Seattle is a Tech Hub with a many Tech Job Opportunities

The tech scene in Seattle is booming.

If you look for the most in-demand jobs in Seattle, most of them are in the IT industry.

There are more job openings for professionals with tech skills than there are in the medical field in Seattle.

IT provides high salaries and a wide range of career choices.

This is even more true in the Seattle area.

With the high demand for technical skills, IT professionals often have their pick of several positions, so finding and keeping top tech talent is a challenge for businesses.

Many companies are adding more benefits such as unlimited time off, remote work, and more professional development to keep and attract talent.

These tech jobs range from computer support, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and data analytics.

Whether you’re just starting your career in tech, or are a seasoned professional looking for new opportunities, Seattle has a lot to offer.

Top 10 Tech Jobs in Seattle

It’s important to note that, many of these jobs want candidates familiar with Agile methodology and CI/CD.

1. Software Engineer (all levels)

Software engineering is the most sought-after position that Seattle companies are looking to fill. Software developers build websites and mobile applications. They design databases and write services to retrieve, edit and store data. It requires programming skills, critical analysis, and the ability to turn users’ needs into a working solution.

In Seattle, software engineers earn a median annual wage of $111,800 – $143,700, depending on the company, and the skills required. More specific software development skills are often needed such as full-stack, backend, etc. Those will be reviewed further below.

2. Data Scientist

Data scientists collect, analyze, and interpret huge amounts of data through advanced analytics technologies. Big data keeps getting bigger. Data scientist makes sense of the chaos. They collect that data, analyze it, and identify its meaning. They find trends that companies use to make business decisions, or researchers use to confirm or deny their findings. Many industries use data to understand market trends, consumer behaviors, and business insights. There is a high demand for people who can slice and dice data to make sense of it.

A data scientist requires specific technical and soft skills such as statistics, coding, data visualization, and communication. The average salary for data scientist in Seattle is $111,000- $135,709.

3. IT Manager

Also referred to as information system managers, IT managers are responsible for executing the technological vision of an organization. They manage multiple teams of developers, and collaborate with business users or analysts, or vendors. And oversee the technical aspects of the projects in their organization.

The position requires strategic thinking, leadership, communication, and effective collaboration.

The average salary of an Information Technology Manager in Seattle is $151,483.

4. Cyber Security Analyst

Identifying the best way to protect your organization's infrastructure from cyber-attacks is vital. Information security analysts protect the architecture, software, and data from malware, ransomware, and other attempts by hackers to gain access to your systems. Security breaches and ransomware threats can be brutally disruptive to any organization.

Information security analysts plan and execute cyber security measures, monitor networks for breaches, and conduct penetration testing of cybersecurity defense systems.

The average salary for an Information Security Analyst in Seattle is $96,557.

5. Web and mobile Developer

Web developers create, enhance, and support websites and apps. They use different technologies to design user interfaces (front-end), design and manage databases (backend), or both (full-stack). With different bootcamps, videos, and online tutorials, this is one of the most fascinating jobs you can land without a bachelor’s degree.

Web developers must be proficient with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to start. But for more complex development, React, Node.js, SQL, Postgres, and even cloud computing come into play (just to name a few).

Web developers collaborate with graphic designers on UI layouts, creating mockups, and conducting testing. Web developers also need solid problem-solving skills. The average salary for web developers in Seattle is $95,192.

6. Computer System Analyst

Computer system analysts design computer systems for clients. They analyze their client's business needs, research, and provide the best technological solution for the organization. They may create prototypes and requirements documents describing the appropriate hardware needs and software features. In Seattle, the median salary for a system analyst is $99,270.

7. DevOps Engineer

DevOps is the integration of development and operations. DevOps Engineers can be involved in many parts of the Software Development Lifecycle. Some of the more important tasks they execute are automation, software deployment, and managing the application on the cloud. Important skills include Cloud computing, Linux server, Docker, Agile methodology, CI/CD, and configuration management. In Seattle, a DevOps engineer earns a median salary of $119,058.

8. Site Reliability Engineer.

Site reliability engineers (SREs) ensure the smooth operation of websites and business applications. They use software engineering to address problems with operations or architecture. Their responsibility ranges from development, such as automation and scaling, and technical troubleshooting to address potential operational issues. SREs ensure the application remains stable and healthy when new features are added. This requires skills such as software development, knowledge of networking and load balancing, and cloud computing. SREs earn a median salary of $143,513.

9. Artificial intelligence specialist

AI specialists work with Machine Learning ML, and Natural Language Processing NLP technologies to automate processes so humans don’t have to. It is a wide job category and contains various data job duties. They create services such as chatbots and image recognition. The required skills include AI, ML, NLP, and algorithm proficiency. In Seattle, the median annual salary for an Ai specialist is $125,494.

10. QA Analyst

Quality Assurance Analysts test software and/or architecture to identify errors, logic flaws, and any potential issues before the product is deployed. They ensure only high-quality products are delivered to customers. QA Analysts must be detail-oriented, good at problem-solving, good communicators and collaborators. In Seattle, QA analysts earn $91,325 on average.

5 Lesser-known Tech Jobs in Seattle:

1. Technical Writer – All industries need writing and editorial professionals to document system style guides. They also write help text that is used in user manuals and that is available directly in the system via a Help button. They ensure instructions and other documentation are clear and correct and updated. This includes the content and grammar. In Seattle, the average salary of a technical writer is $90,563.

2. IT Project manager – Project Managers keep projects on spec, on time, and within budget. They know the order in which tasks have to be performed and where dependencies are. IT Project Managers lead matrixed technical teams. IT project managers are needed across many industries including healthcare, manufacturing, and SaaS. The average salary for an IT Project Manager in Seattle is $95,421.

3. Data Engineer – Data engineers design, maintain, and monitor databases to ensure their integrity, scalability, and reliability. The retrieval of data must be optimized for performance when apps retrieve, edit, and store data. These engineers also ensure all transactions are secure. The salary range for Data Engineers in Seattle is $104,725-$125,000.

4. Computer Network Architect - Computer network architecture involves designing and developing data communication networks. This includes hardware and software infrastructure like servers, routers, and wired and wireless connections. Network Engineers have a salary range of $120,520 to $161,154 in Seattle.

5. Solution Architect - The Solution Architect helps design and oversee cross-platform infrastructure. Their reach goes across programs, products, and projects. They set the vision for architecture strategies, opportunities, and problem resolution. The average salary for Solution Architects in Seattle is $141,000.

Key Takeaways

Seattle is a great city to find a job in tech since many big tech companies have their headquarters there.

This, along with a large number of startups, has made the number and variety of tech jobs in Seattle soar.

The tech industry is constantly evolving, and innovations create new opportunities.

And this is evident in Seattle’s job market.

See our blog in this series about the Seattle tech education and the tech companies located in Seattle.

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