7 Technological Jobs of the Future – what competencies are required?

The development of technology contributes to changes in the labor market and the demand for competences not seen until recently. New positions are emerging, and narrower specializations are developing. Seven of the many new professions are described below, collectively referred to as the future professions.

1. AI Specialist

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a concept that includes various attempts at simulating human intelligence. AI-based systems can, for example, identify objects in photos, interpret statements in natural language, or recognize handwritten text. One of the techniques used in building AI systems is machine learning (ML). It is based on algorithms that analyze data sets and learn patterns based on them.

The AI Specialists' task is to build, test, and implement AI models and maintain their infrastructure. They should have the skill of a data researcher, specialist knowledge in statistics and mathematics, be familiar with various testing practices, including test and behavioral programming.

It is crucial to know machine learning algorithms and know where to apply them. For this, they must know programming languages, e.g., Python, Java, C / C ++, Perl. However, the duties of an AI specialist can be very extensive and thus less specialized.

Therefore, it is worth distinguishing them from an ML specialist, whose scope of responsibilities is more specialized and focuses mainly on the implementation of algorithms and machine learning libraries in cooperation with data engineers.

The role of AI Specialist in IT organizations:

• automation of the infrastructure developed by the Data Science team based on machine learning;
• cooperation with Data Science employees (scientists and analysts);
• research improvement of machine learning algorithms;
• building APIs for machine learning models.

2. Business Intelligence (BI) Analyst

 It is a person responsible for collecting business data of a company, e.g., by exploring its computer data, as well as analyzing data of competition and industry trends. Thanks to the collected information, they create a picture of the company's competitiveness compared to others.

In case of bad results, they suggest better solutions. They work with other company departments in the areas of quality, implementation services, product development, and strategy.

Scope of the BI analyst's work:

• develop and manage BI solutions;
• create and maintains documentation, including requirements, designs and operating instructions;
• identify opportunities for improving processes and strategies through technological solutions;
• IT, financial, economic and statistical education;
• knowledge of technologies, e.g., C #, VSTO, SharePoint, SAS, Power BI, MEAN Stack;
• understanding of analytical tools such as FactSet, Bloomberg, etc.

3. Cloud Architect

Public cloud computing is a field for running applications and storing data in them. It is also a service that helps create and host various applications, including online stores, websites, or CRM platforms.

Transferring data to the cloud requires the design, implementation, and optimization of the cloud in terms of the project’s technical requirements. Cloud Architect does this. Their work focuses on the design aspect while building the infrastructure that usually belongs to the IT team.

In addition to ensuring network security, the cloud architect optimizes project costs. They are required to have in-depth knowledge of information technology. 

Cloud architect's tasks include:

• analysis and selection of available technological solutions, e.g., selection of the appropriate database for a given problem/application;
• building integration and data migration to the cloud (GCP, AWS, Azure);
• cooperation and consulting on the use of cloud solutions in the process of creating ML models with AI specialists and combining these models with other elements of cloud architecture (e.g., REST API);
• budget optimization in terms of achieving the set business goals.

At a later stage, they cooperate with the Cloud System Administrator in the field of cloud management support, i.e., monitoring, analyzing system capabilities and performance according to the recommended methodology, and network security policies and procedures.

4. Data Scientist

Data Scientist, sometimes called a data researcher, is a position occurring in the context of the dynamically developing field, generally known as Data Science. It is an interdisciplinary field located between IT (understood as the latest technological solutions), programming, statistics, and quantitative data analysis.

The work of a data researcher varies depending on the industry, company, and type of data analysis. Such a person possesses knowledge about modeling and can skillfully use it for business needs. Thanks to the understanding of predictive models, they are able to design or choose a model corresponding to the shopping preferences of customers, offering the most attractive price of a given product or adapting content to the user's needs and taste.

Data Science professionals should:

• know the databases and be able to search them efficiently, have experience working with SQL and noSQL databases, e.g., Cassandra or MongoDB;
• have knowledge of statistics and fluency in mathematical problems;
• be able to translate collected data into real business value;
• navigate in any of the programming languages, e.g., Python, Scala, R;
• know Apache Hive, Hadoop, Spark, and relational and nonrelational databases;
• demonstrate proficiency in machine learning algorithms.

5. IoT Solutions Architect

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a system of electronic devices that can automatically communicate and exchange data using a network without human intervention. It involves combining material objects into an extensive network. Objects forming the system must be able to exchange data with each other, e.g., through new generation electrical installations or computer networks.

The Internet of Things covers every object that can be connected to such a network. Currently, these are mainly telephones, computers, intelligent speakers (e.g., Siri and Alexa), doorbells, and cameras, but one can expect a gradual extension of its range. Smart homes, smart cities, and smart peer-to-peer networks are part of the future of the IoT vision.

The IoT solution architect is expected to show an "understanding of new network concepts," as recruiters sometimes write. They must know how platforms and network technologies work. Their tasks are technical, although non-engineering skills are equally important, e.g., looking at IoT technology in a business context. They don't have to know programming well, but at least its basics.

IoT specialist must be able to build IoT architectures freely (together with other specialists) to find the best development path for a given implementation or implementation.

Their role in the company is roomy and not obvious, they:

• participate in many different company decisions and processes;
• create POC and prototypes for projects that can belong to different domains;
• manage the project life cycle or support from the pilot project to business implementation;
• cooperate with corporate architects, service engineers, programmers, and product managers.

6. Cybersecurity Specialist

Cybersecurity is an essential issue for the entire IT industry. More and more sophisticated cyber-attacks are changing the face of this profession.

Cybersecurity specialists are required to have multidisciplinary knowledge in the field of new technologies, emphasizing company data security, and experience in the field of machine learning algorithms that help understand cracker tactics and recognize threats from many sources.

This work involves both preventive (prevention of attacks), anticipative (anticipation of attacks), and anti-crisis activities – when an attack nevertheless occurs.

The cybersecurity specialist should:

• ensure security at the stages of development of software systems, networks and data centers;
• design various strategies and defense systems and be able to configure them;
• be familiar with intrusion detection and prevention systems, such as IDS and IPS, and OWASP testing methodology;
• conduct personalized reviews of ASP.NET/JAVA application code;
• know security tools such as Burp Suite, Nmap, Nessus, Qualys, Metasploit;
• be up to date with new security trends and procedures.

7. Blockchain Engineer

Blockchain engineers specialize in creating and implementing digital solutions for enterprises, using a unique type of technology. Technology of blockchain allows public distribution and sharing of information over the Internet without copying. This information is not stored in a central location.

They can work for companies that provide data services and consulting companies in the field of technology. Companies use Blockchain to create solutions such as mobile trading platforms, cards identifying transaction security, etc.

These engineers must have excellent technical and analytical skills. They should have extensive experience in network issues, database design and cryptography, distributed systems, or hashing solutions and hash functions.

Blockchain specialist:

• is responsible for creating decentralized systems ensuring full security of transactions or other interactions;
• creates, among others, smart contracts, i.e., programs through which the blockchain system minimizes or even excludes the risk of theft, error, fraud or manipulation;
• helps in organization infrastructure configurations using technologies such as Ethereum or Hyperledger Fabric;
• has knowledge of application and programming architecture, mainly Java, JavaScript, C ++, Go, Solidity and Python;
• creates document infrastructures for the organization's applications.

We hope that the above article helped you better understand the specifics of technological professions of the future. They are more and more in demand on the labor market. However, they doesn't have to be purely technical – most of them require a lot of creativity. If you are looking for a creative job of the future – check out this article, where we describe 10 the most creative jobs in the 21st century.