Brief - The Hustle

Demand for blockchain engineers has skyrocketed since last year

Written by Wes Schlagenhauf | Sep 23, 2020 1:45:32 AM

Demand for blockchain engineers has skyrocketed since last year

Turns out, everyone is so fixated on the crypto crash that no one’s paying attention to its less flashy parent technology: blockchain.

And guess what? Unlike the never-ending roller coaster of the digital currency market, blockchain technology is still thriving.

A new study by San Francisco tech recruitment firm Hired shows that Blockchain engineers are making between $150k and $175k on average — heartily surpassing the typical software engineer’s $135k salary.

It’s called ‘supply and demand,’ ever heard of it?

Since 2017, Hired has seen demand for blockchain engineering roles hike 400% — that’s two zeros, people.

CNBC reports that the demand from large companies like Facebook, Amazon, IBM, and Microsoft (and don’t you forget about Overstock.com) has gone way up, making listings for a little engineering on the b-chain a white-hot commodity.

Closing in on the Big Kahuna: AI

Hired’s study also shows that blockchain engineering is the second-highest-paying specialized engineer role, only behind developers in artificial intelligence.

And this is happening on a global scale: Back in August, Asia saw a 50% rise in roles related to blockchain, despite the Chinese government’s incredibly strict policies on digital currency.

A chip off the ol’ blockchain

Multiple Blockchain engineers told CNBC that those who want to specialize in blockchain should know networking, database design, and cryptography computing skills.

Anyone hiring for a ‘highly skilled Sims 2 player’?