In-demand tech roles in Australia: Data & Machine Learning
Data scientists and machine learning engineers are in high demand in Australia, driven by industries seeking data-driven insights and AI advancements. Continue reading for key skills, job locations, and salary ranges of these roles.
4-5 min read
Article
Article by Horizontal Team
Sep 5, 2024
The Australian job market in 2024 is a dynamic landscape, reflecting global economic trends, technological advancements and shifting workforce expectations.
Organisations around the world are increasingly reliant on data-driven insights to shape strategy, optimise performance and gain a competitive advantage. As a result, there is an ongoing demand for experts to store, manage, analyse and interpret data.
In Australia, this demand is particularly strong, with a growing focus on leveraging cutting-edge technologies to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market. Data scientists and Machine Learning engineers are at the forefront of this demand. If you’re an Australian job seeker or hiring manager looking to help shape the future of data-driven industries, here is a breakdown of both roles, including skills needed and potential salaries in Australia:
Skills needed:
• Statistical analysis
• Programming (Python, R)
• Machine Learning
• Data management
• Data visualisation
• SQL
Where’s the talent?
Data Scientists are employed across a diverse range of organisations, from large enterprises to tech start-ups. Whilst the largest employer of data scientists are from the tech industry, there are large pockets of talent in banking, higher education, government, mining and retail. According to LinkedIn data, 1/3 of data scientists are based in Sydney, 1/3 in Melbourne and the rest are spread across the country.
Salary guide
Data scientists typically earn between $120,000 and $170,000 with an average salary being $135,000+ superannuation.
Skills needed:
• Machine Learning algorithms
• Programming (Python, Java)
• Data engineering
• Deep learning frameworks (e.g. TensorFlow, PyTorch)
• Model deployment and scaling
• Data analysis
Where’s the talent?
The largest populations of ML engineers are in Sydney (37%), Melbourne (34%), Brisbane (8%) and Adelaide (6%). Whilst the largest hirer of talent is the tech sector, there is a distribution of talent between a range of industries, including higher education, retail, banking, research, defence and entertainment.
Salary guide
Machine Learning engineers typically earn between $125,000 and $180,000 with an average salary being $145,000 + superannuation.
The Australian job market is full of opportunities but also comes with challenges that require adaptability and a forward-thinking approach. As industries evolve and new sectors emerge, job seekers need to be proactive in upgrading their skills and exploring new career paths.
Data scientist and Machine Learning engineer roles are hot on the Australian job market right now, so if you’re a tech professional, it’s important you’re setting yourself up for success. Horizontal is here to help. Chat with a Horizontal Australian recruiter to start your tech job search today.
Organisations around the world are increasingly reliant on data-driven insights to shape strategy, optimise performance and gain a competitive advantage. As a result, there is an ongoing demand for experts to store, manage, analyse and interpret data.
In Australia, this demand is particularly strong, with a growing focus on leveraging cutting-edge technologies to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market. Data scientists and Machine Learning engineers are at the forefront of this demand. If you’re an Australian job seeker or hiring manager looking to help shape the future of data-driven industries, here is a breakdown of both roles, including skills needed and potential salaries in Australia:
Data scientist
It’s been a decade since the Harvard Business Review declared that the data scientist was the ‘Sexiest Job of the 21st Century’, and data scientists are still in high demand. Data scientists analyse complex data sets to generate valuable insights that can inform decision-making. They often have an academic background in mathematics, statistics or computer science and have a broad range of technical and analytical skills, often combined with domain-specific knowledge.Skills needed:
• Statistical analysis
• Programming (Python, R)
• Machine Learning
• Data management
• Data visualisation
• SQL
Where’s the talent?
Data Scientists are employed across a diverse range of organisations, from large enterprises to tech start-ups. Whilst the largest employer of data scientists are from the tech industry, there are large pockets of talent in banking, higher education, government, mining and retail. According to LinkedIn data, 1/3 of data scientists are based in Sydney, 1/3 in Melbourne and the rest are spread across the country.
Salary guide
Data scientists typically earn between $120,000 and $170,000 with an average salary being $135,000+ superannuation.
Machine Learning (ML) engineer
Machine Learning engineers design, build and deploy Machine Learning models and systems. As organisations look to harness developing AI and ML technology, the role of the Machine Learning engineer has gone from being a ‘job of the future’ to a well-established and highly sought after position.Skills needed:
• Machine Learning algorithms
• Programming (Python, Java)
• Data engineering
• Deep learning frameworks (e.g. TensorFlow, PyTorch)
• Model deployment and scaling
• Data analysis
Where’s the talent?
The largest populations of ML engineers are in Sydney (37%), Melbourne (34%), Brisbane (8%) and Adelaide (6%). Whilst the largest hirer of talent is the tech sector, there is a distribution of talent between a range of industries, including higher education, retail, banking, research, defence and entertainment.
Salary guide
Machine Learning engineers typically earn between $125,000 and $180,000 with an average salary being $145,000 + superannuation.
The Australian job market is full of opportunities but also comes with challenges that require adaptability and a forward-thinking approach. As industries evolve and new sectors emerge, job seekers need to be proactive in upgrading their skills and exploring new career paths.
Data scientist and Machine Learning engineer roles are hot on the Australian job market right now, so if you’re a tech professional, it’s important you’re setting yourself up for success. Horizontal is here to help. Chat with a Horizontal Australian recruiter to start your tech job search today.