The role of a data scientist has evolved and expanded from that of a data analyst. As with an analyst, they organise and analyse data collected by an organisation, such as sales figures, logistics or market research etc. The difference is that a data scientist will use their strong business sense along with an ability to communicate findings to both business and IT leaders in a way that can influence how an organisation approaches a business challenge.

Data scientists may have different functions depending on which industry/sector they are involved in. For example, a data scientist working for Facebook might analyse the types of pages users ‘like’, and then use this information to decide what type of advertisements the user will see when using their Facebook account. They combine practical skills such as coding and maths with the ability to analyse statistics.

Skills Required:

The main programming languages often used within analytics, data mining and data science are R, SAS, Python and SQL, while knowledge of Java, C/C++, Perl and Ruby may also be of a value to data scientists. The use of ‘big data’ (collecting or mining huge amounts of data and analysing it) by companies and governments has meant that data scientists are in demand worldwide.

Typically a data scientist needs to:

• Use strong business acumen, as well as an ability to communicate findings, and mine vast amounts of data for useful insights
• Use these insights to influence how an organisation approaches business challenges
• Use a combined knowledge of computer science and applications, modelling, statistics, analytics and maths to solve problems
• Extract data from multiple sources
• Sift and analyse data from multiple angles, looking for trends that highlight problems or opportunities
• Communicate important information and insights to business and IT leaders
• Make recommendations to adapt existing business strategies

 Career Progressions:

• The most junior data scientists (first level) have limited experience and focus primarily on execution. They may need substantial help across the five core skills and abilities. As they practice execution and reach higher levels of proficiency, they will be able to produce high-quality work more rapidly.
• A second-level junior data scientist is more independent, especially in writing code and performing analyses. However, they typically need problems to be structured for them and require help in effectively influencing others to maximize impact.
• As junior data scientists advance to the third level, they are able to formulate unstructured problems and identify the highest-impact problems, which they can then solve on their own.
• At the fourth level, junior data scientists reach full independence. They can develop projects and complete them entirely on their own. They require little to no supervision, can prioritize their own work, and assist other team members. They become experts in a particular domain (e.g., ads, payments), can provide strategic direction within that area, and are able to help scale the organization. The primary difference between a junior and a senior data scientist is that they can work across multiple domains.
• At the fifth level, junior data scientists transition into senior data scientists. For example, a junior data scientists could be an expert in payment-related risk but has not yet helped drive insights in a related field, say spam. The level five data scientist is able to drive use their risk analytics expertise to help multiple adjacent areas across the company. Thus, the senior data scientist is able to provide greater scale and efficiency through increased levels of functional leadership and has established themselves as a functional expert and leader.
• As a senior data scientist transitions to the sixth level, a senior data scientist is able to have an impact across most problems at the company level, including the company’s hardest problems. They wear two hats, becoming product experts in addition to functional experts. This means that they provide direction on both product and function.
• The seventh level is the apex of a data scientist’s career trajectory. At this stage, they are able to influence and execute the highest-level roadmap and strategy decisions at the company level, driving company and product transformations.

Average Base Salary:  

UK – £47,217 per year

US – $113,309 per year

Database administrators (DBAs) design, write and take care of computer database systems so that the right person can get the information they need at the right time. Responsibilities of the job vary according to employment sector, but typically include:

• working with database software to find ways to store, organise and manage data
• troubleshooting
• keeping databases up to date
• helping with database design and development
• managing database access
• designing maintenance procedures and putting them into operation
• ensuring that databases meet user requirements
• liaising with programmers, applications/operational staff, IT project managers and other technical staff
• managing database security/integrity and backup procedures
• implementing security measures
• defining objectives through consultation with staff at all levels
• writing reports, documentation and operating manuals
• testing and modifying databases to ensure that they operate reliably
• providing user training, support and feedback
• writing disaster recovery plans
• archiving data.

This role can involve working to tight deadlines and when necessary, long hours. IT professionals working in this area may also be need to be available for call-outs on evenings and weekends.

Qualifications and training required:

There are routes into this profession for both school leavers and graduates.

It is often possible to enter the profession with a degree or higher national diploma (HND) in any subject. However, a qualification in a relevant subject such as computer science, software engineering, electronic engineering, mathematics or software engineering can be advantageous. For graduates without relevant qualifications or experience, a postgraduate qualification in computing, IT or operational research is beneficial.

It is possible to enter this profession without a degree or HND. Previous work experience is often necessary, and can be gained through IT or technology-related industrial placements, summer internships and insight days.

Key skills for database administrators:

• Patience
• Meticulous attention to detail
• A logical approach to work
• The ability to prioritise tasks
• Problem-solving skills
• Good organisational skills
• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Familiarity with computer operating systems and database technology (design, software and structure)

Career Prospects:

Your career prospects will depend on the type of organisations you work for. Larger organisations may offer structured career paths to the level of lead or senior database administrator, with increasing management and technical responsibility.

You could move into other areas, such as:

• systems development
• project management
• network management
• database architecture.

Working towards a management position is a natural step and you could eventually end up running a team or whole department if you gain the right experience and undertake any necessary and relevant qualifications. As a result, with the right effort and focus, you could end up working at a more strategic level.

Alternatively, you could choose to work as a freelance consultant or contractor, capitalising on your specialist technical knowledge. As a contractor, the projects you work on might include the design and development of a smaller database or working as part of a large-scale project in conjunction with specialist IT firms and consultants. This does require substantial experience, but you may find the financial benefits and freedom to take time off between contracts attractive.

Most of your training will be provided on the job. It will largely consist of technical training on the systems used by your employer and in any relevant software developments. In-house training will be supplemented by short, internal or external courses, as appropriate.

Taking additional courses can help you progress professionally and most employers will expect experienced staff to have completed a database certification programme such as:

• Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) – Data Platform or Business Intelligence
• IBM Certified Database Administrator
• Oracle Database Certification.

Average Base Salary:  

UK: £35,700 per year

US: $78,779 per year

Video game developers, also known as games developers or video game programmers, write code for games for a variety of formats, such as PCs, consoles, web browsers and mobile phones. They take the video game designer’s ideas, drawings and rules, and turn them into a playable game with visuals and sound through writing code

There’s no denying that this is the dream job for a lot of computer scientists, combining an industry you’re passionate about with a discipline you love. There are a vast number of routes into the industry too – from quality assurance and testing (no, it’s not just playing games!) to network engineering to artificial intelligence.You might also use the contacts you make to move into other areas of game development that interest you, such as 3D modelling and even concept art.

Skills Required:

There are routes into video game development for university graduates. Other posts in related fields may be open to school leavers.

Graduates will require a degree in computer science, software engineering or a related subject. If you have an unrelated degree but are proficient in relevant programming languages and familiar with the gaming industry, you could also be eligible for entry-level positions. Work experience and a portfolio of work will become essential early on in your career in this very competitive industry.

School leavers may progress to video game development by undertaking an apprenticeship in software development or a related role.

 As a game developer, you’ll need to:

• design, develop and deliver systems and high quality code using programming languages, such as C++ and C#
• perform code reviews to ensure code quality
• refactor code to improve the design of existing code
• quality test coding in a systematic and thorough way to find problems or bugs and record precisely where the problem was discovered
• debug programs and solve complex technical problems that occur within the game’s production
• collaborate with games development team members to meet the needs of a project
• work closely with designers, artists and other staff involved in the design process in order to create a quality product to schedule
• perform effectively under pressure and meet deadlines to ensure a game is completed on time.

Depending on the role you may also:

• develop designs or initial concept designs for games including game play
• generate game scripts and storyboards
• create the visual aspects of the game at the concept stage
• use 2D or 3D modelling and animation software, such as Maya, at the production stage
• produce the audio features of the game, such as character voices, music and sound effects.

In a more senior position, you might:

• have responsibility for technical strategy and execution of projects from concept to market
• plan resources and manage both the development team and the process.

Career Progressions

Career progression within games development can be relatively fast. Many who enter the industry at junior level end up at lead level within five to seven years and can reach senior level within their first ten years. Senior-level positions include technical directors, developers, producers and team managers.

It’s also possible to specialise in the developing areas of the industry such as wireless platforms, interactive game applications and online gaming.

There are also opportunities to develop your career overseas. Games development jobs can be found in countries such as Japan, the USA, Canada, Germany, France and Scandinavia.

Working freelance or setting up your own development studio is possible once you’ve built up experience.

Average Base Salary

UK – £42,126 per year
US – $50,923 per year

There are four main types of software developer: systems developers, web developers, mobile developers and test automation developers. New entrants to the profession tend to specialise in one of these areas when they start.

A junior software developer, with experience, is likely to progress to senior software developer and later to software architect or similar. Other opportunities for promotion could include team lead or manager.

Software developers’ typical duties include:

• discussing clients’ requirements and proposed solutions with a senior developer (for developers at mid-skill level and below)
• writing and testing code
• collaborating with other developers
• using development tools (see below)

Development tools are used by software developers to write and test code, often as a team. Common development tools include:

• integrated development environments (eg Eclipse, IntelliJ): for writing and editing code
• source control management (eg Git, SVN, Mercurial): to enable teams to work together to manage changes to source code
• issue management systems (eg Jira): for managing a list of issues or improvements
• test driven development: for writing code to test your code
• deployment (eg Jenkins, Hudson): for ensuring the latest software release is packaged correctly, tested and deployed to an application server

Qualifications and training required:

There are routes into software development for both graduates and school leavers. For graduate positions, degrees in computer science, software development or similar are usually preferred. However, a handful of employers don’t specify a degree subject and are willing to train you up if you demonstrate enthusiasm and the capacity to learn the relevant skills.

Apprenticeships in software development are advertised, so it is possible to enter this profession without a degree.

Key skills for software developers:

• Mathematical aptitude
• Problem-solving skills
• Programming languages (different types of developer role require different languages)
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• An understanding of the latest trends and their role in a commercial environment
• Teamwork skills
• Self-development skills to keep up to date with fast-changing trends

Career Progression:

– Junior Developer

This is the ground-floor or starting position that a developer right out of college or accelerated courses like Woz U’s Software Developer courses would have, with little to no real world computer programming experience.

Typical requirements for a junior developer include:

• The ability to write simple scripts.
• Understanding of the expected application lifecycle.
• Basic understanding of database and application services, such as queues and caching.

There are times when junior programmers may feel as if they are in over their heads when asked to write complex applications. Other days you will ask yourself why you haven’t been promoted for doing the same work as many of the senior developers. This is totally normal! However, the main difference between a junior and senior developer is experience.

– Software Developer, Sr. Software Developer

A software developer, or senior software developer is someone who has become proficient at creating entire applications. Much of a software developer’s career path will include spending several years as a senior-developer.

Typical requirements for a software developer include:

• Having several years of professional programming experience.
• Ability to write complex code.
• Possessing a thorough understanding of databases, application services and application lifecycle development.

People who love to write code and don’t like the idea of management may spend many years or even their entire career as a senior developer. However, this position can also be a jumping off point to management positions that can include lead developer or CTO of a startup.

– Lead Developer, Technical Architect

A lead developer or architect role is for someone who wants more responsibility and challenge but is not interested in managing a team. They’re also specialized senior developers that other programmers look to for direction. Lead developers typically coordinate work and implement decisions while still writing code. While architects will still occasionally write code, they are responsible for designing complex systems that will be implemented by other developers.

The typical requirements for lead developer positions include:

• Many years of professional programming experience.
• Demonstrates subject matter expertise.
• Possessing the same technical skills that a senior developer may have.
• Ability to conceptualize, plan and build software to solve complex problems.

Lead developer positions are often seen as transitional roles to a mid-level manager position, whereas architect is a technical position and usually not a transitional role. Technical architects are often considered the highest position on the technical career ladder.

– Development Team Lead, Software Development Manager

Management is the next logical and traditional step along the software developer career path.

There are different focuses and responsibilities for managers that include:

• Managing large-scale projects.
• Managing teams of developers.
• Hiring and firing developers.

The mid-level manager keeps track of workflow and productivity and reports to a senior leader or manager. Their typical function is to coordinate the needs of the application and project leader with the development team. This role requires great people skills and the ability to effectively mediate conflicts. The developer manager’s job is to also to eliminate and add new members to the team whenever necessary. One of the major downsides of becoming a mid-level manager is you may have to terminate people. This can be a psychological and emotional challenge for many, but when mastered, can be a powerful leadership skill.

– Director, Vice President, Chief Technology Officer

The main difference between a senior and mid-level manager is that senior management tends to oversee the work of other managers and may have some responsibility for setting strategy and corporate direction.

Senior management level titles include:

• Director
• Vice President
• Chief Technology Officer

A senior manager’s job is to make executive-level decisions including long-term strategy, setting goals and initiatives, plus accountability for entire departments. They must also motivate their managers to execute and hold the department accountable for specific measurable objectives. Senior-level managers hire, supervise and fire mid-level managers and report only to other senior-level executives, such as the CEO or to the company’s board of directors.

Average Base Salary:

US – $76,526 per year

UK – £38,000 per year

A software engineer has wider responsibilities than a developer. They’re the big picture people, the architects, responsible for designing programmes and figuring out how all the different systems fit together. Depending on their role, they may also be responsible for things like working with management, deploying new software, or getting in at ground level and doing some of the in-depth coding. On top of your technical programming aptitude, you’ll need to be creative and adaptable, with excellent communication and problem solving skills.

Software engineers are required to develop, design, maintain, modify and debug software. These qualities are a combination of both the soft and technical skills needed for efficiency in the workplace.

Skills Required:

Software engineer skills are abilities required by software developers to create, maintain and operate computer programs used by businesses and organizations. These skills are divided into three categories:

1. Soft skills**:** Soft skillsare personal attributes that help individuals interact with others on the job. Transferable across industries, these skills and are regarded as the combination of communication, social and interpersonal.
2. Hard skills:The hard skills also referred to as technical skills are practical skills required by software engineers to build, maintain and repair software. Unlike soft skills, hard skills are industry-centric and are acquired either in school or through years of experience in the industry. Examples of software engineer technical skills include software developments, object-oriented design (OOD), software testing and debugging as well as computer programming and coding.

Technical skills: Computer programming and coding is the process of writing a set of instructions that is executed by the computer. It is the basis of software engineering and it will always be listed as one of the technical skills on a job post. So, if you want to pursue a career as a software engineer, you must learn at least one programming language. Here is a list of programming languages that may be included in job posts:

• C#
• C++
• HTML
• Java
• JavaScript
• Perl
• PHP
• Python

Career Progression:

An entry-level post typically involves working under supervision, formulating the scope of, and objectives, for systems and designing code. After around three years, you may progress to preparing detailed specifications from which programs may be written and be competent to work at the highest technical level.

A senior software engineer often supervises the activities of a team of developers for a large project or several smaller projects. This usually requires a minimum of five years’ experience.

Progression is mainly into management via team leadership and project management roles, or to designer/consultant via technical specialisation. Transfer between organisations for advancement is often possible.

Software engineers are specialists and may remain within one organisation, and frequently in one role, for much of their working lives. However, others expand and develop their roles to the extent that software engineering becomes part of a much wider role in positions such as technical writing, IT training and education. They can also move on to the role of software architect.

Self-employment and freelance or contract work is possible as there is an increasing market for contract software engineers with specialist knowledge. Career breaks, on the other hand, may be difficult due to the need to keep technical knowledge up to date in a rapidly changing environment.

Average Base Salary:

US – $ 95,744 per year

UK – £37,032 per year

Web developers are a type of software developer. They specialise in using web technologies, which they use to create websites and web applications (website components that carry out a function for the user, such as email, instant messaging, online banking and online retail).

Web developers are different to web designers, who focus more on designing the user interface of websites and web applications.

Typical responsibilities of a web developer include:

• discussing clients’ requirements and proposed solutions with a senior developer (for developers at mid-skill level and below)
• implementing new designs
• using development tools to write and test code to develop solutions
• applying off-page SEO (search engine optimisation)
• managing and uploading website content

Developers can either work in ‘front-end’ development (working on the part of the website that users will interact with) or in ‘back-end’ development (working on the server-side, managing the functions of the website).

Qualifications and training required:

There are routes into web development for both graduates and school leavers. Graduates with a degree in computer science, software development or similar are preferred for many junior web developer roles but it possible to find a graduate web developer job whatever your degree background, as long as you have some practical knowledge of web development processes and languages.

Apprenticeships in web development are available. Applicants with some understanding of programming languages are likely to be favoured.

Key skills for web developers:

• Mathematical aptitude and strong problem-solving skills
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• An understanding of the latest web trends and their role in a commercial environment
• Teamwork skills, because most projects require input from individuals with different roles
• Self-development skills to keep up to date with fast-changing trends
• Programming languages such as HTML5, JavaScript and PHP

Career Prospects:

Having usually started your agency or tech organisation career as a junior or entry-level developer, you’ll generally progress to a senior or mid-level developer role after around five years. As a senior developer, you’ll usually work on more significant projects, be given a greater number of clients and lead client meetings. You may also manage one or two junior developers.

In an agency, progression is usually marked by being given more clients, leading client meetings and working on more important projects. As a senior developer, you might also manage one or two junior developers.

After ten or more years the next step is to lead developer, technical lead or head of development. At this level you’ll usually do less coding work and will manage a team of web developers and contribute to the organisation’s technical strategy and goals.

After this, you could move into a senior or even board-level position, for example chief technical officer (CTO) or technology vice president.

In non-technical or very small organisations, there may not be distinct grade bands to progress through. However, your knowledge and skill will increase over time and should be rewarded with more responsibility and pay increases.

Some organisations hire very experienced and reputable web developers known as ‘evangelists’. Acting as an ambassador, they promote and train people in the use of a new technology or systems developed by the organisation.

Average Base Salary:

UK –  £31,024 per year

US – $68,524 per year

The world has been evolving rapidly with technological advancements. Out of many of these, we have AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine learning). From automated cars to android systems in many phones, apps, and other electronic devices, AI and ML have a wide range of impact on how easy machines and AI can make our lives. Given the pace of the industry growth, the demand for AI and ML engineers is also increasing. 

Machine learning has been making a silent revolution in our lives since the past decade. From capturing selfies with a blurry background and focused face capture to getting our queries answered by virtual assistants such as Siri and Alexa, we are increasingly depending on products and applications that implement machine learning at their core.

In more basic terms, machine learning is one of the steps involved in artificial intelligence. Machines learn through machine learning.

AI Engineer vs ML Engineer: Are they the same? 

Although both AI and ML engineers work under the common umbrella of artificial intelligence, their job roles and responsibilities vary slightly based on the tools and techniques in use, and end-results. Machine Learning chiefly focuses on the accuracy of data, and Artificial Intelligence prioritizes on the chances of succeeding over accuracy. While AI engineers use data for decision-making, ML engineers learn new things from the data. AI engineers use Java, C ++, and other software development tools; while ML engineers are required to know algorithms and data tools like H2O, TensorFlow. 

Essentially, these two job roles get the same output using different methods. However, many top companies are hiring professionals skilled in both AI and ML.

Skills Required:

Technical Skills 

·       Programming Languages 

A good understanding of programming languages, preferably python, R, Java, C++ is necessary. They are easy to learn, and their applications provide more scope than any other language. Python is the undisputed lingua franca of Machine Learning. 

·       Linear Algebra, Calculus, Statistics 

It is recommended to have a good understanding of the concepts of Matrices, Vectors, and Matrix Multiplication. Moreover, knowledge in Derivatives and Integrals and their applications is essential to even understand simple concepts like gradient descent. 

Whereas statistical concepts like Mean, Standard Deviations, and Gaussian Distributions along with probability theory for algorithms like Naive Bayes, Gaussian Mixture Models, and Hidden Markov Models are necessary to thrive in the industry. 

·       Signal Processing Techniques 

Competence in understanding Signal Processing and the ability to solve several problems using Signal Processing techniques is crucial for feature extraction, an important aspect of Machine Learning. Then we have Time-frequency Analysis and Advanced Signal Processing Algorithms like Wavelets, Shearlets, Curvelets, and Bandlets. A profound theoretical and practical knowledge of these will help you solve complex situations. 

·       Applied Math and Algorithms 

A solid foundation and expertise in algorithm theory are surely a must. This skill set will enable understanding subjects like Gradient Descent, Convex Optimization, Lagrange, Quadratic Programming, Partial Differential equation, and Summations. 

·       Neural Network Architectures 

Machine Learning is used for complex tasks that are beyond human capability to code. Neural networks have been understood and proven to be by far the most precise way of countering many problems like Translation, Speech Recognition, and Image Classification, playing a pivotal role in the AI department. 

Non-Technical skills 

·       Communication 

Communication is the key in any line of work, AI/ML engineering is no exception. Explaining AI and ML concepts to even to a layman is only possible by communicating fluently and clearly. An AI and ML engineer does not work alone. Projects will involve working alongside a team of engineers and non-technical teams like the Marketing or Sales departments. 

·       Domain Knowledge 

Machine learning projects that focus on major troubling issues are the ones that finish without any flaws. Irrespective of the industry an AI and ML engineer works for, profound knowledge of how the domain works and what benefits the business is crucial. For example, if you have to apply AI or ML in genetic engineering, then you need to have a good understanding of genetic biology. 

Proper domain knowledge also facilitates in interpreting potential challenges and enabling the continual running of the business. 

·       Rapid Prototyping 

It is quite critical to keep working on the perfect idea with the minimum time consumed. Especially in Machine Learning, choosing the right model along with working on projects like A/B testing holds the key to a project’s success. Rapid Prototyping helps in forming different techniques to fasten developing a scale model.  

Additional skills for Machine Learning 

·       Language, Audio and Video Processing 

With Natural Language Processing, AI and ML engineers get the chance to work with two of the foremost areas of work: Linguistics and Computer Science like text, audio, or video. An AI and ML engineer should be well versed with libraries like Gensim, NLTK, and techniques like word2vec, Sentimental Analysis, and Summarization. 

·       Physics, Reinforcement Learning, and Computer Vision 

Physics: There will be real-world scenarios that require the application of machine learning techniques to systems, and that is when the knowledge of Physics comes into play. 

Reinforcement Learning: The year, 2017 witnessed Reinforcement Learning as the primary reason behind improving deep learning and artificial intelligence to a great extent. This will act as a helping hand to pave the way into the field of robotics, self-driving cars, or other lines of work in AI. 

Computer Vision: Computer Vision (CV) and Machine Learning are the two major computer science branches that can separately work and control very complex systems, systems that rely exclusively on CV and ML algorithms but can bring more output when the two work in tandem. 

Career Progression:

Once you have acquired the right ML skills, here are the top five promising Machine Learning career paths that you can aspire for:

1. Machine Learning Engineer: A Machine Learning Engineer must have a strong foundational knowledge of Mathematics, Statistics, and programming. He/she should be well-versed with software architecture, system design, data structures, data modeling, and ML algorithms. Read more about the machine learning skills.
2. Data Scientist: Just like an ML Engineer, a Data Scientist must have good knowledge of Mathematics, Statistics, and programming (mainly in Python). Data Scientists must also have thorough experience of data mining and how to apply various statistical research techniques and use Big Data platforms (Hadoop, Pig, Hive, Spark, Flume, etc.). Read more about data science skills.
3. Business Intelligence Developer: the ideal candidate will have considerable experience in data warehouse design, data mining, SQL queries, SQL Server Integration Services, SQL Server Reporting Services, and BI technologies.
4. Research Scientist: One of the leading careers in artificial intelligence is the job of the research scientist. These individuals are experts in multiple AI disciplines, including applied mathematics, machine learning, deep learning, and computational statistics.

Most hiring companies are on the lookout for technology professionals who have an in-depth understanding of benchmarking, parallel computing, distributed computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

5. Big Data Engineer/ Architect: Candidates also have to demonstrate significant programming experience with C++, Java, Python, and Scala. They also have to show in-depth knowledge and experience engaging in data mining, data visualization, and data migration.

Average Base Salary:

US – $114,121 per year

UK – £46,821 per year

Software testers are involved in the quality assurance stage of software development and deployment. You’ll conduct automated and manual tests to ensure the software created by developers is fit for purpose and any bugs or issues are removed within a product before it gets deployed to everyday users.

Your role is integral to the creation of software systems and technical products including vehicles, electronic goods, defence, and healthcare. You might work on bespoke, individual projects or multinational projects spanning the globe and costing billions of pounds. You’ll need to be familiar, or become familiar with, programming and using coding languages.

As a software tester, you’ll need to:

• meet with system users to understand the scope of projects
• work with software developers and project support teams
• identify business requirements
• plan projects
• monitor applications and software systems
• carry out stress testing, performance testing, functional testing and scalability testing
• write and execute test scripts
• run manual and automated tests
• test in different environments including web and mobile
• write bug reports
• assess code
• carry out resource planning
• review documentation
• work towards departmental and project deadlines
• provide quality assurance
• provide objective feedback to software development project team
• trouble shoot and problem solve
• design tests to mitigate risk
• present findings to software development and business user teams
• travel to different project sites
• work on multiple projects at one time
• document analysis
• liaise with project teams in other parts of the world
• communicate findings to technical and non-technical colleagues.

Skills Required:
Software testers often have a degree in computer science or IT. However, the role is open to graduates from a variety of degree disciplines including:

• chemistry
• electrical engineering
• mathematics
• physics.

You can enter the software testing profession with an HND or foundation degree. A diploma in software, IT, or engineering may be most highly regarded by companies.

This list is long, so please bear with us

• Basic knowledge of Database/ SQL
• Basic Knowledge of Linux Commands
• Knowledge and Hand-on experience of a Test Management Tool
• Knowledge and Hand-on experience of any defect tracking tool
• Knowledge and Hand-on experience of automation tools

There is also a lot of scope for performance testing tools because applications need to be tested for their performance which is a part of non-functional testing.

Career Progression:

Your career progression as a software tester (QA Analyst) in typical CMMI level 5 company will look like following but will vary from company to company

1. QA Analyst (Fresher)
2. Sr. QA Analyst (2-3 years’ experience)
3. QA Team Coordinator (5-6 years’ experience)
4. Test Manager (8-11 years’ experience)
5. Senior Test Manager (14+ experience)

Alternate Career Tracks as a Software Tester

Once you have got your hand dirty in manual testing, you can pursue following specializations

• Automation Testing: As an Automation Test Engineer, you will be responsible for automating manual test case execution which otherwise could be time-consuming. Tools used IBM Rational Robot, Silk performer, and QTP
• Performance Testing: As a performance test engineer, you will be responsible for checking application responsiveness (time is taken to load, maximum load application can handle), etc. Tools used WEBLoad, Loadrunner.
• Business Analyst: A major advantages Testers have over Developers is that they have an end to end business knowledge. An obvious career progression for testers is to become a Business Analyst. As a Business Analyst, you will be responsible for analyzing and assessing your company’s business model and workflows. As a BA, you will intergrate these models and workflows with technology.

Average Base Salary:

UK – £27,510 per year

US – $63,070 per year

Mobile developers are a type of software developer. They specialise in mobile technology such as building apps for Google’s Android, Apple’s iOS and Microsoft’s Windows Phone platforms. For this reason job titles for this type of role also include Android developer and iOS developer. Mobile developers learn the programming languages and software development environment for their chosen platform. Currently, there are a handful of major mobile platforms, each with its own core language(s) and development environment (eg Java for Android, Objective-C for iOS and C# for Windows Phone), but this is in a state of constant change to keep up with the pace of new technology.

Demand for mobile developers across platforms has never been stronger as the industry tries to keep up with surging demand. Mobile and tablet devices are increasingly accounting for a higher and higher proportion of internet usage over desktop computers.

The typical responsibilities of mobile developers include:

• discussing the client’s requirements and the proposed solution with colleagues
• developing application programming interfaces (APIs) to support mobile functionality
• keeping up to date with the terminology, concepts and best practices for coding mobile apps
• using and adapting existing web applications for apps
• working closely with colleagues to constantly innovate app functionality and design

Qualifications and training required:

There are routes into mobile development for both graduates and school leavers. The job is typically open to graduates in computer science or software related degrees.

There are also apprenticeships available in mobile app development, many of which involve on-the-job training for qualifications.

Key skills for mobile developers:

• Programming languages such as C#, Java, Objective-C
• Strong organisational skills
• Mathematical aptitude
• Drive to keep up to date with developments and trends in the tech and modern media world
• The ability to learn quickly
• The ability to interpret and follow technical plans
• Problem-solving skills
• Strong communication skills

Career Prospects:

As a graduate it’s common to start with programming work, which is one of the best starting points for a career in IT, as it enables you to gain experience in systems analysis or systems design.

In large organisations, you may be promoted to a senior applications developer and be given supervisory responsibilities. With more business experience, you may move into systems analysis, or be promoted to an applications manager position.

It’s likely you’ll develop your career by specialising in either management or contracting. You can also develop your expertise within a particular type of application, such as databases, or by having an in-depth knowledge of one language, like Java or C++. Although this can be quite a limiting career option, it will suit you if you want to become one of a small number of experts in a specific field.

It’s possible to move into project management, replacing your detailed perspective with an overview, and take on responsibility for supervising teams of programmers and for the overall design and specification of a project.

Another option is to become self-employed through contracting. Working in this way, you would typically act as a system developer, discussing needs with users, analysing requirements and writing and implementing the resulting programs.

Average Base Salary:

UK – £42,230 per year

US – $96,016 per year