Looking for Your Next Career Move? Consider Open Source!

What does the future hold for eager, talented software developers? Apparently, the notion of free software has not killed off job opportunities in the software space Free/open source software (FOSS) offers a tremendous amount of opportunity.

What’s So Great About a Career in Open Source?

• Some of the best minds in tech are in FOSS, and they’re not concealed by corporate walls and non-disclosure agreements. They, and their work, are out in the open. You can study their code and read their writings, and sometimes develop friendships—or at least professional relationships.

• In developing FOSS, if you’re good, it gets noticed.

• FOSS is everywhere! It powers:

•  large distributed science and research projects such as OpenTox and the Avoiding Mass Extinctions Engine (AMEE).
• the Internet and the World Wide Web.
• Google, Amazon, IBM’s Jeopardy champion Watson, and nearly all of the world’s top 500 supercomputers.
• The cloud
• Firefox and Chromium
• cars, televisions, cameras, set-top entertainment boxes, agricultural machinery, high-end movie animation, industrial production lines, surveillance systems and more.

What do employers think about FOSS?

According to Daniel Frye, VP of Open Systems and Solutions Development at IBM, one of the major advantages of FOSS is the speed of improvements. Companies appreciate not having to wait on a vendor (while paying large amounts), and having the code in their own hands where they can do what they need to it.

How can I get started in a FOSS career?

You probably want to know some specifics. What are the skills that matter? What kinds of jobs are available, and at what companies? What salaries and benefits can I expect?

• Adaptability is your #1 essential skill. High tech is always changing, so you’d better enjoy continually learning new skills and improving your existing skills.
• Coding is the #2 lifetime skill that will never be obsolete. But coding is not everything; it takes a wide range of skills to support any software project.
• If you can demonstrate your knowledge of open source development with examples of code you’ve written and submitted, you will impress potential employers.
• What languages should you know? It depends on your field of interest. You won’t know until you define what technologies you are interested in, and try some different languages to find out which ones fit.

What if I’m not into coding?

The FOSS field is full of opportunities for people who aren’t into coding. Our increasingly networked world places new demands on system and network administrators. Energy management, cloud technologies, databases, high-availability, provisioning, monitoring, and security require new and advanced skills.

What kind of salary can I expect?

Very generally speaking, expect incomes from $40,000 to $125,000 a year for technical positions, and more for management jobs.

Where are the jobs?

The Internet is loaded with forums, mailing lists, and social networking sites where you can dig up all kinds of useful intelligence. You can also identify the companies you want to work for and target them.

Want to know more about opportunities in Open Source? Contact the IT experts at Triumph today!