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I’m curious how many opportunities the IC path has to lead and conduct “managerial” duties. I’m sure it varies by company, but I’d like to believe it’s like how most research teams operate - leaders lead and organize meetings when necessary, but they are primarily responsible for the research at the end of the day.

I’ve only been a low level IC, so I don’t know what it looks like. Anyone care to share their experience?

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My experience as a staff-level IC is that I end up doing a lot of project management, scoping, resource allocation, interacting & negotiating with business stakeholders, and defining & delegating work items. I meet often with my actual EM and work with him on strategic team direction. I still code but quite a bit less than as a senior IC, instead doing more oversight, review, and direction-setting across all the team's projects and work.

But I don't have to do the real people management stuff like perf reviews, dealing with personal issues, hiring/firing, reporting to the execs/board, etc.

I have some previous "real" management experience from a prior job but I noped out of it for staff+ IC, for now.

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