4 Web3 Jobs: Cutting-edge roles when you learn Ethereum, Solidity, and more

Web3 is estimated to be a $67.4 billion industry by 2026. There’s already some proof to this: We’re seeing crypto companies raise multi-million dollar investment rounds. And of course, let’s not forget the Facebook rebrand-fuelled “Meta”  Web3 craze. All that growth translates into Web3 jobs—lots of them.

What’s remarkable is that most of this growth has been during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even while the job market reeled under the effects of lockdowns, crypto has been remarkably resilient due to the inherent remote nature of Web3 jobs. 

Oh, did we mention that these roles are directly shaping the next iteration of the internet?

Between the field’s growth, the exciting opportunity to build the future of tech, and the high compensation, now is a great time to consider transitioning to a Web3 job.

In this article, we will talk about Web3 job trends and cutting-edge roles available. Let’s first start with a brief refresher on what Web3 is.

What is Web3? 

Web3 aims to build a decentralized ecosystem of applications on technologies such as blockchain, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI)/virtual reality (VR). It aims to enable a privacy-focused, security-centric internet that is not controlled by any central authority.

If you want to read more about this exciting new technology, get the basics in our explainer on Web3.  

Web3 jobs trends: How easy is it to get a Crypto Job?

If you’re looking for a Web3 job, now is the time. According to a LinkedIn report, blockchain topped the list of the most in-demand skills, beating hot skills like AI and machine learning. U.S. job listings for crypto-related roles soared by 395% from 2020 to 2021. Additionally, compared to traditional tech roles, starting salaries are often significantly higher for an equivalent role in Web3.

You’d expect higher competition for jobs with higher salaries—but the crypto space is different. Here, companies are competing to secure the most qualified candidates for their projects. That puts job applicants in an excellent position to negotiate benefits and compensation.

Why is the job market so strong for people with Web3 skills?

There simply aren’t enough Web3 professionals to meet demand. These tech workers need to know what’s currently needed and demonstrate that they can keep up with the breakneck pace of Web3 developments. And as you can imagine, it’s tough to find people that fit this two-sided requirement. 

This has caused a demand gap and wage war for Web3 workers.

People with in-demand skills and the drive to work on the cutting edge of the internet are primed for enormous opportunity. So if you can pick up the skills needed for Web3 jobsyou put yourself in a position to grow your career, big time. 

Once you gain these skills, what kinds of roles would you be qualified for? What are the most in-demand crypto jobs and how much do they pay? We collected answers for you—so you can explore a career in Web3. 

Note: We sourced this information from Web3 jobs resources including Cryptojobslist, CryptoCurrencyJobs, Glassdoor, and Web3 Careers.

In-Demand Crypto & Web3 Jobs

In the U.S., the average job growth rate is 7.7%. That means that job growth for crypto-related roles is more than 51x greater than average. 

Read on to learn about the kinds of Web3 jobs that are fueling that growth. 

1. Core Blockchain Developer

As one of the foundational roles of Web3, a core blockchain developer is responsible for the underlying architectural policies, consensus mechanisms, and efficient data structures. They also ensure that the network is secure, operational, and development-friendly.

Skills required for Core Blockchain Developers: 

• strong understanding of blockchain architecture implementations
• cryptography
• data structures like Merkle Trees, Graphs, etc.

Typical earnings: $100,000 - $200,000 per year

2. Smart Contract Engineer / Solidity Engineer

Smart contracts are blockchain-specific innovations that act as self-executing code based on a trigger event. As a smart contract engineer, you’ll be responsible for building secure smart contract protocols, coordinating deployment, and integrating them with existing tools and services.

The technical skills needed vary somewhat from job to job, though most smart contract development is on Ethereum. 

Don’t be intimidated by the list of skills needed to work as a smart contract engineer or Solidity engineer. Build your experience in as many as you can. Keep in mind that staying agile and ready to learn new technologies is also a critical mindset for Web3 jobs.  

Skills required: 

• In-demand languages and applications including:

• Solidity
• Hardhat
• Mocha
• Chai
• Waffle
• Slither
• Tenderly

• Experience with blockchain development tools like EVM and GraphQL

Typical earnings: $120,000 per year

NFT Developer / Metaverse Developer

NFT developers are highly sought after as the Metaverse expands exponentially. This role typically overlaps with the responsibilities of a smart contract engineer. However, as the NFT ecosystem grows, specialized responsibilities such as managing an NFT platform backend, optimizing NFT-specific contracts, and gamification techniques have necessitated a separate role in many organizations.

Skills required: 

• Understanding of ERC-20 and ERC-721 standards for NFT tokens
• gas fee optimization techniques
• security and transfer mechanisms 

Since NFTs are typically integrated into the Metaverse, some job profiles might require a basic understanding of game development and Unity.

Typical earnings - $120,000 per year, usually between $80k-$200k. Often, this role is paid in equity, such as a percentage allocation of the NFTs offered.

4. Frontend Developer

As crypto can sometimes be complicated, frontend developers working in Web3 primarily focus on making the transition from Web2 to Web3 seamless. This role requires you to build, deploy, test, and maintain foundational and intuitive user experiences while ensuring compatibility with backend services.

Web3-focused frontend developers have a lot of crossover with the traditional tech industry in terms of skills. 

Skills required: 

• Bootstrap
• HTML/CSS
• Javascript
• React
• UI/UX experience

Typical earnings - $115,000 per year, usually in the range of $65,000 - $145,000.

Join the Web3 revolution by getting a Crypto Job

As the demand for Web3 professionals grows, even tech professionals are leaving jobs at tech giants like Google and Amazon to join the crypto revolution. The good news for you: Web3 is still in its nascent stages, and the field is hungry for ambitious, skilled professionals.

If you’ve already worked in tech, you have an advantage. Web3 development builds on the knowledge and experience gained via traditional development. That’s why our Web3 development course is specifically designed for professionals who have experience with scripting languages and environments.