According to a report published by Truist Bank last year, the Dallas region boasted the highest year-over-year job growth rate for major U.S. metros. As of October 2023, employment levels in the Dallas region exceeded 4.4 million. The region is poised to continue adding new jobs, as the Dallas Fort-Worth area surpassed all major metro areas in the past decade in terms of estimated population growth. Furthermore, the report highlighted Dallas's economic resilience, registering an unemployment rate of 3.4% in April 2023, recovering from a high of 11.9% three years prior amid the pandemic.
The Dallas Forth-Worth region is also home to 24 Fortune 500 companies – the 4th largest concentration for major metros – thanks in part to the favorable state tax laws. Attracting and retaining the headquarters of major domestic companies in the region continues to be a huge benefit for the growth of high-paying jobs, as detailed in the report. As the Dallas Forth-Worth region continues to grow as a hub for talent, these four jobs will be in high demand for the foreseeable future.
1. Cloud Engineers
Job Outlook
The demand for Cloud Engineers has surged in recent years due to the widespread adoption of cloud solutions. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), cloud computing employment opportunities will grow by 15 percent in ten years between 2021 and 2031. However, the supply of skilled Cloud Engineers remains limited, creating a talent gap as organizations compete to secure professionals with cloud expertise.
Responsibilities
Cloud Engineers are the architects of the digital sky - designing and building cloud environments with a focus on automation. They are asked to meticulously structure and streamline large amounts of data, enabling user-friendly navigation of cloud environments for non-technical users. As you would expect, cloud engineers are expected to learn new technologies quickly to complete complex projects.
Industries Hiring
DFW, a rising star in the tech scene, will undoubtedly look to hire Cloud Engineers to drive growth. DFW is also home to major government entities, as Cloud Engineers will play a vital role in this sector, securing sensitive data and implementing disaster recovery measures. DFW also has a strong financial presence – with banks, investment firms, and insurance companies headquartered in the region. Cloud Engineers will be helpful in engineering fraud detection systems and monitoring the flow of money.
2. Full Stack .Net Developer
Job Outlook
Full Stack .NET Developers can anticipate favorable job prospects as businesses increase their expertise in building end-to-end solutions using the .NET framework. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 30.3% employment growth for web developers between 2021 and 2031.
Responsibilities
Full Stack .NET Developer are tech gurus, creating both the visible and invisible parts of websites and applications, ensuring they not only look sleek on the surface but run seamlessly underneath. From creating user-friendly interfaces to architecting robust server structures, they're the people who bring digital ideas to life. In this role, they are often asked to work closely with business users and stakeholders to identify bugs and provide solutions.
Industries Hiring
Full Stack .Net Developers are valuable assets across many industries. However, the thriving tech scene in DFW means the role will be targeted in the industry to create innovative software solutions. Elsewhere, Full Stack .Net Developers will be a hot commodity for the region's healthcare institutions, helping create electronic health records (EHR) systems to store patient information and medical records. Other industries to watch for are the financial service and insurance industries as they continue to modernize their customer-facing applications and service offerings.
3. Software Development Engineer & Test (SDET)
Job Outlook
The job outlook for Software Development Engineers in Test (SDETs) is promising, with increasing demand for their expertise in ensuring software quality through automated testing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the overall employment of software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers is projected to grow 25 percent from 2022 to 2032.
Responsibilities
An SDET is like a coding detective, finding clues to help identify bugs in the code to ensure the software works flawlessly. They're the unsung heroes who ensure your favorite apps and programs run smoothly, turning coding challenges into triumphs with their innovative testing strategies. In this role, they are also expected to work collaboratively with scrum masters and product owners to identify test cases to automate.
Industries Hiring
DFW hosts numerous telecommunications companies, and SDETs will be crucial in optimizing network performance by designing automated tests. DFW also boasts a significant presence of financial firms, where SDETs can play a vital role in developing automated tests for high-frequency trading platforms. Another sector where SDETs can prove helpful in DFW is healthcare - helping optimize the performance of medical software.
4. Network Engineers
Job Outlook
The job outlook for network engineers remains encouraging, with increasing demand for their expertise in designing, implementing, and securing robust digital infrastructures. According to forecasts from Zippia, the growth rate for network engineer jobs is anticipated to reach 5% from 2018 to 2028.
Responsibilities
Network Engineers architect and manage intricate network solutions spanning diverse vendor stacks, ensuring the delivery of reliable systems to end-users. Moreover, like a conductor guiding a musical ensemble, network engineers supervise varied environments to guarantee the seamless integration of networking assets. Lastly, network engineers implement and maintain network security measures – such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, access controls, and encryption – to create harmony in network performance.
Industries Hiring
Texas is the number one state for energy production. DFW is home to several energy companies, underscoring the pivotal role of Network Engineers in creating digital infrastructure for dependable energy distribution. Elsewhere, the demand for Network Engineers is expected to soar in transportation and logistics, where they will play a key role in optimizing communication networks for highly efficient supply chains. In the DFW area, another industry to watch is telecommunications, where Network Engineers will configure advanced communication networks for the region.
Final Takeaways To Land a job in DFW
The Dallas Fort-Worth area is primed for sustained job growth. If you're looking to land a job in the DFW region, contact our network of local recruiters here to start the conversation.
