[mjr00]

Agreed with all this. The absolute best thing you can do as an engineer at a smaller company is not write code at all. Figure out how to solve problems using existing tools and processes. If you do have to write code, write the absolute simplest thing possible that solves the problem. That doesn't mean "low quality," because things like testing/CI/monitoring are still important. It just means you aren't building a system that needs to scale to 100 million concurrent users.

[quickthrower2]

Problem is you were hired to code, they will review your performance a large part on code, and if you want another engineering job they will want examples of when you coded X and test you on concepts in latest frameworks.

The role you are describing might be different to an engineer.

Sure a good engineer avoids unnecessary coding but having done that they have to be seen to do some necessary coding (or necessary work like architecture, security, devops etc.)

Most small companies think in job titles and roles as an anchor but you may wear other hats sure.

[DamnYuppie]

I have been a team lead, manager, Director of Engineering, VP of Engineering, and CTO at many small IT shops. Not once did I or my leadership care about lines of code. We cared about delivering features and solutions that drove revenue, in fact the few lines of code you could do it in the better!