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EMAI
EMA-I
Level 1 of 3

Engineering Management Associate

The first independent credential for engineers stepping into leadership.

Free
Exam Fee
60
Questions
90 min
Duration
70%
Pass Mark
3 years
Validity
No experience required
Experience
Who It's For

Built for engineers who already lead

Engineers transitioning into management

You have been given a team or are about to be. You need a framework to lead effectively from day one.

Senior engineers validating readiness

You lead without the title. EMA-I gives you the credential to match the capability you already have.

New engineering managers (0-2 years)

You are in the role but want independent validation that you are meeting the standard — not just your employer's standard.

Technical leads moving upward

Your career trajectory requires demonstrating leadership capability. EMA-I is the first formal step.

What You'll Demonstrate

Five areas of proven capability

Hiring and team building judgment

Evaluate candidate fit, structure interviews, and build high-performing teams from scratch.

Delivery and execution under pressure

Manage scope, prioritise ruthlessly, and maintain velocity when everything is on fire.

Feedback and growth conversations

Deliver difficult feedback, run effective 1:1s, and build a culture of continuous improvement.

Technical decision-making

Navigate build vs buy, manage technical debt, and make architecture tradeoffs without losing the team.

Vision and strategy alignment

Translate company OKRs into engineering roadmaps that the team understands and believes in.

Exam Structure

60 questions across 5 domains

People Leadership

12 questions

Hiring, retention, feedback, performance management, conflict resolution, psychological safety.

Delivery & Execution

12 questions

Sprint planning, prioritisation, velocity, risk management, quality ownership, incident response.

Strategy & Vision

12 questions

OKRs, roadmapping, stakeholder communication, engineering strategy, alignment.

Technical Judgment

12 questions

Architecture tradeoffs, technical debt, build vs buy, standards, code review culture.

Culture & Coaching

12 questions

Psychological safety, developer experience, mentorship, growth frameworks, team dynamics.

Ready to earn EMA-I?

No experience required. Assessment-based only — no training required. Results are instant.