The biggest organizations in the world are data-driven businesses. As a result, big data has emerged as one of the most promising tech careers of the twenty-first century. It is a fast-growing field with numerous opportunities in various industries, including ecommerce, business, finance, government, health insurance, and social networking.
Big Data is a huge industry, and professionals from various academic backgrounds can find successful careers in it. In this article, we will discuss the various types of big data jobs as well as career-related information to help you get started on your career path.
What Is Big Data?
Big Data is a term used to describe a large collection of data that grows exponentially over time. This data could include credit card transaction information, media files in a communication application, invoice data from an online retailer, Google search queries, or anything else.
As of 2018, the amount of data generated online has reached 2.5 quintillion bytes of data, and it is estimated that there will be 175 zettabytes of data in the datasphere by 2025. Its size and complexity make it difficult or impossible to process using traditional computing systems. Data analyst jobs attempt to make sense of this data.
What Do Big Data Professionals Do?
Big data professionals clean, process, and analyze big data to extract actionable insights and patterns that can benefit the business. The findings of their analysis help companies develop actionable business strategies for improving operational efficiency and making internal business decisions. Here are some basic job descriptions for big data professionals.
- Data Analytics. Data analytics is the process of evaluating raw data to discover trends, patterns, and solutions to complex business problems. Data analytics includes descriptive analytics, diagnostic analytics, predictive analytics, and prescriptive analytics.
- Data Collection. This skill involves large-scale data exploration to acquire huge amounts of structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data from different sources for analysis in the data warehouse.
- Data Visualization. Data visualization is the visual representation of data and information using charts, graphs, maps, and other data visualization tools to make trends and patterns in data more visible.
- Cloud Computing. Big data professionals process big data on the cloud. This allows them to view and analyze big data faster than a regular computer system.
- Database Management. Big data professionals use database management systems (DBMS) to retrieve, define, manipulate, and manage database properties.
How Much Do Big Data Professionals Make?
Big data professionals have the opportunity to make favorable salaries due to the huge demand in the industry and the short supply of qualified big data professionals. However, the salary range depends on several factors such as job title, experience, location, industry, and technical skills.
Big Data Average Salaries
According to Payscale, big data professionals earn an annual base salary of $115,000. Companies may be willing to pay more if big data expertise has a greater impact on the business. Professionals with advanced knowledge of programming languages for data science, such as Google Analytics, Tableau, Power BI, Python, and SQL, may earn higher salaries.
What Is the Job Growth for Big Data?
Big data experts enjoy a positive job outlook. As more organizations adopt data science to make internal business decisions, the labor market will experience a significant increase in big data jobs. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts job growth of 28 percent for big data professionals between 2020 and 2030.
The Highest-Paying Types of Big Data Jobs in 2022
- Big Data Engineer | $130,674
- Machine Learning Engineer | $130,530
- Cloud Engineer – Big Data | $128,837
- Cyber Security Engineer | $120,708
- Data Scientist | $119,413
- Database Developer | $100,866
- Database Administrator | $98,860
- Business Systems Analyst | $95,072
- Business Intelligence Analyst | $85,274
- Business Analyst | $82,343
- Database Manager | $70,720
There are diverse positions for big data professionals in the industry and the analytics field. Top companies constantly need qualified big data experts with the technical acumen to analyze data and manage database systems. Here is a list of the highest-paying big data jobs in the market.
Big Data Engineer
Average Salary: $130,674
Big Data engineers work with data processing systems and databases to perform analysis that assists organizations in determining their efficiency and identifying the best business practices for upcoming changes and market trends. They collaborate with data architects and development teams to create data management systems, prototype databases, and algorithms.
Big data engineers possess a strong background in SQL-based technologies such as MySQL, PL/SQL, and low-latency NoSQL technology. They also have extensive knowledge of database architecture, enterprise data model, and application data stores.
Machine Learning Engineer
Average Salary: $130,530
Machine learning engineers are computer programmers who combine computer science fundamentals with data science to develop artificial intelligence systems capable of creating predictive models without human assistance. They design self-running software that analyzes massive data sets to develop algorithms and make business outcomes predictions in real-time.
Machine learning engineers must have strong analytics skills and a strong background in programming and scraping languages such as Java, Python, C++, and SQL. They must also be knowledgeable about advanced tools like Apache Spark, Spark Driver, Hadoop, Apache Kafka, and Lambda Architecture.
Cloud Engineer – Big Data
Average Salary: $124,345
A cloud data engineer manages a company’s cloud-based corporate applications and data. They are in charge of all technical activities such as monitoring, migrating, architecting, and managing cloud systems. The cloud data engineer also conducts research and introduces best practices for large-scale, cloud-based data warehousing.
The cloud engineer must possess a strong familiarity with primary cloud services such as Amazon web services, Azure data factory, Azure data lake analytics, and Google cloud to work at a top technology company.
Cyber Security Engineer
Average Salary: $120,708
Cyber security engineers are in charge of protecting database systems from external attacks and intrusions. They are responsible for aversion, mitigation, and information technology disaster planning. They reduce the corporate risk exposure by fixing vulnerabilities, installing computer firewalls, and establishing multi-layered defense protocols.
Data Scientist
Average Salary: $119,413
Data scientists are responsible for interactive data exploration, including collecting, cleaning, processing, and modeling data to identify patterns and trends and generate valuable insights for the business process. People in data processing jobs carry out data visualization tasks so that other team members can easily understand the data.
Database Developer
Average Salary: $100,866
A database developer designs, programs, and implements databases. They create database systems with a logical architecture that are specifically tailored to meet the company’s needs. They ensure that the database management system can handle large amounts of data.
They also design the external interface for company data, create user guidelines for using the database, develop database prototypes, and define the parameters of the database. They can work anywhere from financial institutions to the healthcare field with their advanced analytics knowledge.
Database Administrator
Average Salary: $98,860
Database administrators manage, update, and organize data using database software. They are responsible for database design, database maintenance, and database security. They are a crucial part of the information technology department in big companies because they ensure that all authorized personnel have easy access to data.
"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"
Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot
They perform a wide range of roles depending on their specialization. There are three common types of specializations in database administration, though they all require an analytics background. These include system database administrator, application database administrator, and performance database administrator.
Business Systems Analyst
Average Salary: $95,072
Business systems analysts use information technology systems and tools to help organizations improve their efficiency and growth. They assess an organization’s operating procedures, systems, and equipment to generate actionable business insights to improve operations. They collaborate with cross-functional teams and provide findings to business leaders.
They must have the right combination of soft skills, hard skills, collaborative skills, and creative skills to achieve their objectives and meet business goals. An analytics background paired with strong business acumen can help you find an exciting opportunity in this field.
Business Intelligence Analyst
Average Salary: $85,274
A business intelligence analyst gathers complex data sets, cleans the data, and employs analytical tools to identify areas for improvement and make recommendations for business growth.
They also create useful tools and enterprise data models for visualizing and tracking data. A BI analyst must possess expert knowledge of database tools, data visualization techniques, and data programming languages to thrive in the job role.
Business Analyst
Average Salary: $82,343
Business analysts help companies to improve their business operations and computer systems. They analyze data and research to generate insights and solutions to complex business problems. They observe how a company operates and develop better working processes to improve the effectiveness of business processes and meet their business objectives.
Business analysts are business savvy. They must possess excellent technical expertise, business management skills, and people skills to deliver data-driven solutions and bridge the gap between IT and the business team.
Database Manager
Average Salary: $70,720
Database managers develop, update, and maintain the components of database and data storage systems of an organization. They implement test systems to locate potential vulnerabilities in database systems. They also work with the data administration team to diagnose database issues, troubleshoot forms, and fix security issues in storage systems.
Database managers have strong project management and multitasking skills with advanced knowledge of different database software. There are many opportunities for these experts in the field of analytics.
Big Data Career Path
Are you interested in big data? Big data is a fast-growing field, and there is no better time to get into big data than now. There are different career paths you could take depending on the industry and business needs. We have compiled a list of generic steps to help you get a job in big data.
- Education. Some positions require candidates to have a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field. Some senior positions may require advanced degrees. Alternatively, you could attend a data science bootcamp. A bootcamp provides students with technical skills for a career in data science through a short but intensive data program.
- Build your Big Data skills. The technical nature of the big data field requires professionals to have advanced tech skills and hands-on experience. You need to build your skills and develop your portfolio to gain practical experience for big data job roles. You can also choose to specialize in any big data job field.
- Get a Big Data Internship. It may be difficult to land data science jobs without prior experience. You can improve your chances of landing an important career opportunity by applying for internship roles in data analysis.
- Gain Certifications. Certifications may not be compulsory to begin your big data career. However, they can give you a competitive edge in your search for a high-paying big data job or career opportunity. Some recognized certifications are Microsoft certified database administrator, Oracle database certifications, and IBM Certified database administrator.
- Job Search. When you are ready to break into the industry, you should prepare a job application that highlights your relevant experience and educational background. This usually consists of your resume and cover letter.
Should You Become a Big Data Professional?
You should become a big data professional if you have an interest in database systems and analytics. Big data is a fast-growing field with a promising future. There are numerous job openings for skilled big data professionals.
Types of Big Data Careers FAQ
There are numerous in-demand big data jobs of all shapes and sizes in the current economic landscape. Big data is a big field with a positive job outlook and numerous opportunities.
Some of the important big data skills are analytical skills, data mining skills, data visualization skills, and programming skills. You will also need to be familiar with big data tools, knowledge of structured query language (SQL), and cloud technologies. You need to possess a wide range of job skills to thrive in your big data job roles.
Data science has its highs and lows and can be a stressful job. Glassdoor reports that data science offers an excellent work-life balance of four out of five stars with good compensation and benefits.
Yes, data scientists can work from home. However, thisdepends on the job description and requirements. Data scientists can work remotely from the comfort of their homes.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
