Interest in Blockchain jobs more than doubled in December as Bitcoin’s rocketing value dominated headlines. Contributor Bill Richards, UK Managing Director – Indeed.

The average salary for roles requiring “Blockchain” expertise ranges from £30,117 per year for a Research Analyst to £67,209 per year for a Software Architect. The dramatic rise in the value of Bitcoin has inspired a wave of people to look for work in the Blockchain industry, according to figures released by the world’s largest job site, Indeed.

Blockchain is the technology which underpins cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, which many argue could soon be used to handle healthcare records, digital banking and essentially anything that needs an advanced, secure database.

A year ago Blockchain was little known outside tech circles and Blockchain companies struggled to find recruits. Indeed’s data reveals that at the start of 2017 there was an acute ‘talent mismatch’, with Blockchain vacancies outnumbering candidates by four to one.

However by the end of the year the number of jobseekers searching for Blockchain roles had increased 10-fold. During the same period, the number of available jobs tripled, meaning that by December the talent gap was much smaller.

The surge in interest coincided with the steady rise in the value of Bitcoin, which appreciated by 2100 percent in 2017. The greatest spike came in December, when Bitcoin made headlines around the world as its value soared past £13,000. In December the number of jobseekers looking for Bitcoin roles was more than double that seen in November.

The potential of Blockchain was highlighted at last week’s World Economic Forum in Davos, where political and business leaders discussed its future importance to both developed and developing economies.

That potential is borne out by Indeed’s data, which shows that a growing number of employers want to explore Blockchain’s capability. For now, the industry’s relative youth means most vacancies are for people with tech skills.

Table: Top 10 Blockchain roles

• Developer
• Recruiter
• Software Engineer
• Director IT Digital Strategy & Innovation
• Java Developer
• C# Developer
• Senior QA Engineer
• Solution & Proposition Architect
• Senior Developer
• Project Manager

Bill Richards, UK Managing Director at global job site Indeed, commented: “Bitcoin was designed to be a secure and anonymous way of paying for things and for some its rocketing value is a sideshow. Nevertheless its stellar rise has turned Blockchain – the technology that powers it – into a tech pin-up for ambitious jobseekers.

“Blockchain developers argue Bitcoin is just the start and that the technology has huge untapped potential. Hundreds of companies are now investing in staff and skills in an effort to develop new applications for Blockchain.

‘‘While the number of opportunities and searches remains modest, Indeed’s data shows companies are increasingly seeking experts to focus on this new technology – and jobseekers have been quick to react.

‘‘It is worth noting that these are specialised roles and they can be hard to fill. However, Blockchain is a field that is certainly worth watching as both jobseekers and employers seize the opportunity to capitalise on its potential.’’