Decoding Technical Roles: A Guide for Non-Technical Recruiters & Founders.

If there’s one industry that is ever evolving, it’s the tech industry. With the multitude of roles, terminologies, and tools, it can sometimes feel like you're trying to learn a whole new language. If you're a non-technical recruiter or founder looking to delve into the tech world, this article is your Rosetta Stone. The goal is to simplify some of the most common technical roles for you, shedding light on what they mean and what these professionals actually do.

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Why It's Crucial for You to Know

When it comes to recruiting top talent, regardless of the industry, knowledge is power. By understanding the nuances of technical roles, you can:

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• Bridge the Gap: Have more meaningful conversations with hiring managers and candidates.
• Pinpoint the Right Talent: Distinguish between candidates who are a great fit and those who are not.
• Enhance Credibility: By demonstrating an understanding of these roles, you gain respect in the eyes of technical professionals, and can be a swaying factor in whether they will work with your company or not.

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Common Technical Roles Decoded

1. Front-End Engineer: They're the artists of the coding world, translating beautiful designs into interactive web experiences using programming languages. They focus on design implementation, interactivity, and user experience.

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• Programming Languages: HTML, CSS, JavaScript
• Frameworks: React, Angular, Vue.js
• Other Info: Often collaborates with UX/UI designers. May have design skills or work closely with a design team.

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2. Back-End Engineer: Think of them as the backstage crew in a play. They work on the server-side of applications and ensure data gets stored, retrieved, and processed efficiently.

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• Programming Languages: Python, Java, Ruby, Go, Node.js
• Frameworks: Django, Spring, Ruby on Rails, Express.js
• Other Info: Ensures data integrity and security. Works closely with databases.

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3. Full-Stack Engineer: The jack-of-all-trades. They have the skills to work on both the visual front-end and the data-driven back-end.

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• Programming Languages: Combination of front-end and back-end languages.
• Frameworks: Can work with a variety, including both front-end and back-end frameworks.
• Other Info: Provides a bridge between UI and server-side operations.

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4. Site Reliability Engineer (SRE): The unsung heroes ensuring applications are available and humming smoothly. They automate infrastructure and operations.

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• Programming Languages: Python, Go, Ruby, Shell scripting
• Frameworks/Tools: Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform, Ansible
• Other Info: Often works closely with cloud platforms like AWS, GCP, or Azure.

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5. DevOps Engineer: They're focused on streamlining the software development process, creating a bridge between development and operations. Emphasizing a culture of collaboration.

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• Programming Languages: Python, Go, Ruby, Shell scripting
• Frameworks/Tools: Jenkins, Docker, Git, Ansible, Puppet
• Other Info: Their main goal is to create and maintain a fast and efficient deployment processes.

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6. Data Engineer: Think of them as the organizers of a digital library, setting up systems to collect, store, and understand vast amounts of information.

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• Programming Languages: Python, Java, Scala, SQL
• Frameworks/Tools: Hadoop, Spark, Kafka, Airflow
• Other Info: Works closely with data scientists and analysts to provide clean and accessible data.

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7. Data Scientist: The detectives of the tech world, they sift through data to uncover insights, make predictions, and drive decisions.

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• Programming Languages: Python, R, SQL
• Frameworks/Tools: TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn, Pandas
• Other Info: Often requires domain-specific knowledge to provide actionable insights.

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8. Machine Learning Engineer: Specializing in designing, building, and deploying intelligent models that can learn from data. They're like teachers for computers, training them to recognize patterns and make decisions based on data.

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• Programming Languages: Python, R
• Frameworks/Tools: TensorFlow, Keras, PyTorch, Scikit-learn
• Other Info: Focuses on the practical application and scaling of ML models, rather than pure research.

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9. Mobile Developer: Crafting experiences specifically for mobile devices, whether it's iOS or Android.

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• Programming Languages: Swift (for iOS), Kotlin/Java (for Android)
• Frameworks/Tools: Xcode (for iOS), Android Studio (for Android), React Native (cross-platform)
• Other Info: Should understand mobile user experience and design principles.

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10. Cloud Engineer: Focuses on designing, deploying, and managing applications and infrastructure within cloud environments. Imagine them as virtual architects, building and managing digital structures in online spaces.

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• Programming Languages: Varies based on the specific tasks, but they often use scripting languages.
• Frameworks/Tools: AWS services (like EC2, S3), Azure services, GCP services
• Other Info: Has deep knowledge of specific cloud platforms and their best practices.

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‍11. Solutions Architect: Designs the structure of a system or solution. Works with stakeholders to ensure tech solutions meet business needs.

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• Programming Languages: Varies based on the solution, but they often have a background in one or more major languages.
• Frameworks: N/A (more about overall system design rather than specific frameworks)
• Other Info: Needs good communication skills to interact with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

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12. QA (Quality Assurance) Engineer: Ensures the quality of software through testing. Identifies bugs and works with developers to fix them.

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• Programming Languages: Might use scripting languages for automated tests, like Python or JavaScript.
• Frameworks/Tools: Selenium, JUnit, TestNG, Cucumber
• Other Info: Can specialize in different types of testing like manual, automated, performance, etc.

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The tech world is an intricate one, with professionals often wearing multiple hats. While this article should provide a foundation, remember that roles can change and evolve. By grasping these basics, you're already a step ahead in the tech talent acquisition game, ready to source, converse with, and hire top talent

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If you’re currently looking to hire top tech talent, we can help! We're a platform powered by referrals and our proprietary data engine, helping you fill your most critical roles fast. Get in touch here.

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