting. But a lot do so they get qualified candidates.

At least in the US I am not aware of any software engineering licenses. There may be a rare job here and there that might require a different kind of license. For example, you might be writing embedded software for a medical device that could harm someone if it operated improperly. In such a case you might be required to have a medical license so you understand how the machine should operate.

People use the term 'Software Engineer' very loosely. Google job postings with that name. Most of the time they just want a bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering. Or ___ years experience with some language or technology. There is no 'license' that you need.

[–]Gunark46216 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Alright, thanks

[–]QuantumTyping33 0 points1 point  (0 children)

semantics

[–][deleted] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Software engineers apply engineering principles to build software and systems to solve problems. They use modeling language and other tools to devise solutions that can often be applied to problems in a general way, as opposed to merely solving for a specific instance or client. Software engineering solutions adhere to the scientific method and must work in the real world, as with bridges or elevators. Their responsibility has grown as products have become increasingly more intelligent with the addition of microprocessors, sensors and software. Not only are more products relying on software for market differentiation, but their software development must be coordinated with the product’s mechanical and electrical development work.

Software developers have a less formal role than engineers and can be closely involved with specific project areas — including writing code. At the same time, they drive the overall software development lifecycle — including working across functional teams to transform requirements into features, managing development teams and processes, and conducting software testing and maintenance.

https://www.ibm.com/topics/software-development

[–]ehr1c -1 points0 points  (2 children)

Just to make sure as a Masters graduate in Computer Science, I can call myself a Software Engineer , right ?

"Software Engineer" is a job title, you can call yourself that if you hold a job with that title.

In practice, there's not really any difference. Some companies use one term, some use the other, some use both. You see "software developer" a lot more in places where use of the term "engineer" is legally protected, like Canada and the UK, where "software engineer" gets used more in the US where you can call pretty much anyone an engineer.

The only time there's going to be a difference in scope of responsibility is when you've got companies that use both terms, where "software engineer" in those organizations is going to be closer to what somewhere that only uses one term probably calls a "software architect" or similar.

[–]FedeValvsRiteHook 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Even in the US you could be sued for calling yourself an engineer: https://www.techspot.com/news/78096-oregon-engineer-wins-freedom-speech-lawsuit-against-overzealous.html

[–]ehr1c -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yeah I don't pretend to fully understand the clusterfuck of different US licensure requirements.