New roles to rule in 2018

Pradipto Chakrabarty

The transformation in the world of technology is happening at a breakneck pace. Implementation of new cutting-edge technology is moving out from a drawing board stage to being practiced by organisations across the world. As more and more organisations undertake the process of digital transformation to offer tech-enabled products or services, IT roles and skills are undergoing radical shift. This will affect the tech job scenario as we move into 2018 and beyond. 

In-demand IT roles have started to shift towards  positions focused on advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR), and the Internet of Things (IoT) along with exciting positions within cyber security, cloud computing and network technology. 

Some of the key job roles that the companies will  require as they transform their businesses and processes for the future are:

Cybersecurity Analyst

This individual will manage risk for organisations through use of relevant tools and techniques to gather vital end-point and network host data with the goal of identifying vulnerabilities. 

Network Engineer

This role will encompass coordinating between cloud and traditional networking resources to make a business communicate efficiently. They will need to know how to map technical network elements (e.g., a router, an edge device, a microdatacenter) to a company’s business needs.

Vulnerability Assessment 

The role of a penetration tester has matured.  Today’s pen tester does more than hack a server or use fancy security tools. Today’s pen tester takes a responsible approach and conducts strong, comprehensive tests to identify and correct unacceptable risks.

Machine Learning Engineer

Machine learning use sophisticated programing such as R and Python to develop AI machines and systems that can learn and apply knowledge to perform tasks. These professionals will also work with complex datasets and algorithms to convert machines to intelligent machines.

Network Analysts

Businesses are investing more heavily in their networks as IoT is fast becoming critical to manufacture tech enabled products. A growing number of “things” need to be connected in an efficient way, and that's going to be a major driver of demand there. Network analysts in the coming years will combine their technical skill set with an understanding of how to apply it to provide real-time trending information on network traffic, and what those insights means for the business.

Cloud Engineer

Almost all businesses are mobbing their on-prem systems to cloud and are choosing a hybrid approach, with multiple vendors. In the coming years, cloud engineers will need to create solutions which are mix of multiple technologies. Gone are the days when an Amazon engineer only worked on AWS or Microsoft engineers only knew Azure. 

Technical Support Specialist

Gone are the days when the help desk professional fixed PCs. The world needs more tech support specialists than ever before. MOdern-day tech support engineer helps manage increasingly complex issues involving data management, authentication and network troubleshooting.

— The writer is Regional Director, CompTIA India.