The Rise of the Product Engineer

When I started working as a developer 25 years ago, we were all product engineers. The term—at least here in Argentina—was "Analyst Programmer." Back then, we sat down with clients to understand their business problems and came up with solutions—sometimes that solution was software. Coding was just a tool; the real challenge was solving the problem.

Over the years, as organizations grew larger and more complex, this mindset changed. Product and engineering became separate functions, each with its own responsibilities. And within engineering, new roles emerged—backend, frontend, DevOps, and more—splitting ownership of customer problems.

Today, things are shifting again. Thanks to advancements in AI and improved tooling, engineers can reduce cognitive load and focus once more on solving business problems. This is where the Product Engineer comes in—someone who not only builds but also understands the “why” behind what they build.

Luca Rossi describes this very well in his article, "How to Become a Product Engineer".

What Makes a Product Engineer Special?

A Product Engineer bridges the gap between engineering and product management, taking full ownership of the product lifecycle. They align technical solutions with business goals, ensuring that what they build truly adds value to customers.

• End-to-End Ownership: Product Engineers oversee the entire process, from ideation to deployment, ensuring continuity across development phases.
• Balance Between Tech and Business: They avoid both over-engineering and under-delivering by aligning technical decisions with business needs.
• Faster Iteration: By reducing handoffs between teams, they can experiment and iterate faster.
• Effective Communication: Their ability to speak both technical and business languages ensures alignment across stakeholders.

This kind of role requires not just technical competence but also empathy, business acumen, and a collaborative spirit—traits that are becoming increasingly important as engineering roles evolve.

Closing Thoughts

Product Engineers are not just builders; they are problem-solvers. As technology continues to evolve, roles like these will become essential to bridging the gap between what’s technically possible and what’s valuable for customers. Whether you’re building a new product or refining an existing one, having someone who understands both code and customers is a game-changer.