Types of Information Technology Jobs
This is just a little basic information that everyone should know. Because someone may ask you to explain what these occupations are, it's important to know. We will never be expected to know everything, but when you're in the middle of a conversation, you might not be able to stop and look it up.
The computer revolution, which began in the 1950s, created numerous jobs that require skill, training and a logical thinking process. Information technology jobs can be demanding, and some are very stressful, but most are financially rewarding. Even well into the 1970s, computer science degree programs were hard to find, and many people were drafted into the field through their technical aptitude and problem-solving abilities. Since then, further specialization has become the norm, and several types of information technology degrees and jobs are now available in the early 21st century market.
Computer Support Specialists
Otherwise known as help desk technicians, computer support specialists help to keep personal computer users up and running. They are typically able to handle both hardware and software problems at the user level. Technical support specialists have a higher skill level and provide support to information technology (IT) personnel within a company. As of 2010, the median pay for computer support specialists was $46,260, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is one of the few information technology jobs that does not require a college degree.
Computer Programmers
Computer programmers write the code that makes up software programs. These may be application programs, such as word processors or games, or they may be more sophisticated programs, such as operating systems and database management systems. Programmers use designs created by business analysts and software engineers to create code that meets required specifications. A college degree in computer science or a related field is typically required, and the median pay in 2010, according to the BLS report, was $71,380.
Computer Systems Analysts
Computer systems analysts research the needs of a company, as well as the computer systems currently in place, and recommend strategies for system upgrades, software development and other ideas for improving the operation s efficiency. Computer systems analysts look at the company's business needs and recommend appropriate technology solutions to business problems. The BLS reports that the median pay for computer systems analysts in 2010 was $77,740.
Network Administrators
Network administrators manage an organization's network, performing typical administrative duties such as adding and deleting user IDs, as well as troubleshooting when a network problem occurs. Senior network administrators may also design and implement local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs). This is a critical position in companies that rely heavily on their computer networks to perform normal daily business processes. The job typically requires a bachelor s degree in information technology or a related field, and may require industry certifications. The median pay as of 2010 was $69,160, according to the BLS.
Database Administrators
Database administrators manage a company s data using database management software. Their job includes protecting the integrity of the company's data and making sure that it is available to employees who need access to it. Another part of their job entails ensuring the efficient organization of the data in the database to provide the best performance possible. The BLS lists the median pay for database administrators as $73,490 per year, as of 2010, and some DBAs made over $100,000. The position requires a bachelor's degree in a computer- or information-related field.
Cognitive computing engineer/machine learning specialist
IBM s cognitive computing initiative, best known for Watson, the computer program that became a "Jeopardy" champion, has given birth to the cognitive systems engineer, a title whose responsibilities have yet to be fully defined. Even IBM isn t exactly sure if cognitive systems engineer is a meaningful job title. What is clear, however, is that cognitive systems are becoming a very large part of IBM s business plan, and an ecosystem of smaller companies is developing around Watson and related technologies, bringing with them a host of new career opportunities.
SparkCognition, for example, is using machine learning, big data analysis, modeling, and other cognitive-related technologies to better understand security threats. WayBlazer is focused on consumer travel, and Point of Care, one of a number of health care-related Watson partners, allows clinicians to access peer-reviewed content on specific diseases on a mobile platform.
The demand for cognitive computing skills is gaining enough steam that institutions of higher education are paying attention. IBM is helping hundreds of universities develop cognitive-related course materials, says Jim Spohrer, director of IBM's university programs. The skills needed to succeed in cognitive computing go beyond the obvious knowledge key to any big-data-related specialty. Data curation is a key part; you don t build a cognitive system without thinking of a body of documents or websites, he says.
A job listing with IBM Watson Health group, for example, says this about what s needed to land it: Candidates should be hands-on in their approach to technology. This includes unstructured data, statistical extraction of entities, machine learning, natural language processing, and search.
Blockchain engineer
You won t find a lot of job openings with this title yet. But startups are recruiting engineers and developers who are familiar with the technologies behind bitcoin and have deep experience in cryptography, distributed systems, hash algorithms, and more.
Bitcoin s core technology, the blockchain, is proving the most intriguing to could-be employers. More than 200 companies and open source projects are seeking to apply blockchain technology to applications such as trading platforms, secure identification cards, self-executing contracts, and many applications in financial services.
Peter Kirby, CEO of Factom, a startup working to monetize the technology developed by Factom.org, an open source project, says it s easier to get eight-figure infusions of capital from VCs than it is to find qualified blockchain engineers. It begins with understanding how decentralized architecture works and the intersection of software architect and cryptography expert, he says.
The technology is not that difficult to comprehend, he says, but it is new and in some ways more like advanced math than programming.
GPU cluster engineer
GPU computing improves application performance by offloading compute-intensive portions of the application to the GPU, while the remainder of the code still runs on the CPU. That advantage is key to companies like Facebook, China s Baidu, and Experian that deal with enormous data sets.
Facebook s Big Sur runs the social networking company s machine learning servers and is heavily reliant on GPU clusters, which can be more efficient than conventional CPUs for machine learning and other tasks. Facebook CTO Mike Schroepfer says the GPU-based system is twice as fast as conventional solutions.
Experian, with its massive data stores, also uses GPU clusters, but because it is a new technology, finding engineers with GPU experience is difficult, says Experian s Haller. Provisioning clusters is one thing, but writing code to run on it is another. You can download software that does it, but that s inefficient, he says.
In something of a new technology twofer, Ford Motor is looking for GPU engineers to work on its driverless car program. The list of necessary skills and duties fills an entire computer screen, and the minimum skills needed include: 1+ years [experience with] GPU, parallel programming tools and language extensions etc., as well as a broad array of programming skills, among them C/C++, Perl, Python, Java, OpenGL, OpenCV, CUDA, MATLAB, and more.
You can learn about recent developments in GPU computing by visiting the GPU Computing News group on Facebook.
Virtual reality engineer
Virtual reality is no longer the sole province of game makers. That means someone with the right experience and skills can write a ticket to places as diverse as The New York Times, one of the first newspapers to begin using VR (and Google Cardboard) as a storytelling tool, or startups such as Lucid VR, a developer of 3D cameras.
Here s a list of skills Lucid says you ll need: Objective-C, C++, Computer Vision, C, computer graphics, mobile application development, OpenGL ES, C#, OpenGL, DirectX, WebGL, and digital image processing. There are more VR-related jobs posted on AngelList and you ll find postings for a few VR engineers by CyberCoders, a staffing agency in Seattle.
Don t overlook established companies working on mobile if you re interested in VR. Samsung, for example, recently announced two new phones, but what drew more attention at the Mobile World Congress was its Gear 360, a camera for recording virtual reality videos for its Gear VR headset.
Although investment banks frequently overhype new technologies, it s worth noting that Goldman Sachs predicts that virtual reality will generate $110 billion compared to television s $99 billion in 10 years. Even if that estimate is too bullish, it is clear that serious money is pursuing virtual reality technology and there will be opportunities for skilled IT workers to exploit.
Internet of things architect
One billion, 2 billion, who knows how many billions of devices will be connected to the red-hot Internet of things? Even if those estimates are wildly overstated, the IoT is top of mind for many innovative companies -- and not only startups.
Verizon, for instance, recently advertised for what it calls an IoT solutions architect. Among other skills, the applicant should have experience in managing delivery of complex solutions involving IoT, M2M [machine to machine], cloud, security, professional services, and SaaS, in addition to strong technology marketing and analytical skills.
It s worth noting that Verizon wants its architect to have nontechnical business skills as well: Must possess financial management skills needed for forecasting, pricing, and margin analysis. Professional presentation and [communication] skills to address all levels of the enterprise to include client senior executives.
That requirement tracks with an important trend: Information technology departments are becoming less of a service organization and more of a line of business that can add revenue and business opportunities to the entire enterprise, says analyst David Foote.
Computer security incident responder
Cyber security specialist has long been on the hot jobs list, so what s new about a job that Amir Husain, founder and CEO of SparkCognition, calls "security incident response professional"? He is the guy who can deal with the effects of an attack or an exploit, and he needs a broad understanding of security information and event management (SIEM), says Husain.
SIEM combines a number of functions into a single system and centralizes event logs and other security-related documentation for analysis. The information resides within the SIEM, but leveraging it means knowing what questions to ask, and few people have that skill, says Husain.
Foote, agrees, saying without a doubt, a cyber security skills gap has developed on a global basis. The increasingly sophisticated nature of cyber attacks and the ability to use new technologies such as machine learning algorithms to analyze, understand, and counter those threats has fundamentally changed the nature of the job, which now requires the ability to cull evidence from a wide range of sources, not SIEM alone.
A job that s close to the one Husain describes was posted recently by JPMorgan Chase. Among other responsibilities, the person who lands that position will analyze alerts from various sources within the enterprise and determine possible causes of such alerts, provide timely detection, identification, and distinguish these incidents and events from benign activities and identify false positives.
Skills you ll need in order to be considered include a knowledge of networking fundamentals (all OSI layers), protocols and packet analysis, encryption and tokenization technologies, and experience writing PL/SQL or SQL scripts.
Since this job is built on a foundation of conventional skills, you ll also need information security certifications such as CISSP, SANS, CEH, or related certifications.
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"Types of Information Technology Jobs"
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What types of IT and technology jobs are there ?
http://www.plotr.co.uk/advice/articles/what-types-of-it-and-technology-jobs-are-there/
Computer and Information Technology Occupations
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm
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