Job demand for technology pros is on a hot streak following a cooldown in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The sector is seeing heavy demand for a variety of positions, though certain roles are warmer than others. A report released Tuesday by tech training provider Coding Dojo looks at the 10 hottest technology jobs for 2022 so far.
For its analysis, Tech Dojo defines a technology job as something that’s solely role-based, such as a technician who builds and maintains hardware, software or other types of technology. As such, this definition excludes roles that exist in a tech ecosystem or within a tech company, including management, content production and finance.
Among all the tech job areas, cybersecurity is growing the fastest, according to Coding Dojo. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that cybersecurity jobs will grow by 33% over the next decade, higher than every other career on the list.
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“Cybersecurity is growing exponentially right now because it has been neglected before,” Coding Dojo CEO Richard Wang told TechRepublic. “A lot of companies didn’t factor vulnerabilities into their code, so now they’re playing catch-up. That, in addition to increased media attention on data breaches, are pretty much pouring gasoline on this industry.”
To create its list of the ten most in-demand tech jobs for 2022, Coding Dojo looked at Glassdoor’s 50 Best Jobs in America for 2022 and captured each role that fit its definition of a tech job. The company then analyzed the number of tech job listings on Indeed and the projected growth rate for each one as given by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Finally, Coding Dojo combined all this data to generate its top ten list (Figure A).
Figure A
The 10 most in-demand tech jobs in 2022
1. Information Security Engineer
With cybersecurity jobs in hot demand, the role of information security engineer came in first place. This job is described as a mid- to senior-level cybersecurity professional that builds and designs security systems for networks and applications.
To qualify for such a role, you should possess years of experience in cybersecurity backed by a knowledge of Linux, Unix and Java systems, as well software coding, SSL, SSH and SIEM systems. The average salary for an information security engineer is $119,000, according to Glassdoor.
2. Full-Stack Engineer
A full-stack engineer is a versatile type of programmer who can code across multiple stacks, such as front-end clients and back-end servers. Demand is high here because employers are always eager to hire developers who are well rounded and can do it all. People looking to pursue this specialty should start learning more stacks to increase their versatility.
3. Data Scientist
The data scientist is a relatively new role among technology jobs. Data scientists capture, maintain, process, analyze and share data within an organization. As such, this type of job is highly in-demand across a variety of industries. Entry-level jobs in this area pay just under $90,000, with more experienced positions paying well above that amount.
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“Data science is in its relative infancy, and yet there is no end to its possibilities as machine learning and artificial intelligence continue to improve,” Wang said. “Early on, data scientists were largely expected to collect, organize and present data. Today’s data scientists do all of that plus use machine learning to analyze multiple different business decisions for companies, making it an incredibly beneficial and in-demand position across all industries.”
4. Machine Learning Engineer
A machine learning engineer is a mid- to senior-level data scientist who handles the artificial intelligence and machine learning elements of a job. This role requires a strong knowledge of machine learning and the ability to work with different data structures and environments. On average, machine learning engineers earn just over $110,000 per year, though some positions pay more than $300,000.
5. Java Developer
Among programming languages, Java is still among the most popular according to most studies and surveys. Employers always covet Java developers. The median salary for a Java coder in the US is $114,000.
6. Data Engineer
Jobs in which you work with data are always in demand, and that includes data engineering. In this role, you take on the tasks that a machine learning engineer does not handle. This means you ensure that data is collected, organized, and sent to the right places.
When comparing the different data-focused jobs, it’s helpful to remember that a data engineer and a machine learning engineer are more specialized, while a data scientist is effectively a combination of the two. The average salary for a data engineer in the U.S. is $116,000, according to Glassdoor.
7. Cloud Engineer
As more organizations migrate key assets to the cloud, the role of cloud engineer has grown in demand. As someone who supports cloud-based environments, you need to understand Linux for cloud development as well as programming languages such as MySQL, SWL, Java and Python. Knowledge of AWS is also valuable. The average salary for a cloud engineer in the US is $118,000, according to Glassdoor.
8. Back-end Engineer
Backend engineers dive into the nuts and bolts of a website or application, meaning they might build something new from scratch or enhance a legacy site or program. For that reason, you should be a well-rounded engineer who knows multiple stacks. The median pay for this type of job in the U.S. is $134,000, but many positions pay more than $200,000.
9. Salesforce Engineer
With Salesforce seen as the most common CRM platform, professionals in this area are much in demand, especially since the platform can seem confusing to the people who actually have to use it.
A Salesforce engineer builds and improves Salesforce systems for companies based on their specific needs. This means they handle everything from integrating third-party apps to fixing technical issues that arise. A Salesforce engineer needs to know Java and C# as well as a special Salesforce language called Apex. The median salary for this role is $115,000.
10. Automation Engineer
Rounding up the top ten is automation engineer, a professional who works across different engineering teams to track down problems and resolve them through the use of automation. In this role, you analyze an organization’s engineering environment to locate potential areas for automation. You also use quality assurance to evaluate technology products. Automation engineers need knowledge of an automation testing program, such as Lambda Test, Rainforest and Cypress. On average, this job pays an annual salary of $104,000.
