Cyber security, big data among Singapore's hottest tech jobs for 2019: Robert Half

CYBER security analysts, technology risk managers, data scientists, project managers and software developers are the five hottest technology roles in Singapore this year, as per recruitment consultancy Robert Half.

As demand is on the rise for cybersecurity specialists across all industries, cybersecurity analysts can now expect salaries ranging from SGD90,000 for candidates with less than average experience, to SGD150,000 for those with significant and highly relevant experience. These figures are from the latest Robert Half Salary Guide, and they represent gross yearly salaries minus bonuses, incentives and other forms of remuneration.

Similarly, professionals in the fields of technology risk and regulatory technology are also in demand as the need for protection from cyber attacks and ensuring compliance with regulations in the financial services industry rises. For technology risk managers, their yearly starting pay ranges from SGD84,000 to SGD240,000.

Meanwhile, data scientists are commanding an annual starting salary of SGD90,000 to SGD200,000. On the other hand, project managers for IT projects are commanding salaries of SGD120,000 to SGD250,000 per year, while software developers’ starting pay ranges from SGD90,000 to SGD180,000.

Matthieu Imbert-Bouchard, Managing Director of Robert Half Singapore, said: “The growing disconnect between the jobs required and the skills available means IT employers need to focus on becoming more responsive to economic and digital transformation – which can be achieved through hiring staff with the right skillsets.”

The salary rise indicates that companies are facing increasing pressure to attract IT professionals from a limited pool of candidates within the fields of artificial intelligence and digital and data strategy. The rising demand of cybersecurity professionals is significant given the rising incidents of breaches. According to a survey by Chubb, three in five Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore have had cybersecurity breaches that resulted in business disruptions and data leaks over the past 12 months.