Individual Contributor Levels (IC1-IC9)
Comprehensive career framework for Individual Contributors at Ultralytics, defining expectations from entry-level through distinguished leadership. Use these descriptions for self-assessment, development planning, and promotion decisions.
Career Framework Overview
Individual Contributors achieve impact through deep expertise and individual work. Both IC and Management tracks offer equal advancement potential and compensation at equivalent scope levels. See Career Progression for the complete framework.
Career Progression
graph LR
IC1[IC1<br/>Entry<br/>Associate] --> IC2[IC2<br/>Mid 1<br/>Developing]
IC2 --> IC3[IC3<br/>Mid 2<br/>Proficient]
IC3 --> IC4[IC4<br/>Senior 1<br/>Skilled]
IC4 --> IC5[IC5<br/>Senior 2<br/>Advanced]
IC5 --> IC6[IC6<br/>Staff<br/>Expert]
IC6 --> IC7[IC7<br/>Senior Staff<br/>Advisor]
IC7 --> IC8[IC8<br/>Principal<br/>Strategist]
IC8 --> IC9[IC9<br/>Distinguished<br/>Thought Leader]
style IC1 fill:#e1f5ff
style IC2 fill:#b3e5fc
style IC3 fill:#81d4fa
style IC4 fill:#4fc3f7
style IC5 fill:#29b6f6
style IC6 fill:#03a9f4
style IC7 fill:#039be5
style IC8 fill:#0288d1
style IC9 fill:#01579bLevel Overview
| Level | Title | Career Stage | Ops/Strategic Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| IC1 | Entry | Entry | 100% Operational |
| IC2 | Mid 1 | Developing | 100% Operational |
| IC3 | Mid 2 | Proficient | 100% Operational |
| IC4 | Senior 1 | Skilled | 100% Operational |
| IC5 | Senior 2 | Advanced | 90% Ops / 10% Strategic |
| IC6 | Staff | Expert | 80% Ops / 20% Strategic |
| IC7 | Senior Staff | Advisor | 70% Ops / 30% Strategic |
| IC8 | Principal | Strategist | 60% Ops / 40% Strategic |
| IC9 | Distinguished | Thought Leader | 50% Ops / 50% Strategic |
IC1: Entry
Career Stage: Entry
Typical Roles: Junior Engineer, Associate Product Manager, Junior Designer, Marketing Coordinator, Sales Development Rep
Focus: 100% Operational - Learning fundamentals under close supervision
Core Expectations
| Dimension | IC1 Requirements |
|---|---|
| Expertise & Domain Knowledge |
• Applies basic principles and concepts in a specialized area • Learns and applies primary techniques and tools relevant to the role • Continuously expands skill sets, including company policies and industry knowledge • Grows competency through structured tasks and mentorship |
| Scope & Responsibility |
• Works on routine and basic tasks with clearly defined parameters • Responsible for one or more project components, following general directions • Plans daily tasks with guidance from senior team members • Contributions focus on repeatable, task-driven activities • Impacts own work primarily, learning team collaboration |
| Decision Making & Impact |
• Makes decisions about own work guided by well-defined options • Work is closely supervised with frequent check-ins and review • Refers non-standard or complex matters to senior team members • Seeks guidance when facing ambiguity or uncertainty • Supports team decisions through research and inputs |
| Leadership & Influence |
• Works with well-defined stakeholders within the immediate team • Learns principles of effective communication and collaboration • Influences through research and providing inputs to discussions • Responsible for individual assignments and deliverables • Participates actively in team meetings and reviews |
| Complexity & Problem Solving |
• Solves defined problems using established methods and documentation • Problems require analysis of identifiable factors with clear solutions • Follows documented procedures and best practices • Applies knowledge and basic techniques to resolve routine issues • Conveys straightforward information to the team |
| Collaboration & Communication |
• Works closely with immediate team members daily • Learns to communicate concepts clearly • Participates in team meetings, project reviews, and design critiques • Asks thoughtful questions and seeks clarification when needed • Documents work following established templates and standards |
Typical Background
- Bachelor's degree + 0-1 year experience OR Master's degree
- Foundational knowledge in a relevant field (i.e. CS, Design, Business, Marketing)
- Demonstrated eagerness to learn and grow through internships or projects
- Strong academic background or relevant internship/project experience
Success Indicators
Key Performance Signals
- ✅ Completes assigned tasks on time with quality that meets team standards
- ✅ Actively seeks feedback and applies it to improve work quality
- ✅ Demonstrates a steady learning curve and skill development
- ✅ Collaborates effectively with immediate team members
- ✅ Asks thoughtful questions and escalates issues appropriately
Common Development Areas
- Deepen fundamentals in core domain tools and practices
- Grow confidence operating with lighter guidance and checkpoints
- Connect individual tasks to team goals and user outcomes
- Build repeatable problem-solving habits for routine issues
- Improve basic scoping and estimation for small tasks
IC2: Mid 1 (Developing)
Career Stage: Developing Typical Roles: Engineer I, Product Manager I, Designer I, Marketing Specialist, Business Development Rep Focus: 100% Operational - Developing autonomy with general supervision
Core Expectations
| Dimension | IC2 Requirements |
|---|---|
| Expertise & Domain Knowledge |
• Develops and applies growing advanced techniques and principles • Standard application of principles, theories, and concepts • Expanding knowledge across related specialty areas • Demonstrates increasing competency and autonomy in work • Good grasp of relevant tools and methodologies |
| Scope & Responsibility |
• Handles moderate complexity work with opportunity for review • Responsible for project aspects, determining methods to achieve results • Plans and schedules own work across multiple days • Contributes to fulfillment of significant project portions • Work impacts own deliverables and begins affecting team outcomes |
| Decision Making & Impact |
• Makes decisions about own work and occasionally others' within documented parameters • Independently resolves routine issues • Works under general supervision with independent judgment • Seeks guidance on complex or ambiguous situations • Begins recommending approaches to solve problems |
| Leadership & Influence |
• Begins working with more varied and changing stakeholders • Gains cooperation from others, exchanges information effectively • Influences through recommending approaches and solutions • Responsible for individual project aspects and their coordination • Participates actively in team planning and design discussions |
| Complexity & Problem Solving |
• Problems require analysis of identifiable factors and tradeoffs • Determines course of action based on guidelines, modifies based on experience • Handles basic escalations from entry-level team members • Applies growing problem-solving sophistication and techniques • Conveys information clearly to diverse audiences |
| Collaboration & Communication |
• Works effectively with team members across different functions • Communicates progress, challenges, and decisions proactively • Contributes meaningfully to discussions and planning • Helps onboard IC1 team members • Documents work clearly for broader team consumption |
Typical Background
- Bachelor's degree + 1-3 years experience OR Master's degree + 1 year
- Demonstrated growth in functional skills and independent contributions
- Track record of delivering tasks or projects with guidance
- Comfortable working with moderate complexity
Success Indicators
Key Performance Signals
- ✅ Delivers work with minimal guidance
- ✅ Proactively identifies and resolves routine issues
- ✅ Makes sound decisions on own tasks
- ✅ Effectively communicates with immediate stakeholders
- ✅ Demonstrates growing ownership of work quality
Common Development Areas
- Expand depth in the primary domain and adjacent tools
- Increase comfort working through ambiguity with partial requirements
- Strengthen understanding of team's role and dependencies
- Improve estimation accuracy and proactive risk surfacing
- Build early mentorship habits with IC1 teammates
IC3: Mid 2 (Proficient)
Career Stage: Proficient Typical Roles: Engineer II, Product Manager II, Designer II, Senior Marketing Specialist, Account Executive Focus: 100% Operational - Fully autonomous execution on complex tasks
Core Expectations
| Dimension | IC3 Requirements |
|---|---|
| Expertise & Domain Knowledge |
• Applies complete and practical knowledge of their domain • Near-complete use of standard principles, theories, and concepts • Capable of troubleshooting complex issues within own domain • High competency and autonomy; rarely needs assistance on standard tasks • Full application of relevant tools, acts as a resource for others |
| Scope & Responsibility |
• Handles moderate to high complexity work with minimal review • Responsible for multiple project aspects or small initiatives end-to-end • Plans and schedules own work across weeks • Contributes to fulfillment of major project portions • Work directly impacts team outcomes and timeline reliability |
| Decision Making & Impact |
• Independently resolves non-routine issues • Determines methods and procedures on new assignments • Decisions have a lasting impact on the maintainability of the team's work • Identifies risks in own work and proposes mitigation strategies • Recommends improvements to team processes |
| Leadership & Influence |
• Collaborates with stakeholders outside immediate team occasionally • Mentors IC1 and IC2 peers on best practices • Influences discussions by leveraging past experience • Responsible for multiple project aspects and their coordination • Leads small sub-projects or feature implementations |
| Complexity & Problem Solving |
• Solves difficult problems with ambiguous factors • Analyzes tradeoffs between different implementations • Handles escalated issues from junior team members regularly • Optimizes existing solutions for performance or scalability • Translates business requirements into functional specifications |
| Collaboration & Communication |
• Proactively communicates blocking issues and proposes solutions • Participates in hiring and interviewing (shadowing) • Conducts thorough reviews for peers • Documents complex workflows and system behaviors • Bridges gaps between business requirements and implementation |
Typical Background
- Bachelor's degree + 3-5 years experience OR Master's degree + 2 years OR PhD + 1 year
- Track record of delivering work end-to-end independently
- Strong knowledge of best practices in their field
- Ability to mentor junior team members on specific tasks
Success Indicators
Key Performance Signals
- ✅ Consistently delivers complex work with high quality and autonomy
- ✅ Recognized as a reliable owner of specific domains or components
- ✅ Mentors junior team members effectively on tasks
- ✅ Proactively improves quality and documentation
- ✅ Estimates work accurately and manages own timeline effectively
Common Development Areas
- Grow influence beyond immediate tasks to adjacent components
- Elevate strategic thinking and long-term maintainability
- Strengthen ambiguity handling and tradeoff communication
- Develop more deliberate mentoring and review practices
- Improve stakeholder updates that translate choices to impact
IC4: Senior 1 (Skilled)
Career Stage: Career / Fully Functioning Typical Roles: Senior Engineer, Senior Product Manager, Senior Designer, Senior Analyst, Senior Marketing Manager Focus: 100% Operational - Independent expert with cross-team influence
Core Expectations
| Dimension | IC4 Requirements |
|---|---|
| Expertise & Domain Knowledge |
• Applies complete and practical knowledge across multiple specializations • Demonstrates full competence and gains exposure to more complex work • Understands interrelationships between different disciplines • Deep application of principles, theories, and concepts in domain • May be gaining exposure to adjacent functional areas |
| Scope & Responsibility |
• Handles moderate complexity with diverse issues requiring minimal review • Contributes to significant project components, impacting own and others' work • Plans own work within scheduled guidelines across multiple projects • Often recommends integration approaches across team projects • Work affects team outcomes and cross-team deliverables significantly |
| Decision Making & Impact |
• Makes independent decisions guided by experience and learned knowledge • Makes decisions on own work methods, occasionally in ambiguous situations • Regularly resolves routine and non-routine issues independently • Works under broad guidelines with regular independent judgment application • Influences work team products, processes, and results |
| Leadership & Influence |
• Identifies and actively manages diverse stakeholders across teams • Presents results and recommendations across discipline effectively • Begins influencing team products, features, processes, and results • Serves as Recommender and occasional Activator on team decisions • May lead small projects or significant initiative components |
| Complexity & Problem Solving |
• Problems are somewhat varied, require analysis of multiple factors and data conflicts • Assesses unusual circumstances using sophisticated problem-solving techniques • Identifies root causes and builds solutions independently • Provides creative and effective solutions to complex issues • Breaks down complex problems into manageable components |
| Collaboration & Communication |
• Works effectively across multiple teams and functional areas • Communicates complex concepts to non-technical audiences • Mentors IC2 and IC3 team members regularly on functional topics • Participates in hiring and interviewing processes • Represents team effectively in cross-functional forums |
Typical Background
- Bachelor's degree + 5-7 years experience OR Master's degree + 4 years OR PhD + 2 years
- Proven track record of independent complex project delivery
- Strong expertise and domain knowledge
- Demonstrated ability to influence team direction
Success Indicators
Key Performance Signals
- ✅ Owns and delivers complex projects independently with high quality
- ✅ Provides effective mentorship to junior/mid team members
- ✅ Makes consistently high-quality decisions
- ✅ Proactively identifies and addresses risks and debts
- ✅ Contributes to team direction and standards
Common Development Areas
- Extend influence from team-level to multi-team integrations
- Strengthen product and business context in decisions
- Improve navigation of cross-team dependencies and conflict resolution
- Balance delivery pace with sustainable solutions and debt payoff
- Lead reviews that drive alignment and quality
IC5: Senior 2 (Advanced)
Career Stage: Advanced Senior Typical Roles: Senior Engineer II, Lead Product Manager, Lead Designer, Lead Marketing Manager, Principal Account Executive Focus: 90% Operational / 10% Strategic - Functional Lead for the team
Core Expectations
| Dimension | IC5 Requirements |
|---|---|
| Expertise & Domain Knowledge |
• Recognized as the "go-to" expert for the team's core domain • Broad knowledge of the entire system and deep knowledge of specific areas • Evaluates and introduces new tools or technologies to the team • Capable of solving the most difficult challenges within the team scope • Sets the bar for quality and design patterns |
| Scope & Responsibility |
• Responsible for the success of major projects or entire features • Identifies and mitigates risks across the project lifecycle • Self-directed; identifies work that needs to be done for the team's success • Coordinates dependencies with other teams • Work creates leverage for the entire team (tooling, frameworks, core libraries) |
| Decision Making & Impact |
• Trusted to make decisions that affect the entire team's velocity • Balances ideal solutions with business speed effectively • Resolves disputes within the team • Defines the "how" for complex initiatives where the "what" is defined by Product • Impact is visible in improved team metrics (performance, reliability, velocity) |
| Leadership & Influence |
• Often acts as the functional lead for the team • Influences the roadmap by identifying opportunities • Drives consensus on design and architecture within the team • Active participant in hiring; defines bar for Senior candidates • Effectively manages up, keeping management informed of risks |
| Complexity & Problem Solving |
• Solves systemic problems that affect multiple team members • Refactors legacy systems to improve maintainability without stopping new work • Anticipates scaling issues before they become incidents • Troubleshoots complex interactions between services or components • Creates frameworks or patterns that simplify problem-solving for others |
| Collaboration & Communication |
• Bridges the gap between their function and product/design at a high level • Mentors Senior 1 contributors towards Staff level thinking • Runs post-mortems and drives action items to completion • Articulates strategy to non-technical stakeholders • Represents the team in architecture reviews with Staff-level contributors |
Typical Background
- Bachelor's degree + 7-9 years experience OR Master's degree + 6 years OR PhD + 4 years
- Consistent history of delivering high-impact projects
- Experience leading design for a team
- Strong reputation for excellence and reliability
Success Indicators
Key Performance Signals
- ✅ Acts as the anchor for the team
- ✅ Successfully delegates work while maintaining quality
- ✅ Improves team velocity through tooling or process improvements
- ✅ Mentors other Seniors to help them grow
- ✅ Prevents major incidents through foresight and robust design
Common Development Areas
- Practice structured delegation while preserving quality bar
- Strengthen cross-team alignment with product, design, and other partners
- Balance speed vs. quality and make tradeoffs explicit to stakeholders
- Reduce bus factor through documentation, reviews, and knowledge sharing
- Build toward Staff influence by shaping team-level strategy
IC6: Staff (Expert)
Career Stage: Senior/Seasoned Typical Roles: Staff Engineer, Staff Product Manager, Staff Designer, Staff Analyst, Staff Marketing Manager Focus: 80% Operational / 20% Strategic - Cross-team leadership
Core Expectations
| Dimension | IC6 Requirements |
|---|---|
| Expertise & Domain Knowledge |
• Applies advanced and wide-ranging knowledge across entire domain • Combines emerging business acumen with deep functional expertise • Understands interrelationships between disciplines, serves as a functional advisor • Deep application of principles across most areas of specialization • Beginning to build reputation as an organizational expert |
| Scope & Responsibility |
• Handles complex work and issues with significant interdependencies • Contributes to and often drives achievement of critical functional goals • Plans, schedules, and integrates tasks with limited direction across projects • Work impacts department outcomes and cross-functional initiatives • Influences quarterly and semi-annual strategic planning |
| Decision Making & Impact |
• Makes decisions on functional approaches, processes, occasionally ambiguous situations • Independently resolves most complex issues, teams to solve ambiguous challenges • Collaborates as Recommender for systemic issues, occasionally Activator • Works from broad goals, determines and develops approach to solutions • Provides direction affecting multiple teams and initiatives |
| Leadership & Influence |
• Plans, schedules, and integrates own work with others across teams • Begins directing application of existing principles to new contexts • Contributes to stakeholder management plans, develops relationships across organization • Influences work team and multiple teams, serves as Recommender and Activator • Often regarded as in-house expert on specific areas or domains |
| Complexity & Problem Solving |
• Problems are varied, diverse, often "hidden" or systemic in nature • Provides solutions to complex issues with sophisticated creative insights • Works on high-impact projects and challenging problems • Regularly guides others in solving highly complex issues • Significant contributor and recommender for far-reaching challenges |
| Collaboration & Communication |
• Influences stakeholders across multiple teams and functional areas • Communicates effectively with senior leadership on functional matters • Mentors IC4 and IC5 contributors on growth and career development • Leads design reviews and architecture discussions • May represent company at external forums and conferences |
Typical Background
- Bachelor's degree + 9-11 years experience OR Master's degree + 7 years OR PhD + 5 years
- Recognized expert in specific domain or technology area
- Track record of leading complex projects affecting multiple teams
- Demonstrated ability to influence direction beyond own team
Success Indicators
Key Performance Signals
- ✅ Drives initiatives affecting multiple teams successfully
- ✅ Recognized as a functional authority within organization
- ✅ Makes strategic decisions with lasting impact
- ✅ Mentors and develops senior contributors effectively
- ✅ Identifies and addresses systemic challenges proactively
Common Development Areas
- Expand influence from department-level to organization-wide outcomes
- Develop executive-ready communication on risk and strategy
- Build broader cross-functional networks that unlock delivery velocity
- Strengthen ability to drive consensus on complex architectural decisions
- Grow voice in product strategy and prioritization
Critical Transition Point
IC6 marks the shift from senior expert to organizational leader. Success means balancing hands-on delivery (80%) with higher-leverage strategic influence (20%) and learning to scale impact through others.
IC7: Senior Staff (Advisor)
Career Stage: Expert Advisor Typical Roles: Senior Staff Engineer, Senior Staff Product Manager, Senior Staff Designer, Senior Staff Analyst Focus: 70% Operational / 30% Strategic - Cross-team leadership with broadening scope
Core Expectations
| Dimension | IC7 Requirements |
|---|---|
| Expertise & Domain Knowledge |
• Applies advanced business acumen directly to domain expertise • Combines highly specialized field knowledge with broad expertise in related areas • Deep expertise across multiple specializations and interdependent areas • Builds reputation as in-house expert across entire organization • Often consulted on most critical and strategic decisions |
| Scope & Responsibility |
• Handles highly complex work with significant interdependencies across organization • Directs work contributing to achievement of critical functional and organizational goals • Influences planning of others, regularly plans and coordinates work of team members • Work impacts organizational strategy and influences multi-quarter planning cycles • Drives initiatives affecting company-wide direction and architecture |
| Decision Making & Impact |
• Makes decisions regarding approaches that influence entire organization • Advises multiple functional areas on decision making in highly ambiguous situations • Often serves as Recommender, occasionally Activator for systemic organizational issues • Works under consultative direction towards mid-term strategic goals (6+ months) • Decisions set precedents and standards affecting multiple teams |
| Leadership & Influence |
• Regularly plans and influences work of others across multiple teams • Directs application of existing principles, actively participates in developing new practices • Owns portions of stakeholder management plans across entire organization • Influences department offerings and creates function-level impact • Applies flexible leadership styles to influence results across organization |
| Complexity & Problem Solving |
• Problems are novel with limited precedent, require significant ingenuity and creativity • Provides, guides, and uses innovative methods to solve unusual and complex problems • Leads teams in solving complex, cross-discipline issues critical to company success • Provides deep insight and leadership promoting innovative new ideas • Leads and guides implementation strategies for complex solutions |
| Collaboration & Communication |
• Influences senior leadership and executives regularly on strategy • Communicates vision effectively to diverse audiences across organization • Builds and leverages strong cross-functional networks for collaboration • Represents company at major industry conferences as a functional authority • Mentors staff-level contributors and emerging leaders effectively |
Typical Background
- Bachelor's degree + 11-13 years experience OR Master's degree + 9 years OR PhD + 7 years
- Recognized authority internally as domain expert across organization
- Proven impact across multiple teams, functions, and strategic initiatives
- Strong executive communication and influence skills
Success Indicators
Key Performance Signals
- ✅ Drives strategy with measurable company-wide impact
- ✅ Influences product and business strategy through functional insights
- ✅ Recognized as authority within industry, not just within company
- ✅ Successfully leads most complex and ambiguous initiatives
- ✅ Makes bets that significantly impact company success
Common Development Areas
- Extend influence from organization to industry conversations and standards
- Publish, speak, or share thought leadership externally with credibility
- Strengthen ability to influence executive-level strategic decisions
- Build industry-wide networks and partnerships that expand leverage
- Grow impact on long-term vision and multi-quarter bets
Strategic Balance
IC7 requires balancing deep execution (70%) with strategic influence (30%). Success means driving both immediate outcomes and the emerging strategy across teams.
IC8: Principal (Strategist)
Career Stage: Lead / Strategist Typical Roles: Principal Engineer, Principal Product Manager, Principal Designer, Principal Analyst Focus: 60% Operational / 40% Strategic - Strategic leadership across the organization
Core Expectations
| Dimension | IC8 Requirements |
|---|---|
| Expertise & Domain Knowledge |
• Applies extensive depth of knowledge across theories, practices, and design principles • Serves as specialized expert in field and primary advisor across entire organization • Maintains highest external affiliations, often pioneer in technology or domain area • Recognized authority internally and externally in profession and industry • Actively shapes direction at both company and industry level |
| Scope & Responsibility |
• Handles most complex work with minimum precedent or established patterns • Directs work contributing directly to organizational success and industry reputation • Contributes actively to strategic planning, influences annual plans for entire function • Work impacts company strategy, competitive positioning, and multi-year planning • Drives initiatives with potential to transform company or entire industry |
| Decision Making & Impact |
• Advises on most novel, strategic business and functional issues company-wide • Often serves as Activator and major contributor to most far-reaching decisions • Influences company-wide strategy and long-term multi-year planning cycles • Determines and pursues courses of action to meet long-term strategic goals (3+ years) • Decisions directly affect company's competitive positioning in market |
| Leadership & Influence |
• Contributes to strategic planning at highest levels, influences multi-year planning • Leads application of existing principles and active development of new innovative ideas • Owns stakeholder management plans, develops relationships across entire organization • Recognized as highly influential leader partnering directly with executive team • Often serves as the Decider for most complex and strategic issues |
| Complexity & Problem Solving |
• Challenges are novel with multiple stakeholders, highly ambiguous, require significant ingenuity • Applies deep expertise and emerging technologies to drive breakthrough innovation • Leads teams in solving most highly complex challenges with limited or no precedent • Pioneers development and personally sponsors implementation of strategic solutions • Solutions require exceptional strategic judgment with limited information available |
| Collaboration & Communication |
• Partners directly with executive team on company strategy and vision • Influences industry through publications, keynotes, and standards work • Builds and maintains significant external professional networks and partnerships • Mentors principal-level contributors and senior leaders across organization • Represents company as primary authority to customers, partners, analysts |
Typical Background
- Bachelor's degree + 13-15 years experience OR Master's degree + 11 years OR PhD + 9 years
- Recognized authority externally in field with industry-wide reputation
- Proven track record of company-wide and industry-level impact
- Extensive network of industry relationships and influence
Success Indicators
Key Performance Signals
- ✅ Directly shapes company strategy and long-term vision
- ✅ Recognized as thought leader and authority in industry
- ✅ Influences decisions at executive and board level
- ✅ Develops other principal-level leaders successfully
- ✅ Makes strategic bets that define company's future
Common Development Areas
- Expand influence on company business strategy beyond functional scope
- Build deeper executive and board relationships to advocate for direction
- Develop the next generation of Staff and Principal contributors
- Increase industry leadership through standards work and public platforms
- Grow impact on long-term company positioning and multi-year vision
Strategic Leadership
IC8 represents specialized leadership with broad impact. Success requires balancing deep execution (60%) with strategic influence (40%) while steering company-level direction.
IC9: Distinguished (Thought Leader)
Career Stage: Industry Leader Typical Roles: Distinguished Engineer, Fellow, Research Scientist Focus: 50% Operational / 50% Strategic - Industry-defining leadership
Core Expectations
| Dimension | IC9 Requirements |
|---|---|
| Expertise & Domain Knowledge |
• Defines the state of the art for the industry; inventions may be patented or become industry standards • Visionary understanding of trends 5-10 years out • Depth is unmatched; capable of rebuilding core business technologies from first principles • Mastery of the intersection between technology, business model, and market forces • Serves as the ultimate arbiter for the company |
| Scope & Responsibility |
• Operates with complete autonomy; defines their own scope based on company survival and growth • Accountable for risks that could pose existential threats to the company • Drives transformations that open entirely new lines of business • Work influences the entire industry ecosystem, not just the company • Responsible for the long-term soul and culture of the organization |
| Decision Making & Impact |
• Decisions fundamentally alter the trajectory of the company • Selects the technologies and architectures that will define the company for the next decade • Acts as a trusted advisor to the CEO and Board of Directors • Validates or invalidates potential M&A targets based on diligence • Impact is measured in years or decades, often shifting the market landscape |
| Leadership & Influence |
• A magnet for talent; top-tier contributors join the company specifically to work with this person • Represents the company in global standards bodies, consortiums, and government panels • Influences the roadmap of external partners and vendors • Sets the ethical and cultural standards for their function across the organization • Operates without organizational boundaries; influence permeates all departments |
| Complexity & Problem Solving |
• Solves "unsolvable" problems where no prior solution exists in the world • Synthesizes vast amounts of disparate information to find simple solutions to complex reality • Identifies non-obvious opportunities that others miss entirely • Navigates extreme ambiguity where business goals and possibility are both undefined • Creates new algorithms, methodologies, or paradigms that advance the field |
| Collaboration & Communication |
• Communicates vision to the entire company, inspiring confidence in the future • Publishes seminal papers, books, or open-source projects that define the field • Mentors the company's Principal and Senior Staff contributors • Negotiates high-stakes partnerships with other industry giants • Translates the most complex realities into clear business strategy for investors and board members |
Typical Background
- 15+ years of experience with a history of industry-shifting impact
- Significant external recognition (patents, books, keynotes, open source leadership)
- Track record of creating successful technologies or platforms from scratch
- Experience guiding companies through major pivots
Success Indicators
Key Performance Signals
- ✅ Creates technology that becomes a competitive moat for the company
- ✅ Attracts world-class talent to the organization
- ✅ Prevents existential failures through foresight
- ✅ Defines the industry standard for the company's domain
- ✅ Pivots the company's strategy to capture new markets
- ✅ Respected globally as a pioneer in the field
Level Comparison Matrix
| Dimension | IC1-IC3 | IC4-IC5 | IC6-IC7 | IC8-IC9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | 100% Ops | 90-100% Ops | 70-80% Ops | 50-60% Ops |
| Supervision | Close/Gen | Minimal | Limited | Consultative |
| Scope | Task/Project | Project/Team | Cross-Team | Org/Industry |
| Planning | Days/Weeks | Months | Quarters | Years |
| Decisions | Defined | Independent | Strategic | Existential |
| Influence | Team | Cross-Team | Department | Industry |
Using This Guide
For Individual Contributors
Self-Assessment Process
- Read your current level thoroughly - Understand all dimensions of expectations
- Evaluate honestly against each dimension - Identify consistent strengths
- Identify development areas - Find 1-2 gaps to address this quarter
- Review next level - Understand the path forward clearly
- Discuss with manager - Align on assessment and create development plan
For Development Planning
Create targeted growth plans:
- Compare current vs. next level across all dimensions systematically
- Identify specific gaps in expertise, scope, or organizational impact
- Find opportunities to demonstrate next-level work with manager support
- Set quarterly goals targeting specific next-level criteria explicitly
- Document examples of next-level performance for promotion discussions
For Managers
Manager Responsibilities
- Performance Reviews: Use these criteria to calibrate expectations consistently
- Specific Feedback: Provide concrete examples mapped to level dimensions
- Opportunity Creation: Help team members find next-level work opportunities
- Consistent Evaluation: Ensure fairness across all team members
- Promotion Preparation: Build evidence-based cases using these criteria
Promotion Readiness
Typical Timeline
- IC1 → IC2: 12-18 months
- IC2 → IC3: 18-24 months
- IC3 → IC4: 24-30 months
- IC4 → IC5: 24-36 months
- IC5 → IC6: 36+ months
- IC6 → IC7: 36+ months
- IC7 → IC8: 48+ months
- IC8 → IC9: Special appointment based on business need and industry impact
Promotion Requirements
Promotions require sustained demonstration of next-level performance across all dimensions, not just functional expertise. Discuss readiness quarterly with your manager and document specific examples.
Related Resources
- Management Levels - Detailed leadership track expectations
- Career Progression - Complete framework, promotion process, track switching
- People & Benefits - Comprehensive people policies and resources
- Onboarding - Level expectations for new team members
These level descriptions are living documents that evolve as Ultralytics grows. Feedback and improvements welcome through PRs or discussions with your manager.
📅 Created 2 days ago
✏️ Updated 2 days ago
