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I/O Portfolio Part 1

Rochester Institute of Technology Croatia

PSYC 234.801: I/O Psychology

March 5, 2023
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Job Analysis

The job I have chosen to analyze is a lead backend developer. I am very interested in

this position as I have been working as a junior backend developer throughout my four years

at RIT Croatia and would like to be able to get to the position of a lead backend developer.

Through this analysis, I hope to find guides on how to further my knowledge and get to that

position. For the analysis, I will be using the following three methods: interview, observation,

and work diaries. It is very easy to gather all this information for the methods because of my

tight collaboration with my senior mentors who have gone through the process of becoming

lead developers. With the help of my mentors and my past experience, I have concluded that

the lead backend developer is a highly technical role that requires a combination of

programming, analytical, and communication skills. The role involves developing and

maintaining server-side components of web and mobile applications and ensuring that they

are secure, scalable, and optimized for performance. Also, the lead backend developer must

possess excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to work

collaboratively with other professionals. I have also used the information provided by

O*NET to help with defining the tasks. Through this analysis, I have found that the main

tasks that an employee performs on the job are the following:

1. Developing server-side components. Lead backend developers are responsible for

developing and maintaining the server-side components of web and mobile

applications.

2. Designing and developing APIs. Lead backend developers design and develop APIs

and web services that allow front-end developers to interact with the back-end

systems.
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3. Collaboration with frontend developers. Frontend and backend developers

communicate effectively and ensure that both teams are aligned with project goals and

timelines.

4. Ensuring security and scalability. Backend developers must ensure that the backend

systems are secure and scalable.

5. Optimizing server-side components. Lead backend developers use techniques such as

caching, load balancing, and database optimization to ensure that the systems can

handle large volumes of data and traffic.

6. Troubleshooting and debugging. Lead backend developers use tools such as log

analysis and performance monitoring to identify and fix issues.

7. Staying up to date with latest technologies. The lead backend developer stays up to

date with the latest technologies and best practices in backend development.

8. Mentoring and training junior developers by providing guidance, feedback, and

support to help junior developers grow and develop their skills.

9. Working with stakeholders. Lead backend developers communicate effectively and

ensure that the back-end systems support the overall objectives of the project or

organization.

10. Participating in code review. Lead backend developers provide feedback and

suggestions to other developers on the team, and ensure that code is well-documented,

readable, and maintainable.

Overall, a lead backend developer's job involves a combination of programming,

collaboration, optimization, and communication. Successful developers possess a strong

foundation in computer science and proficiency in programming languages and tools.