Apple is investing $1 billion in a new corporate campus in Northwest Austin with a promise to add 5,000 jobs when it opens in 2021 and perhaps 10,000 more jobs over time. But what will those jobs be? In its official announcement, Apple hints that the new campus will include a broad range of tech jobs including those in engineering and R&D, but also jobs in operations, finance, sales, and customer support.
But why wait three years?
There are nearly 250 jobs available at Austin’s current Apple campus. More than half of those jobs are for positions within the hardware and software/services teams. Database engineer, silicon validation triage engineer, data scientist, UI software engineer, and senior cloud security engineer are among positions hiring at Apple’s Austin campus right now.
Beyond Apple Jobs
Austin’s other major tech companies are hiring now, too. Samsung, Oracle, Dell, Google, Amazon, Facebook and Indeed are either retaining or expanding jobs this year. Newcomers will be adding to the headcount as well. When Resideo Technologies, Inc. relocates from Minnesota to East Austin this year, the world’s top seller of home thermostats will add nearly 100 new jobs, including software engineers for smart-home innovation.
In government news, the U.S. Army is building its new Army Futures Command in Austin. The center will hire local tech talent to develop and deliver concepts, requirements, future force designs, and modern material solutions to meet wartime needs. It should be fully operational by this summer with 500 soldiers and civilians in place. According to U.S. News and World Report in December, more than 100 workers in Austin are already employed as engineers, high-tech specialists, and other positions.
And if you’ve got a penchant for startups, the Statesman reports that Austin eclipsed the $1 billion mark for venture capital in the first three quarters of 2018, an amount that was greater than each of the past three years. Some of the biggest winners on the startup scene have been managed hosting provider WPEngine and online driver license accreditation platform Aceable. Other Austin startups getting a boost are RV rental website Outdoorsy, e-commerce software firm BigCommerce, and software maker Social Solutions Global. All of these startups are currently hiring software engineers and other tech talent. Insurance technology company The Zebra plans to double its Austin workforce (again) by the end of 2019, too.
Tech Jobs That Are Trending
The latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows that Austin’s tech sector is strong. In fact, jobs considered in the field of computer and information research science (which can include data science, robotics, and certain programming and engineering jobs) grew by 42%. But these professionals aren’t the highest paid. That honor goes to network architects, with a median wage of more than $122k.
TechRepublic reports that while the tech landscape hasn’t changed much as a whole in the last year, emerging technologies are the key catalysts for jobs. The most in-demand tech jobs this year are:
- Cybersecurity engineers, particularly as Internet of Things (IoT) security becomes a focus. Look to employers like Resideo Technologies, Inc.to dominate local hiring in this field.
- AI/machine learning engineers. In Austin, a wide range of industries are hiring in this area, from aerospace to broadcast media. Python developers, an area that has exploded in popularity due to the rise of AI/machine learning, are also included in TechRepublic’s list of top jobs.
- Full stack developers who can work on all levels of an application stack. Honestly, it’s hard to find an Austin tech company not hiring in this area, from large employers like The Home Depot and IBM to these small companies and startups.
- Data scientists, who have what’s officially considered the best job in the U.S. by Glassdoor. Again, this position is in high demand across all Austin tech companies. Those with a Ph.D. in data science may want to work with an executive recruiter to find more unique, niche opportunities like this Data Scientist – Product Development position at Visa.
- Java developers and JavaScript developers are still in high demand thanks to enterprise applications requiring cloud capabilities and compelling user interfaces. Dozens of Austin employers are hiring Java-related talent right now including Apple, IBM, Cognizant, Apex Systems, Perficient, and Conduent.
Cloud engineers, scrum masters, and DevOps engineers round out the list of in-demand tech jobs this year, with thousands of job opportunities in these areas available in Austin alone.
“Austin is a hub for tech activity in the U.S. so all of these top tech jobs—many that were once based in California—are being moved here because of the relatively low cost to do business, the quality of our talent, and the fact that people just want to live and work here,” says Craig Patterson as Managing Director of The HT Group’s Professional Services Division.
How to Make It Happen
It’s true that competition for talent is tight right now because unemployment is low. But that doesn’t mean tech employers are letting their guards down and hiring the first candidate who might work. Why? The stakes are high. It’s estimated that making a bad hiring decision on a developer, for example, can cost a company more than $250,000.
Therefore, you need to ensure that you are the perfect hire for the right company. That’s hard to accomplish alone, so working with a tech recruiter is vitally important.
“First, a great tech recruiter will have leads on job opportunities that aren’t advertised yet to the public,” Patterson explains. “High-profile companies often choose a low-profile route to fill key positions. Only the top tech recruiters and executive search teams will know about these opportunities. Second, a great recruiter will help screen you for the position and prepare you for the interview process to ensure that you find the right fit because that’s a win-win-win for you, the employer and the recruiter.”
Take a look at our open IT positions, but don’t stop there. If your skills match some of the tech jobs mentioned here, drop us a line so our tech recruiters can keep you in mind for jobs that may not be listed.
