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Home > After Landing the Job Offer > After the Offer > Staff Engineer vs Engineering Manager

Staff Engineer Archetypes (Common Patterns)

Will Larson popularized four common staff+ archetypes: Tech Lead, Architect, Solver, and Right Hand. You may blend them over time; ladders rarely capture all nuance.

Beware rigid labels—use archetypes to clarify expectations and gaps, not to freeze people. Some leaders argue overreliance on archetypes can backfire; treat them as tools, not titles.

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