There’s no single roadmap to becoming a senior engineer -- but there are patterns, pitfalls, and possibilities worth exploring. This track highlights the many different ways experienced engineers grow into high-impact technical leaders -- whether by scaling startups, thriving as a solopreneur, climbing the ladder at FAANG companies, building careers through open source/standards, or steadily rising within smaller organizations. Our speakers bring radically different journeys to the table, but share a common thread: each has carved out a sustainable and influential role largely as an individual contributor. Through their stories, we’ll unpack the skills, strategies, and self-awareness it takes to grow into senior technical leadership, however you choose to make that journey.
The Path to Senior Engineering Leadership
Track Host
Kaye Mason
Software Engineer @Meta, Previously @Google and @EA, 20+ Years in Real-Time Rendering, Spatial Computing, and Developer Platforms
Kaye Mason is a veteran graphics engineer, recovering game dev, and insatiable science nerd who works at the intersection of graphics, AI, and HCI. With over two decades of experience in real-time rendering, spatial computing, and developer platforms, she’s passionate about empowering artists and crafting great user experiences. Kaye shipped a dozen titles at EA--from Return of the King to The Sims 4 -- before moving to Google, where she worked on Google Earth Mobile, Daydream, and led Stadia’s graphics platform team. Along the way, she served as the spec editor for the first release of the OpenXR standard and now helps shape the future of XR at Meta.