Blockchain Jobs: Top Careers in the Blockchain Space

Following the popularity of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, there has been an upsurge of personnel demand in the area. Being an emerging technology, and one that is developing at a rapid pace, the roles and requirements are likewise changing. It follows that companies demand specialized personnel to handle blockchain-related tasks. These are professionals who have a special understanding of the technology and not just general practitioners in their respective fields.

Blockchain skills have become the most sought after according to the latest skills index by Upwork. In its quarterly ranking, the hottest skills in the U.S. freelance job market placed blockchain skills top of the list as the fastest growing skills. Put in perspective, Blockchain skills didn’t rank among the top 20 skills until the third quarter of 2017 when it was ranked second place behind Robotics and ahead of Bitcoin skills.

Though it was cryptocurrency (bitcoin particularly) led the brought the attention, blockchain technology or distributed ledger technologies are now more widely explored. They have become the force to transform sectors like the fintech, healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics. Moreso, blockchain (and DLTs) are touted as the elixir for many inefficiencies in various other industries.

To make the most of blockchain technology, companies are seeking qualified blockchain personnel to navigate this technology. This is not restricted to blockchain startups and fintech projects, most companies could use the help of a blockchain expert in-house to chart and implement the best blockchain strategy.

upwork skills q1 2018 blockchain jobs tops

There are various areas within an organization where blockchain expertise can be useful. Some of the in-demand blockchain-related areas are project management, development and design, research and legal. Take a look at some of the position sought after

Blockchain project manager

This is pretty much a project manager for specific blockchain projects. His role is to coordinate blockchain experts to develop blockchain solutions for his employer. Unlike a regular project manager, the blockchain project manager would have a good understanding of blockchain technology as well as the technical aspects of his company’s business.

This is particularly important since blockchain is new and is not fully understood by other professionals. The blockchain project manager performs all the functions of a project manager; effectively communicating requirements, resources and results.

Blockchain Developers

Blockchain developers are at the core of any blockchain endeavor as they are the ones who create the blockchain platforms. Any company that wants to get involved with blockchain would need a developer who can create blockchain solutions.

The role of a blockchain developer may slightly differ depending on how involved the employer is with blockchain. The blockchain developer can be tasked with creating blockchain networks and/or implementing blockchain requirements. Besides strong programming background, the blockchain developer is usually adept in cryptography and P2P networks. The role itself is very technical and requires much attention.

Blockchain engineers, who are often classified under blockchain developers, are more involved in the day-to-day management of blockchain systems and are served by similar programming and blockchain skills.

Blockchain designers

The designer uses his skills to make blockchain solutions appealing to its users. This skill is important today when blockchain solutions are not restricted to core blockchain firms. The duty of this designer is to portray the benefits feel of blockchain to the user of the blockchain platform whether it is a web application, a software or a mobile app.

Creating a relatable user interphase is key. Users want to see the platform as efficient, secure, special and certainly easy-to-use.

Blockchain attorneys / Legal consultants

Blockchain attorneys help organizations navigate the legal areas of a new blockchain technology. Blockchain is evolving, and so are blockchain regulations and legal implications. There is a huge demand for legal personnel who are knowledgeable in blockchain technology and regulations. This demand is expected to steadily grow as new and existing ICOs, blockchain firms and organizations need consulting on the legal aspects of Token Offerings, Smart Contracts, and blockchain transactions.

Blockchain quality engineers

The role of a blockchain quality engineer is basically to test the areas of quality in the blockchain development. Their roles are much similar to that of Quality Assurance QA officers. They are custodians of blockchains Quality Assurance standards. Ideally, a blockchain quality engineer has expertise in developing and implementing test frameworks for blockchain as well as in system automation.

Following predictions that blockchain technology will play huge roles in the future, we expect that the demand for blockchain skills will continue to grow. A career path in blockchain looks rewarding as more opportunities keep opening up even as the technology itself grows at a fast pace.

 

Solomon Sunny is the market reporter for Smartereum, one of the global leaders in Ethereum, blockchain and currency news. He produces technical price updates on digital currencies and writes recent developments about blockchain.

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