The need for blockchain specialists in the finance field is growing fast, says Yahoo Finance. Companies such as American Express, Fidelity, IBM, Infosys, BNY Mellon, JPMorgan, and Bank of America are hiring experts who understand the blockchain and can help integrate with legacy financial systems.
Blockchain Specialists Needed
With Bitcoin and blockchain technology becoming more prominent in mainstream finance, legacy institutions are increasing their efforts to learn about the technology. Firms that once dismissed the blockchain as a fad now seek people from our industry to help prepare them for a possible blockchain takeover – a scenario that could destroy legacy systems without preemptive actions from their stewards.
Online job hosting and resume websites will verify this rise in blockchain-related jobs. Monster.com has roughly 80 postings from very well-known firms looking for distributed ledger talent. Coinality, a site dedicated to blockchain and cryptocurrency jobs, has 102 postings. Indeed.com shows 165 job postings looking for blockchain specialists.
Recently, AT&T posted an ad for a Senior Blockchain Full Stack Developer in the Palo Alto, California region. The firm wants an experienced professional who can apply blockchain technologies to existing AT&T infrastructure using best practices. Similar jobs can be found all across the web with ease, since most businesses looking for blockchain talent desire people with programming skills.
The Blockchain Economy is Also a Global Phenomenon
The U.S. isn’t the only country hiring programmers with distributed ledger knowledge. Businesses in countries such as Japan, India, and the UK are also looking for employees with blockchain experience.
Recently, ComputerWorldUK published a report titled “Why demand for distributed ledger expertise is on the rise,” exploring the growth in European demand for blockchain specialists.
The report explains that many blockchain startups and consortiums, such as R3, Everledger and Eris, are hiring software talent. European tech firms like Intel and Fujitsu – and banks such as Barclays, UBS and Santander – are also expressing a need for blockchain engineers. In the public sector, government agencies across the globe are starting to offer distributed ledger programming positions as well.
Distributed Ledger Job Prerequisites
Skill sets needed for these jobs vary depending on the company’s goals and plans for implementing blockchain. Software engineers who understand a broad array of coding languages are often required. This includes knowledge of C++, Python and Java, as well as experience working with these languages in professional settings. Knowledge of basic cryptography is typically required as well, with previous experience in the cryptocurrency industry often considered a plus.
PwC Blockchain Consultant Seamus Cushley told ComputerWorldUK:
There is a demand for people with strong technical background, who are curious enough to want to understand this blockchain technology and can demonstrate that they understand at least the principles of bitcoin, possibly running an Eris node, having looked at Ethereum.
Blockchain employment is seeing exponential growth, and if mass adoption of these technologies takes place, the need should continue to rise. Bitcoin, along with its related innovations and exterior protocols, have created a very healthy and sustainable economy. With predictions of distributed ledger technology becoming mainstream within 5-10 years, job opportunities within this sector will be abundant.