Despite the notably low unemployment rate for tech professionals at the moment, this year’s class of computer science (CS) grads might find themselves struggling to land that first engineering or development job with a big tech company.
However, the good news is there are plenty of industries hiring for a wide variety of positions that are well-suited to budding professionals with CS degrees.
Sometimes it's the roles you haven't considered that make the most interesting career opportunities. For example, Dr. Joshua Gross, associate professor of Computer Science at CSU Monterey Bay, has seen graduates use the knowledge they gain from their academic studies to forge successful careers as business owners, financial analysts, doctors, lawyers and more.
To help you take the first step in your career, take a look at some of the interesting, in-demand jobs you can land with a CS degree.
Computational Biologist and Bioinformatic Analyst
You don’t need to know that much biology to break into the burgeoning field of computational biology and bioinformatics, noted Scott Brown, coach and founder of Advancing Scientists.
For example, computational biologists and bioinformaticists apply a variety of fundamental computer science skills such as programming, information systems, algorithm development, artificial intelligence and machine learning, database development and analytics to positions in drug discovery and development companies as well as biomedical and biotech research firms, hospitals and universities.
Because professionals with a CS or broader tech background often work in cross-functional teams at the cutting edge of innovation, don’t go by job titles when searching for open positions, Brown advised.
“These industries are making big leaps very quickly,” he added. Look at the job duties, the team structure and the skills you’ll be using to identify the types of roles you’re looking for.
Digital Forensics and eDiscovery Analyst
Digital forensics and eDiscovery are related fields that under fall under the umbrella of legal informatics. Pros in these specialties primarily ideal with the collection, preservation, and analysis of electronic data related to legal requests, investigations as well as criminal or civil cases.
As you might imagine, the overwhelming growth of data and cybercrime is fueling the need for eDiscovery solutions, services and qualified digital forensics professionals. For instance, the annual budget for eDiscovery costs in the U.S. recently exceeded $40 billion and experts project that the global digital forensics market will grow 12.9 percent between 2023 and 2028.
The career path is excellent, too, Gross pointed out. Once you get some experience under your belt, you can advance into project management, function management or perhaps even a cybersecurity job with the federal government.
Technical Documentation Specialist
If you think a career in technical documentation seems dull and boring, think again. Several trends are reshaping the way technical documentation is created, delivered and consumed, making this an expanding and increasingly creative area that has grown beyond traditional writing skills.
For instance, text documents are being replaced or supplemented by videos, images, slide decks and other media formats to enhance user engagement and product understanding. Other trends that will shape the scope of documentation going forward include AI, UX design, augmented reality and content personalization.
Supply Chain Specialist, Analyst and Data Engineer
The supply chain is in the midst of a technological revolution as companies try to mitigate the impact of rising energy costs, geopolitical instability and the need for sustainability.
In fact, the demand for supply chain and sustainability training courses surged 29 percent in the first quarter of 2024, according to data from Udemy Business customers, representing 16,000 companies from various industries.
In addition to the widespread demand for analysts focusing on predictive analytics, inventory management and process improvement, consulting firms are also adding staff to teams that support logistics, demand planning, cloud computing and more.
Social Researcher and Social Science Research Analyst
Although you’ll definitely need excellent communication skills to become a social researcher, you’ll spend most of your time collecting and interpreting data for publication. In fact, the role’s basic technical requirements include knowledge of statistical software packages like SAS, R programming language and data analytics, making it easy to qualify.
Best of all, the market improves as you gain experience. The demand for social scientists is projected to grow 17 percent from 2018 to 2028, adding about 20,800 new jobs. Salaries have also increased 13 percent over the last five years. If social science doesn’t excite you, there are any number of research and research analyst positions you can pursue with a computer science degree.
Customer Success Manager/Engineer or Technical Solutions Engineer
Pursuing a customer success job as a new graduate with a CS degree can boost your skillset immediately and your earning potential down the road. While the tasks, responsibilities and titles vary by company, most roles give you the opportunity to solve business problems with technology, interface with customers and cross-functional teams, participate in the design of systems, services, implementations and more. This knowledge can be valuable for pursuing a career in product management or strategy, sales engineering or other roles within the tech industry.
IT Operations
For now, your best bet may be to stick with the basics.
As Gross said, there will always be a need to keep IT systems up and running. It’s no wonder that system administrators, network administrators, security administrators and database administrators continue to be four of the most in-demand positions in tech.
Today, many system administrators also have responsibilities for network security, monitoring activity and administering network resources, so the position is becoming more diverse.
These roles don’t pay poorly, and they tend to be stable, Gross pointed out. Best of all, they offer numerous opportunities for career development and advancement. For instance, many professionals move from operations into engineering, architecture or high paying management jobs as an IT director or even CIO.
