As we step foot into the ever-evolving digital era, advanced technologies have become the core of transformation. Like other industries, the tech industry has witnessed its share of layoffs and hiring pauses due to competition, big bets, and globalization. However, new reports suggest that technical jobs have seen a rise of 35% in recent years. Advanced technologies and sub-domains with the likes of artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, natural language processing (NLP), and virtual reality have elevated the tech industry. The demand for specialists has become more significant with more tech roles emerging every year.

Curious to explore further?  Here is another piece of trivia about the tech space to blow your minds further: the artificial intelligence (AI) industry is dethroning some of the biggest gainers in the market by standing firm as a $1.2 trillion industry with a 74% annual growth rate. These are staggering numbers to attract more individuals to dive into this space and build a solid career out of it. Some companies offer competitive career opportunities, challenging problems to solve, and high salary packages. Therefore, it is highly essential to keep a track of the emerging job trends and skills required to break into these professions.

If you are aspiring to enter the tech scene of an existing tech professional, look no further, as this article will explore some of the emerging job roles in the industry today.

Fastest Growing Tech Roles

The job roles listed here are from carefully curated content from the job trend analysis reports of top companies such as LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Forbes to provide insights into the tech job space.

Front-End Engineer

Although the role of a front-end engineer is not new in the tech industry, it is still among the most sought after jobs in the market. According to Glassdoor reports, roles for front-end engineers have emerged as the leading job in the US currently.

Role: Front-end engineers are also known as front-end web developers that are involved with the development, installation, testing of the user-interface, and related elements of the website. These skills are popular and required by website development companies and mobile application services.

Technical Skills: HTML, JavaScript, Frameworks, Version Control and Git, Testing and Debugging, Browser Developer Tools, and Responsive Designs.

Median Base Salary: $105,240

Job Satisfaction: 3.9/5

Expected Growth Rate: 15% (According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Data Scientist

Data Scientist jobs are among the most popular in tech and beyond. You will be fascinated to discover that the job trends in the data science field show that the space continues to evolve. As per the job listings, data scientists have high demand and it has contributed to having one of the most listings in the market. Much of the growth comes from the need to understand large sets of data in tech companies and legacy ones.

Technical Skills: Machine Learning, R, Python, SAS, Spark

Median Base Salary: $107,801

Job Satisfaction: 4.0/5

 Expected Growth Rate: 37%

Data Engineers

Have you heard of the term: “Data is the new gold”? If you have come across this term, then you must be aware of the importance of data for any organization. Today, data is an asset and continues to be an integral part of a company’s success and growth. Typically, data engineers are entrusted with responsibilities such as managing large databases, building the data pipeline, and ensuring the right availability of data across several departments in an organization.

Technical Skills: Apache, Spark, Python, Big Data, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Median Base Salary: $102,472

Job Satisfaction: 3.9/5

Expected Growth Rate: 33%

Full-Stack Engineer

Engineering tech roles have been around in the form of frontend developers and backend developers. However, there is a growing demand for people who cover both sides of the equation. It is expected that a full-stack engineer is capable of tackling both the frontend and backend developmental processes. Due to an increase in the number of businesses shifting to online platforms, the demand for such professionals has risen tremendously.

Technical Skills: React.js, Node.js, JavaScript, Angular JS, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

Median Base Salary: $95,628

Job Satisfaction: 3.9/5

Expected Growth Rate: 33%

• Information Technology Concepts
• Algorithms
• Python
• C++
• .Net
• JavaScript
• Maintenance
• Network Architecture
• Network Security
• Networking
• Operating Systems

Robotics Engineer

The robotics industry is firing on all cylinders. A recent robotics solution named UiPath was valued at a whopping $7 billion. The industry as a whole is projected to grow larger with its current momentum. A robotics engineer role can be either hardware-based or software-based along with the inclusion of AI experts as well. The robotic landscape is on the rise with innovations like  bots for home solutions like mopping and surgical robots among others.

Technical Skills: Robotics Process Automation, UiPath, Blue Prism, Automation Anywhere

Median Base Salary: $99,040

Job Satisfaction: 4.0/5

Expected Growth Rate: 40%

Cloud Engineers

Cloud computing is everywhere today even though most every day people may not realize it. Be it the email service you use or a businesses storage, cloud platforms are needed to house massive amounts of information. Cloud computing has changed the approach of companies on how they provide their goods and services. Cloud technology offerings are on the rise every year and with it, cloud engineers are continuously in demand.

Technical Skills: Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Cloud Computing, Docker, Jenkins, and Ansible

Median Base Salary: $110,600

Job Satisfaction: 3.6/5

Expected Growth Rate: 27%

Cybersecurity Specialists

With the increase in the number of cases of hacking and stolen data, it is no surprise that every company looks to tighten its security framework. As data breaches can occur frequently, the demand for cybersecurity specialists is at the peak. It is unlikely that this job role will reach a point of stagnancy shortly. In fact, many companies go through extensive reviews on their information security practices so that their vendors and partners know they have the right protocols in place for cybersecurity.

Technical Skills: Cybersecurity, Network Security, Information Security, and Risk Assessment

Median Base Salary: $111,052

 Job Satisfaction: 3.8/5

Expected Growth Rate: 30%

JavaScript Developer

JavaScript is among the most in-demand skills in the technology industry. It is not a new tech role but finds a spot due to its continuous usage and growth.  However, a lot has been updated in terms of JavaScript frameworks, thus making the job market filled with JavaScript developer listings. JavaScript allows for a lot of flexibility when used in web development and since there’s no slow down of internet applications, the demand continues to grow.

Technical Skills: React.js, Node.js, Angular.js, JavaScript, and CSS

Median Base Salary: $83,589

Job Satisfaction: 3.9/5

Expected Growth Rate: 25%

• SQL
• Testing
• Database Storage
• Troubleshooting
• React
• Angular
• HTML
• CSS
• SEO
• Version Control

Blockchain Experts

Blockchain is among the most upcoming technologies that have gained steam in the tech market. The demand for these professionals is across industries with the likes of finance, technology, healthcare, and manufacturing. Blockchain technology is considered to be an innovation with tremendous potential that can provide security of the data and services. Many older industries are constantly on the lookout for expert professionals in this domain and there are plenty of startups entering the space.

Technical Skills: C++, Java, Cryptography, Database and Database Structures, JavaScript

Median Base Salary: $103,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.5/5

Expected Growth Rate: 67% (2020-2025)

DevOps Engineer

Although DevOps Engineering might sound similar to the role of a software developer, there is a broader area that sets them apart. While a software engineer is focused on the development of the computer software to fit the client needs, a DevOps engineering role is more dynamic. They are responsible for software development, deployment, functionality, and the entire lifecycle of the product. The demand for such professionals has been on the rise in the past decade.

Technical Skills: Programming skills, Scripting, Infrastructure-knowledge, Security, Linux

 Median Base Salary: $107,310

 Job Satisfaction: 3.9/5

 Expected Growth Rate: 20%

DevOps

• Linux
• Cloud Iaas, Cloud Paas
• Serverless Tools
• Package Managers
• Monitoring Tools
• Analytics Tools
• Testing Tools
• Application Lifecycle Management
• Issue Tracking Tools
• Orchestration Tools
• Security Skills
• Agile Engineering

Must-Have Technical Skills

Each tech domain and subdomain has its own set of tools and technologies in order to specialize in a specific field. Before you decide on one of the roles we mentioned above, it’s helpful to understand concepts behind emerging concepts in tech on a higher level.

Big Data & Data Science

The opportunities in the field of big data and data science are endless. It is among the fields that have grown in prominence over the past decade or so. Big data deals with collecting data, organizing them, and interpreting the data. It sounds familiar to data science roles and that is why big data and data science teams collaborate to gain the most out of insights and meaningful interpretations for business operations. Some of the essential skills in this domain are.

• Algorithms
• Analytical Skills
• Big Data
• Hadoop
• Spark
• Casandra
• Statistics
• Hive
• Data Analytics
• Data Mining
• Quantitative Research
• Quantitative Reports
• Machine Learning
• R
• Python
• SAS
• SQL
• Database Storage

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The field of AI is yet another emerging industry that has been the muse for researchers, fascination for commoners, and a business asset for industries. The potential of AI has spread across industries and we have been witnessing countless innovations and start-ups in the field of AI. These are key components before entering the field of AI which are of highest importance.

• Artificial Intelligence
• Machine Learning
• Deep Learning
• Weka
• MATLAB
• Python and its libraries
• Algorithms
• Natural Language Processing
• Computer Vision
• TensorFlow
• CUDA
• YOLO
• SimpleCV
• GPUImage
• GAN

Project Management

If you are aiming to be successful in the tech world and achieve managerial positions, you must be aware of project management skills which fall under soft skills. The importance of soft skills has been considered as equally important as technical skills. Project management skills are.

• Benchmarking
• Creation of budgets
• Engineering
• Fabrication
• Operations
• Performance Analysis
• Monitoring
• Project Planning
• Quality Assurance
• Quality Control
• Scheduling
• Delegation
• Management

The tech industry boasts one of the largest workforces across various fields. As digitization is not coming to a standstill, it is of great significance to embrace it and be equipped with the necessary skills for better efficiency and productivity. The enterprises are continuously growing due to the contribution of modern technologies, thereby creating a massive demand for experts that specialize within certain areas. To figure out which one might be right for you, check out any of our related pages linked to AI, blockchain, data science, or machine learning.