What Does a Site Reliability Engineer Do? (And How to Become One)

Key takeaways

A site reliability engineer (SRE) ensures websites are more reliable, efficient, and scalable.

• SREs help create automated solutions to continually improve site operations.

• This role is typically mid-level and aligned with career paths in software engineering and systems analysis.

• You can become a site reliability engineer by mastering key skills like DevOps, technical writing, and programming in languages like Python or Java.

Use the following article to take a closer look at this emerging career, including the steps you'll need to take to get started. If you're ready to start building site reliability engineering skills right away, consider enrolling in Google's Developing a Google SRE Culture course, where you'll gain an overview of the technical and cultural fundamentals of SRE. In as little as seven hours, you could earn a shareable certificate for your resume and LinkedIn profile.

Did you know? SREs began appearing in the early 2000s when Google formed a team of software engineers for the sole purpose of improving the reliability and scalability of the company’s sites [1]. The approach was so effective that other leading tech companies, including Netflix and Amazon, soon followed suit.

What does a site reliability engineer do?

Site reliability engineers use software to address IT issues and keep systems running smoothly. They remove bottlenecks, ensure software reliability, solve complex problems, and bridge the gap between development and operations in a DevOps organization. 

SREs are valuable to businesses because they keep systems operational and updated. In this role, you’ll work on automation and minimize service interruptions. You’ll also oversee systems performance, incidents, and outages and be responsible for front-end and back-end systems.

Site reliability engineer job description 

The SRE role ensures a site has the necessary functions to provide users with the requested services. In today’s automated world, that includes building self-service tools that provide greater availability, performance, and efficiency for users. 

According to Google’s VP of Engineering, Ben Treynor, SRE is “what happens when you ask a software engineer to design an operations function [2].” Most SREs spend time on operations tasks and development projects (developing new features, automating processes, scaling systems, etc.).

Tasks and duties for site reliability engineering roles might include:

• Collaborating with software developers, engineers, and operations teams

• Monitoring sites and software to make sure they’re performing properly (including on-call shifts)

• Anticipating potential problems before they occur (and coming up with solutions)

• Conducting post-incident reviews

• Documenting your work to turn findings into repeatable actions

• Coding automation within a site infrastructure 

• Mentoring and coaching junior engineers

SRE vs. DevOps: What's the difference

The disciplines of SRE and DevOps overlap in many ways, but they also have one key difference. DevOps teams define what needs to be done to minimize gaps between software development and operations. SRE teams translate the pillars of DevOps into practices. If DevOps is the “what,” SRE is the “how.”

Site reliability engineer skills

Success in this role often entails being a proactive problem solver with an eye for software engineering and development. These are some of the skills that will serve you well in this job:

• Understanding of development and operations

• Familiarity with production monitoring systems

• Attention to detail

• Analytical and problem-solving skills

• Ability to collaborate across multi-functional teams

• Coding in Java, Python, Perl, or Ruby

• Technical writing skills

Salary outlook: Is SRE a high-paying job?

According to Glassdoor, the estimated total pay for a site reliability engineer in the US is between $133,000-$210,000 annually [3]. This figure includes an average base salary range of $108,000-$163,000 and $25,000-$47,000 in additional pay. Additional pay may represent profit-sharing, commissions, or bonuses. Learn more about your earning potential as a site reliability engineer by checking out the follwoing article: Site Reliability Engineer Salary Guide 2025.

How to become a site reliability engineer

Site reliability engineering is typically a mid-level role—a good option for those with a few years of experience as a systems administrator or software developer. Some companies require a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field. Additional certifications and experience with different operating and programming codes are also advantageous.

If you’re starting out, a junior-level position on a site reliability engineering team is a good way to learn and grow. In this collaborative environment, you can work with others to solve issues while building your skill sets. As you gain experience and technical knowledge, you can often advance your career into more senior positions. 

Stay current with computer science industry trends

Stay up to date on job market trends, in-demand careers, and more by subscribing to our LinkedIn newsletter, Career Chat.

• Check out Coursera's YouTube channel, starting with 5 entry-level jobs you can get with a computer science degree

• Try out our Web Development Career Progression resource

• Hear from an industry pro: 6 Questions with an IBM Data Scientist and AI Engineer

Accelerate your career growth with a Coursera Plus subscription. When you enroll in either the monthly or annual option, you’ll get access to over 10,000 courses. 

Build job-ready skills with Coursera Plus

Start 7-day free trial

• 
• 
• 
• 

Start 7-day free trial