Computer programming was a hot job in the early 2000s. Today, the most in-demand freelance job skill centers on blockchain, reports Upwork, a freelance jobs site which posts a quarterly index of the most desired skills in the U.S. freelance job market.
Not only are both freelance and full-time jobs plentiful, but employers are willing to pay big bucks: Blockchain engineers can pull down a whopping $157,000 in the Bay Area, and the median income for full-time blockchain developers in the United States is $130,000 a year, compared to $105,000 for general software developers, according to Matt Sigelman, CEO of Burning Glass Technologies.
Want companies to show you the money? As cryptocurrency continues to capture consumers’ imagination, blockchain-focused jobs will surge. Here are some that are rising in prominence:
Blockchain project manager
What you will do: Your main role will be to coordinate with the business units and the blockchain developers to design and deliver products that meet the designated use case. You’ll spend a lot of time translating the language of business into technical language and vice versa.
What skills you need: In addition to the technical knowledge of how blockchain works, you’ll need a wide variety of soft skills, such as the ability to work with multi-disciplinary teams to manage complex projects, detail- and design-orientation and strong analytical skills.
Blockchain developer/engineer
What you will do: There are two main projects that a blockchain engineer will work on: building decentralized applications (DAPPS) or developing the blockchain technology that your particular company will use.
What skills you need: So we were just kidding about computer programming being out. Because the truth is that being a blockchain developer demands a strong computer science background, particularly knowledge of programming languages like JavaScript, Python and C++. Since security is a top priority for every company, a background in networking and security is prized. As a blockchain developer, you must be open to constantly learning, since the field is so new and constantly pivoting.
Blockchain quality engineer
What you will do: Quality is of utmost importance in blockchain; after all, one bad piece of code can torpedo an entire project. And, security is of prime importance…in fact, it’s really the key reason that people use blockchain—they believe that they are sharing data in a secure environment. That’s why it’s important for companies to be assured that their quality standards are irrefutable, and that there will be no failures throughout the blockchain, particularly in in software clients and third-party applications. As a quality engineer you will guide the testing process throughout development and deployment.
What skills you need: A thorough knowledge of blockchain development is crucial, since you have to understand what you’re testing. You also should be well-versed on automation and be ready to stay current on new developments in this constantly evolving field.
Blockchain marketer
What you will do: As the company you work for develops blockchain projects, you’ll be responsible for helping build market share and attract customers. In addition, you’ll work with the business team to identify partnerships with other companies to help grow your business and find mutually beneficial ways to work together.
What skills you need: While you need to understand blockchain at its core, it’s more important that you understand the tools of marketing—from overseeing website design to promotions to capitalizing on brand partnerships you form.
Blockchain attorney
What you will do: Well you will be busy. That’s because as companies use blockchain for everything from financial services to medical records, legal advice will be key every step of the way, including in the fast-growing area of Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). In addition, another emerging use for blockchain is in “smart contracts,” which are created in computer code so they can be automatically verified, executed and self-enforced. These smart contracts will grow in popularity, since they have applications in industries ranging from real estate to supply chains. Legal support will be required to draft and execute them.
What skills you need: As with the blockchain marketer, blockchain attorneys need to be familiar with the technology and have a basic understanding of how it works, but the more pressing need is to be experienced in the area where you are providing legal advice—whether that’s real estate, finance, contract law, etc. If you are a Trader then you must need a Crypto tax service to calculate your Crypto Taxes and Accounting or Bitcoin taxes.
What Blockchain companies are hiring
The great news is that you can apply your blockchain skills to virtually any industry as it continues to grow like wildfire. In fact, an October survey from SAP found that 99.5 percent of respondents viewed blockchain as an opportunity—up from 92 percent in an earlier 2018 survey.
They see the most promising use cases as supply chain and IoT, finance and audit, legal and regulatory and sustainability. In addition firms in the industries of healthcare and retail are beginning to embrace its potential. And of course, cryptocurrency-related companies will always need blockchain experts. So if you’re looking for one of the blockchain jobs of the future, you are limited only by your imagination.
