Graded on what you've achieved, not your title.
The committee places every member by the evidence of their work. Dues are the same for every grade. Optional programs add services; they never add status, priority or access.
Engineering leaders with a record to show.
Is this for you?
Managers, individual contributors and executives can all apply. You're likely a fit if:
- You can show substantial work in at least two areas, such as systems at scale, teams you built, open source, standards, research, patents or refereed talks.
- Each piece can be verified, either by a public record with your name on it or by someone who knows the work.
- You'll keep what's shared in confidence and won't use the Society to sell.
Your grade depends on what you've achieved, not your title. Years of experience alone don't qualify, and neither does the ability to pay.
People whose main reason for joining is to sell to members aren't eligible. Investors and vendors can join only on their own engineering leadership record.
Placed by the committee, never by payment.
Peer spaces are kept within each grade, so conversations stay among people at a similar level. Everything else is shared.
- Member
Substantial, verifiable contributions to engineering.
Evidence in at least two categories at significant depth, each verified by a public record with your name on it or by a reference.
- Senior Member
Impact recognized beyond your own employer.
Evidence in at least three categories, each verified by a public record or a reference, including at least one showing reach beyond your employer and one showing independent recognition. No more than 25% of members.
- Fellow
Outstanding by national or international standards.
Nominated by peers and elected by the Fellows Committee. No more than 10% of members. How Fellows are elected.
- Moving up
- A Member can apply to become a Senior Member when their record grows. The committee reviews it on the same criteria, there's no fee, and paying more can't change your grade.
Evidence the committee weighs.
For each piece of evidence, the committee asks three questions:
- Depth
- How large, hard or consequential was the work?
- Reach
- Was it adopted or relied on beyond your own employer?
- Independent recognition
- Did someone outside choose, credit or vouch for it?
Building at scale
Systems with real users, revenue or reliability demands at scale, and your part in them, shown publicly or confirmed by a reference.
Building teams and organizations
Teams or orgs you built whose people went on to lead, or engineering standards others adopted.
Open source
Elected maintainer or committer roles, and real adoption such as dependent projects and production use.
Standards and specifications
Authoring or editing specifications, or chairing working groups in recognized standards or project bodies.
Research
Papers at peer-reviewed venues, and program committee service.
Patents
Granted patents used in products or cited by others.
Refereed speaking
Talks accepted through a reviewed call for papers.
Security
Credited vulnerability disclosures and recognized security research.
Writing
Books from established publishers, or engineering writing that is widely cited.
Independent recognition
Grades, awards and expert programs from bodies with their own selection standards.
What doesn't count
- Job title or years of experience on their own
- Paid awards, paid lists and pay-to-join councils
- Sponsored or paid speaking slots
- Pay-to-publish journals and self-published marketing content
- Follower, star or download counts that can be bought
- Anything the Society itself arranged for you
$1,600 a year
Billed annually, and only after admission. Required of every Member and Fellow.
- Community
- Member directory and the Society-wide discussion channel
- Peers
- A private channel with others in your grade
- Data
- The annual engineering leadership benchmarking report
- Events
- Member events, and city dinners in select cities with enough members nearby. No sponsors pitching
- Opportunities
- Eligibility for member-only opportunities with our partners
- Recognition
- Eligibility for nomination as a Fellow after 12 months
- When you applyReview fee$250
One time, the same for everyone, non-refundable. It covers committee review.
- Only if you're admittedBase membership$1,600 / yr
Invoiced after the decision, billed annually.
- Optional, laterProgramsfrom $3,000 / yr
Forum, Visibility and Concierge. Members only; they never affect a decision.
Services, for members who want them.
Open only to members in good standing, with places capped. Buying a program gives no advantage in admission, Fellow elections or selection for any opportunity.
- Forum Program
- +$3,000 / yr
A facilitated peer group of 8 to 12 people in your grade and at a similar level, meeting monthly under strict confidentiality.
Forums start in batches of 8 to 12. A new forum starts only once enough members in the same grade sign up to fill it, so you may wait for a group to form.
- Visibility Program
- +$5,000 / yr
Speaker coaching, media training, editorial support and press outreach on your behalf.
Services only. It does not sell or guarantee coverage, speaking slots, judging roles, authorship or awards, and published work must be substantially your own.
- Concierge Program
- +$4,000 / yr
A dedicated member manager who identifies opportunities, makes introductions and helps you prepare.
Your manager has no vote or influence in any selection.
Founding members
A reduced founding rate is offered to the first 100 admitted members. They are admitted under the same criteria and process as everyone else.
Employer-paid
Your employer can pay dues and program fees as leadership development. The membership stays yours. What to send your approver.
Between roles
The Board can reduce or waive base dues for members in financial hardship or between roles. Ask us.