Blockchain Careers in 2023

Blockchain careers are steadily on the rise, especially as more companies adopt blockchain technologies. You’ve surely heard of crypto, the most popular application of blockchain, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg — blockchain skills are very versatile. As individuals and organizations begin to invest in cryptocurrency and more people trade non-fungible tokens (NFTs), the type of crypto most often used to sell digital art, new applications for blockchain technology multiply.

Every company that wants to use the blockchain needs to hire people who can actually integrate blockchain into their business. Because blockchain is so secure that it’s considered impossible to hack, it has become an invaluable tool in the world of finance. This means that the demand for blockchain engineers and developers will continue to grow, as blockchain becomes a common facet of global commerce.

Blockchain employees come from all sorts of backgrounds. This is a fast-moving and fast-changing industry, which means that companies integrating blockchain into their business don’t just need techies; they also need lawyers, PR and communications professionals, and accountants who can understand and work with blockchain. And, fintech boot camps are a popular choice for professionals both entering and building careers in this exciting field.

What Is Blockchain?

You’ve likely heard of blockchain if you’re at all familiar with cryptocurrency. Crypto depends on blockchain, which is an encoded, decentralized, and distributed database of records that is shared among the nodes of a computer network. It’s called a blockchain because it stores information in blocks, which have certain storage limits. When each block of code fills up, it is closed and connected to the previous block, creating a chain — hence, the name blockchain.
This way of assembling and storing data has significant benefits. Specifically, because blockchains are stored across a network of computers, and updates to a specific block must be completed simultaneously across all computers in the network, it is incredibly difficult to hack. In addition, once a block is filled up and attached to the chain, it cannot be modified. This also enhances the security of blockchain, while also making it a perfect way to keep records secure.

Blockchain can catalog many different types of records but is most commonly used as a ledger for transactions (e.g., cryptocurrency). People also use blockchain to securely transfer things like property, currency, and contracts without involving a third party like an agent, bank, or corporation.

A wide variety of companies use blockchain and need blockchain developers to support this in-demand function. Many entities — from startups, to large banks, to government agencies — are hiring people who understand crypto, blockchain, and how blockchain supports critical aspects of fintech global services.

A graphic highlighting the blockchain process.

5 Blockchain Careers

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in blockchain, it’s important to understand the opportunities that exist within this fast-growing field. Blockchain careers, like those in any other field, can be pursued through a variety of roles. Each is a little different, and daily activities will depend a lot on the company you work for, the team you work with, and the projects to which you are assigned.

Now that the world of blockchain is booming, it’s an excellent time to consider a job in this space. The job outlook for blockchain professions is promising, with significant growth and earnings potential. While you might think that your only options are crypto jobs, it’s important to remember that this is just one sector in the blockchain market. You’ll also find blockchain jobs in industries such as tech, healthcare, law enforcement, government, and finance. In fact, many professionals already working in these industries attend fintech boot camps to learn new technologies, such as blockchain, to remain competitive in their sector and role.

Some of the most common blockchain jobs include:

Blockchain developer: Develops blockchain protocols, designs blockchain systems, and designs apps using blockchain technology

Solidity developer: Builds and deploys contracts on blockchain-based applications

Blockchain legal consultant: Advises companies on how to structure their cryptocurrency offerings

Blockchain designer: Develops user-facing interfaces for blockchain apps

Blockchain solutions architect: High-level professionals that oversee and design blockchain projects

Blockchain Developer

Blockchain development is an in-demand job. But what does a blockchain developer do? The simplest answer is that they create blockchain systems and applications. Of course, the reality is more complex.

Blockchain developers often have a background in programming, which means that they’re familiar with a variety of programming languages such as C++, Python, SQL, and JavaScript. Their job is to design and create secure blockchain technologies, which means they not only have to develop high-level designs for these applications, but also develop designs for their features and interfaces. Blockchain developers also have to maintain these applications from both the server side and client side if and when they develop bugs. This makes blockchain developers very similar to full stack developers, who build applications from both the client and the server sides.

Of course, within the world of blockchain developers, there are different types of roles — such as core blockchain developer and blockchain software developer. The core blockchain developer is the primary architect of a blockchain system. They decide how the system works and design its security as well. Once they build that infrastructure, blockchain software developers use it to create applications that use blockchain.

It’s very important for blockchain developers to have excellent analytical skills and strong attention to detail. While they need to understand blockchain, how it works, and what its potential is, they also need to be able to solve the problems that inevitably arise in blockchain and app development. They also need to clearly communicate their plans and progress to their teams and stakeholders.

Blockchain developers enjoy a lucrative salary range. According to CareerOneStop, the median annual blockchain developer salary is $92,870, with additional potential for growth. All in all, this is a very promising career for anyone with a knack for tech, strong analytical skills, and an interest in blockchain.

Solidity Developer

You may have heard the term “Solidity” tossed around in conversations about blockchain but not really understood what it is. Solidity is the native language of Ethereum, an open-source blockchain platform with smart contract functionality. Solidity is a programming language oriented around contracts and used to write smart contracts on various blockchain platforms (not just Ethereum).

Solidity developers write, build, and deploy smart contracts, which are automated blockchain programs that run when certain conditions are met — such as stock reaching a certain price. Like blockchain developers, Solidity developers also need to have a strong understanding of programming languages, along with deep knowledge of Solidity. Luckily, Solidity is similar to C and C++ in its syntax, so developers with a background in these programming languages will be able to learn it relatively easily.

In addition, Solidity developers also need a solid understanding of Ethereum, and Ethereum blockchain test tools like Truffle or Hardhat. Many Solidity developers also work on NFT projects, so an understanding of NFTs is also a plus for individuals interested in pursuing this career path.

Blockchain Legal Consultant

Blockchain companies and teams don’t just need developers. They also need people in other roles to support the products that those developers are creating.

For example, blockchain legal consultants are lawyers who make sure a company’s blockchain operations are running in alignment with internal and external legal guidelines. They are experts on the most up-to-date blockchain laws and regulations in their respective regions or countries, and use this knowledge to advise on how to deploy blockchain-based solutions, integrate digital-ledger-based technologies, or launch a new cryptocurrency based on those rules and regulations.

Blockchain legal consultants must possess a law degree and have passed the bar in the state in which they work. They need to have an in-depth knowledge of not only blockchain technologies but cryptocurrency as well — especially if their client is focused on it. They also need to understand smart contracts: how they work, are deployed, and regulated. Blockchain legal consultants will often review these contracts and give their employers feedback on how to make them more secure from a legal perspective.

For people particularly interested in this position, there are a handful of relevant online certificates available to gain a better understanding; however, they are not necessary at this time.

Blockchain Designer

Blockchain designers ensure blockchain applications and tools look appealing and provide users with a seamless application interaction. Specifically, UI (user interface) designers determine the appearance of an application, including the design of the buttons users click on, the format of the text they read, the placement of text entry boxes, animations, and images — essentially everything you see on a given screen. UX (user experience) designers, on the other hand, focus on creating a guided and intuitive interface that helps users access fintech services in an easily understandable way, even though users may have little understanding of the complexities of cryptocurrency.

For example, a company launching a cryptocurrency app may hire a blockchain developer to build the app, a Solidity developer to build out smart contract functionality, and a blockchain legal consultant to make sure the app is in alignment with existing governance and laws. A blockchain designer then helps the developer make the app as easy and visually pleasing to use as possible, ensuring the user can intuitively move through it and complete a variety of tasks without getting confused or lost. They will also use graphic design tools to make the app align with the brand’s aesthetic vision.

Blockchain Solutions Architect

This is a high-level role in the world of blockchain. Blockchain solutions architects are similar to project or product managers, in that they have a hand in every aspect of a blockchain project. They work with the research and development (R&D) teams to develop ideas for blockchain projects and work with upper management to make sure that the project aligns with the company’s larger goals, plans, and vision. Blockchain solutions architects may also work with legal teams to understand and mitigate any relevant legal risks. They may also work with the marketing team to review and troubleshoot the user education plans.

In short, blockchain solutions architects make sure that everything comes together. In the cryptocurrency app example, they may engage with management to understand who the app should serve, and why it’s the right project for their company at the time. They may then work with blockchain developers to help map out what the app should do, and consult with the blockchain designers to help figure out what the app should look like. They may regularly check in with Solidity developers, and others, to make sure the app launch milestones are being met, and they may also meet with the legal team to review the latest cryptocurrency regulations released. Finally, they may work with the marketing and communications teams on the app launch plan.

Blockchain solutions architects need strong management skills and an ability to lead teams effectively while prioritizing the company’s goals. They also need strong communication skills, attention to detail, and to be able to work well under pressure. Of course, they also need a deep understanding of the world of blockchain, including the spectrum of use cases and potential products. It’s even useful for them to have a good understanding of different programming languages so they can converse easily with developers.

A graphic highlighting 5 different blockchain careers.

Learn Blockchain Today

As you can see, blockchain is a rapidly growing and evolving field that spans industries. The finance industry, in particular, has been significantly affected by — and benefitted from — the rise of blockchain. For this reason, a fintech boot camp is an excellent way to jump-start your career in blockchain, whether you want to be a developer, designer, or even architect one day.

These boot camps are practical, flexible courses that will help you learn blockchain as well as the ins and outs of the fast-growing fintech industry. You will learn a variety of programming languages, as well as the basics of Solidity and smart contracts. If you’re interested in a blockchain career, a boot camp is one of the best places to launch your future in blockchain technology.

Get Program Info

Back
Back
Back
Back
Back
Back
Back
Back
Back
Back
0%

Step 1 of 6