When Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007, it kicked off a booming tech ecosystem known as the app economy. And the app economy, in turn, generated hundreds of thousands of new jobs spanning design and development, project management, customer service, IT support, security, and even marketing.
Similarly, we can expect to see VR create a whole new job market. While the age of VR has just started, some of the biggest tech companies are already hiring VR hardware engineers, content/platform developers, and VR experience designers. This is the beginning of what will be a surge of VR positions. Here’s a look at the scope of jobs we can expect to see opening up:
Designers. VR designers will be a major category for the VR economy, spanning various types of videographers, producers, directors, and cinematographers. Working in a 360-degree format, tomorrow’s artists will also redefine other traditional “film roles,” creating new professions such as a “VR Scout,” the person tasked with investigating locations for real-world VR experiences.
Developers. Just as mobile presented new challenges to app developers, VR introduces its own set of constraints for developers and engineers. Tomorrow’s VR developer will need to ensure that VR experiences are device-agnostic in order to maximize viewership, balance the resolution quality of a piece of content with the amount of data it consumes, and ensure that the design of an experience reflects the natural ways people explore a new environment.
Technical artists. One of the most valuable roles in the VR market will be that of technical artist – the person who bridges the worlds of design and product development in order to create cohesive, beautiful, and engaging VR experiences. The most important thing the technical artist brings to the table is the ability to understand spatial design, VR’s changing standards, and the code that goes into creating an experience. This matrix of skills is needed to communicate effectively between teams, connecting not only internal VR developers with one another, but with their clients’ project teams across a variety of industries. Read More…