IT Search Director David Shanahan talks about the most sought after roles in the tech industry in the coming years.
AI dominates the tech industry headlines and will continue to do so in 2025. As AI adoption continues to expand across industries such as financial services, healthcare, manufacturing and retail, candidates who can combine AI expertise with knowledge from a particular industry will be in particular in high demand next year.
In addition to AI, the most in-demand role in 2025 will be greatly driven by continued cloud adoption and increased cybersecurity requirements. So, what role is the most sought after role in 2025?
AI Engineer
Generated AI could add 148 billion euros to Ireland's GDP by 2038, so it's not surprising that AI engineers will continue to be in high demand.
AI engineers are responsible for creating architectures that enable AI models to work, requiring a hybrid skill set, including software development, data science, data engineering, and infrastructure management.
MLOPS Engineer
MLOPS is a set of practices that automate machine learning workflows and deployment. MLOPS engineers help maintain the infrastructure that supports the ML model and ensure efficient integration into the production environment.
They work closely with machine learning engineers and data scientists and require solid coding skills. Python is the most common language used for machine learning.
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)
SRE is the process of using software to automate IT infrastructure tasks. SRES effectively closes the gap between operations and development to deliver better applications faster.
Some responsibilities may overlap with DevOps, and both will have the same end goals, but SRES will focus more on the process by which these goals are achieved. SRE tends to be developers who have pivoted this function.
devsecops
DevSecops is one of the most in demand jobs at the moment. Again, it's a hybrid function that requires a combination of software development, IT operations and cybersecurity skills.
Strong coding knowledge is required to automate security processes, develop security tools, and address security issues in software development. DevSecops is tasked with addressing compliance early in the development cycle to comply with regulatory requirements such as GDPR, ISO 27001, and SOX.
Certifications such as certified DevSecops experts are valuable to those considering moving into this space.
Cybersecurity Engineer
Cybersecurity seems like a safe bet for those who can predict, especially in the areas of data privacy and cloud operations. The need for talent is imminent, and an estimated 1,000 new roles can be met each year to meet growing demand.
Security engineers are responsible for protecting data, networks and systems from cyber attacks. Certifications such as CISSP, CISA, CISM are highly sought, but entry-level credentials such as Comptia Security+ and CEH continue to retain value.
Cloud Architect
Cloud architects continue to have strong demand in 2025 as many companies still migrate to modern cloud infrastructure to improve operational flexibility and scalability.
Cloud Architects oversee cloud strategies, including cloud migration planning, cloud application design, and ongoing cloud management and monitoring.
The popularity of hybrid cloud adoption is growing as it combines the best parts of private and public clouds with on-premises solutions. This is perfect for sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government, where strict data management is required.
AI Product Manager
The growth of “product-first companies” within the AI space will continue to drive the demand for product managers with specific AI technical knowledge. AI Product Managers need to successfully balance business, technology and data in developing, launching and operating AI products.
AI Product Managers must be familiar with machine learning algorithms, deep learning frameworks, NLP tools and more. So it is often derived from more technical data or statistics backgrounds rather than traditional product managers.
Project Manager
Project managers will maintain demand throughout 2025, particularly through candidates with experience in DORA implementation. We also see more project management tasks being automated. So deeper technology skills for project managers become an important part of growth and development.
PMP, Prince2, and SAFE are still the most recognized project management qualifications, but candidates with additional technical qualifications for example cloud or cybersecurity are likely to have an advantage.
JavaScript Developer
The second half of 2024 showed a significant increase in the number of technology startups. We've seen many new startups that choose JavaScript backends, often Nodejs, and demand in this sector is gaining momentum.
I have a column with the idea that Nodejs can complement AWS, and using JavaScript on the client and server side can simplify code sharing between both, making it essentially easier for engineers.
Software Tester
Testing in production uses real-time feedback to verify functionality with real users to gain traction. Collaborative models like tests decompose silos and promote a common responsibility for quality.
All of these changes will help businesses innovate faster and deliver better products. Automata testers need to comfortably write reusable test scripts, so generally speaking, the stronger your coding skills, the better.
By David Shanahan
David Shanahan is the director of IT Search, an Ireland-based technology recruitment agency.
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