Tech jobs are on the rise and here to stay. Technology organizations want to hire talent that have experience working with machine learning systems (like TensorFlow), know how to create mobile apps for Android and iOS, and understand advanced database and information security systems.

The fresh start of the new year can motivate many to think about making a career move, so we’ve gathered the top tech jobs of 2020 based on growth outlook. We have also included a snapshot of what the day-to-day looks like for each of these jobs at Yelp, and some of the requirements needed in order to be considered for a position.

1. Software Engineer

A Software Engineer job is one of the most versatile roles you can go after in 2020. In fact, jobs in Software Development are predicted to grow up to 21% by 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Software Engineers work on a broad scope of projects and responsibilities, from creating new software to fixing bugs within the code of existing software. They’re in high demand in nearly all industries, creating a big opportunity for those interested in engineering. Software Engineers can specialize in iOS or Android, application backend and frontend, security systems, and machine learning to name a few. 

At Yelp, a Full Stack Software Engineer typically takes on the following tasks:

• Designing and building new features to connect Yelp with large scale businesses.
• Implementing beautiful layouts that work across all of Yelp’s platforms (desktop, mobile browsers and mobile apps).
• Deploying projects in Service-Oriented Architecture, all the way from backend services to fully-featured UIs.
• Running A/B experiments and diving into the resulting data to look for trends.

The following skills and experience are typically required for a Software Engineer job:

• 3+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Deep understanding of at least one popular server side web framework (Django, Flask, Rails, Pyramid, Laravel, Express, etc.) or modern JS frontend framework (React, Angular, Ember, etc.).
• Full Stack engineering experience in Python, Ruby, JavaScript, Java, or C++.

Sound like an exciting role? Check out open Software Engineer positions on the Yelp Engineering team.

2. Data Scientist

Data has become increasingly valuable in helping companies make informed decisions and even predictions. Data Scientists use their skills to develop algorithms and processes to organize large amounts of data. This helps decision makers read data better and identify trends that could not have been found without the help of a Data Scientist. According to the BLS, jobs in Computer and Information Research Science will grow up to 16% by 2028.

At Yelp, the day-to-day of a Data Scientist would look something like this:

• Conducting end-to-end analyses, from wrangling data via SQL/Spark/Python to statistical modeling, to hypothesizing and presenting business ideas.
• Working with large, complex datasets.
• Leading the development of predictive and causal models.

Wondering if you’re a good fit for a Data Scientist role? You’ll want to make sure you meet most of these qualifications:

• You have experience with data analysis/statistical software and packages (pandas/statsmodels/sklearn within Python, R, etc.).
• You have experience with predictive modeling/machine learning, forecasting or causal inference.
• You hold a degree in a quantitative discipline such as computer science, statistics, econometrics, applied math, etc.

Does this sound like an interesting role for you? If so, check out Data Scientist openings at Yelp.

3. Information Security Engineer/Analyst

Information is valuable, making data especially vulnerable to  cyberattacks by hackers. As a result, the demand for Information Security professionals has greatly increased in recent years and will continue to grow by 32% by 2028 according to the BLS. 

Cyber-criminals and hackers are becoming more intelligent about how they access private information and data from companies, creating an increasing need for Information Security Engineers/Analysts, who are responsible for monitoring and protecting data from breaches. Information Security Analysts and Engineers have similar roles carrying out the security measures to protect computer networks and an organization’s information.

Curious about what an Information Security Engineer does at Yelp? Here is a sneak peek:

• Taking part in lead threat modeling, mitigation discovery, and manual/automated verification of mitigations.
• Building tools and infrastructure for automating incident response.
• Setting policies and best security practices for IT, Infrastructure, and other internal organizations and third party integrations.
• Developing monitoring and alerting capabilities for Yelp internal security systems.

What does it take to be an Information Security Analyst at Yelp? These are some of the things we look for:

• At least 2 years of professional experience working to secure consumer websites, mobile applications or large corporate IT infrastructure.
• Software development experience in Python, Java, JavaScript, Objective-C or similar.
• Exposure to digital forensics and incident response.
• A BS or MS in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent experience.

Feel like you’re qualified to start a career in Information Security? Check out the open positions at Yelp to see the full list of responsibilities and requirements.

4. Database Reliability Engineers

Database Reliability Engineers (DREs) are crucial in ensuring large databases can operate as efficiently as possible. Especially at Yelp, where millions of users are searching for local businesses, our databases need to be a well-oiled machine that can serve up those results quickly. DREs are crucial to making sure that these databases can operate at peak performance.

The BLS reports that the need for individuals working in Database Administration will grow as much as 8% by 2028.

At Yelp, some of the day-to-day responsibilities of a Database Reliability Engineer look something like this:

• Proposing, testing and deploying database tuning and configuration changes.
• Delivering easy, intuitive interfaces to our databases that keep developers moving fast.
• Working closely with developers in supporting new features and services. 
• Maintaining our documentation and sharing your learnings with the rest of the team.

So what does it take to become a Database Reliability Engineer? Some of the requirements include:

• Knowledge of best practices related to scaling, tuning, performance and disaster recovery.
• 4+ years of relevant industry experience with Cassandra or MySQL.
• A solid foundation in configuration management tools like puppet, chef and ansible (a plus).

Does the Database Reliability Engineer role sound exciting to you? Submit your resume and apply today!

5. Business Systems Analyst

Business Systems Analysts are problem solvers and idea planners. As companies grow and look for new ways to make their employees’ jobs easier, Business Systems Analysts become more important. They can work on tools like Salesforce to support their sales teams and create automated marketing processes on Salesforce Marketing Cloud. With an estimated 9% growth between now and 2028, Business Systems Analysts are crucial to the optimization and effective development of internal tools of an organization.

A variety of Business Systems Analyst roles are currently open at Yelp. The “average” day of a Business Systems Analyst in Marketing includes the following responsibilities:

• Owning the policies surrounding proper campaign building and set up in the Marketing Automation System to ensure all necessary data points are captured and campaign launch activities operate seamlessly.
• Assisting marketing teams with campaign building and managing testing activities for campaigns per business requirements using SQL and automations.
• Architecting and steering the implementation of marketing automation system solutions that allow for scalable, repeatable and comparable methods of measurement and performance tracking related to campaign activities.

The following credentials are necessary to become a Business Systems Analyst:

• A Bachelor’s degree (technical degree preferred).
• 6+ years of technical/business systems analyst experience.
• Strong leadership and negotiation skills, and the ability to effectively coordinate and manage cross-functional and technical activities.
• Extensive experience analyzing, designing, configuring and supporting Salesforce implementations.

Starting a Top Tech Job in 2020

As technology continues to evolve and emerge, skilled people will be highly sought out across these roles, and more, to ensure technology companies are keeping up with the times.

We hope this list of top tech jobs has inspired some new career ideas going into the new year and have helped you gain some insight into the qualifications needed. Yelp has many openings in the roles mentioned above, so make sure to head over to our Careers page to apply!

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