Denver Careers In Tech On The Rise -- What Roles Are Blowing Up
As the tech space continues to mature here in Denver, it’s caused a lot of stir in the types of possibilities available for prospective hires. People are building their Denver careers and choosing to stay, especially as more complex jobs come into play. Seriously, the options are virtually limitless when you’re working in tech in the greater areas of Denver as well as Boulder and we think it’s awesome!
Major factors in this growth are the influential tech companies (Google, Microsoft, Amazon, to name a few) and more complex product topics, like AI, Big Data and machine learning gaining a deeper presence throughout Colorado. In 2018, the State broke its record for venture capital investment in a year, with $1.6 billion raised, according to a recent Pitchbook report.
If you’re considering a move to the west, now is a great time. Not only will you have all the benefits of our scenic lifestyle right in your backyard, but you’ll also be able to seek a career that not only aligns with your values but also provides the potential for ample growth down the line. Here are some of the roles whose demand has been blowing up in the Denver careers pool.
Fastest Growing Denver Careers to Pursue
Product Manager
Product managers typically have a strong background in technical expertise and are responsible for guiding the success of a product. They will communicate directly with the cross-functional team that is responsible for improving the process, which makes it an important important organizational role for technology companies.
They may often analyze the market and competitive conditions to help provide insight into how to provide differentiation and key selling points.
And most importantly, the project manager must define the why, when and what of the product that the engineering team builds.
Estimated Number of Project Managers are in the U.S.: According to PMI, there are between 8.7M-11M working project managers in North America.
Average Salary in Denver: $75K
Average Educational Experience Required: Bachelor's degree in information or computer science, or other related fields.
AI // Machine Learning Engineer
Artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML) engineers are experts in leveraging data to develop training models. These models are used to automate processes like image classification, speech recognition, and market forecasting, which is a growing industry across the globe.
Given that it’s still a growing field, specific definitions of machine learning roles can vary. Often there’s some conceptual overlap with roles such as data scientists or AI engineers. Machine learning is actually a subfield of AI that focuses on analyzing data to find relations between the input and the desired output. Overall, a machine learning developer is an expert in creating custom solutions for their organization.
Estimated Number of AI and Machine Learning professionals around the globe: According to the study by the Tencent Research Institute, there are about 300,000 “AI and machine learning researchers and practitioners” worldwide, but the market currently demands millions of roles
Average Salary in Denver: $119K
Average Educational Experience Required: Masters or doctoral degree in relevant disciplines including computer science or mathematics.
Big Data // Data Scientist
A data scientist is someone that takes Big Data and makes it mean something for their organization. This role proactively fetches information from various sources and analyzes it for a better understanding of how businesses perform. This information can then be used to build AI tools that automate certain processes within the company.
Sometimes this role is combined with Big Data engineers. Data scientists or engineers can be a combination of scientists, software engineers and, honestly, hackers, which makes it difficult to clearly define the role.
Data scientists typically help create various machine learning-based tools or processes within their company and can recommend engines or automated lead scoring systems. This role will have to provide statistical information based on their processes and the information developed from the data they’ve analyzed.
Estimated Number of Data Scientists in the U.S.: By 2020, the number of jobs for all US data professionals will increase by 364,000 openings to 2,720,000 according to IBM.
Average Salary in Denver: $114K
Average Educational Experience Required: Bachelor's degree in IT, computer science, math, physics, or another related field.
IoT Engineers/Developer
Internet of Things (IoT) Developers must be able to bring real-world objects together with real-world code through hands-on experimentation and testing. That’s because IoT is about the consumer. This role requires a skill for designing with a purpose, aesthetics, and function. A McKinsey survey found that 40% of the value of IoT is in its operability so basically if the end result is difficult to use, it won’t be used.
IoT Developers must stay on top of changes in programming languages and evolving hardware platforms. They must be aware of the tools and methodologies coming out of open source communities. They must bridge the gap between digital and physical worlds by writing code, then physically deploying the devices themselves. In addition, they must know how to connect automatic API testing with manual testing.
Estimated Number of IoT professionals around the globe: According to LinkedIn, there are only 11,000 professionals with IoT listed in their title. That leaves a lot of room for growth. Gartner forecasts there will be 20.4 billion devices connected through IoT by 2020. In 2015, there were just 84 billion devices. Growth in this field is massive.
Average Salary in Denver: $123K
Average Educational Experience Required: Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering or information technology.
Scrum Master
Scrum master is the leader of the Scrum Team and helps resolve any issues that may arise during development. Their role involves everything from coaching their team about agile scrum to delivering successful deliverables. They wear many hats and need to be able to be tactical and personable, switching between these traits within mere moments. For example, the scrum master needs to help mediate any team conflicts while also being actively involved in technical matters.
During scrum ceremonies, they will need to check-in with their team to make sure they’re getting their work done and that the project continues to move smoothly. Typically, they must execute the backlog as wished by the product owner, making sure that deliverables are on time with production quality.
The ultimate goal of the scrum master is to increase team efficiency, motivate their team and help ensure quality and timeliness.
Estimated Number of Scrum Master professionals around the globe: There are more than 110K professionally certified scrum masters in the U.S.
Average Salary in Denver: $93K
Average Educational Experience Required: Bachelor’s degree and advanced certification
If you’re in the process of researching your Denver careers options, we encourage you to look for roles in these fields if experience aligns. All of these roles are growing exponentially, especially in Colorado tech.
And, if you have questions are starting your career out west, contact our team today!
Here at BWBacon Group, we know and live what you are experiencing as an employer or job seeker in Denver, Boulder, Dallas, San Francisco, New York City or any of the other cities we work in. We believe great recruiting starts and ends with understanding people.
If you have any questions about living, working or playing any of the areas we serve, please contact us. We are happy to help. Seize the day, every day, that’s what we say!