Top 10 Virtual Reality Jobs

by Anastasia Deripaska

As technology keeps evolving, different opportunities emerge. Smart people take this advantage to strategically position themselves, create more wealth and have better-earning capacities.Across the globe, unemployment is rising at a record level, but immersive technology is creating job opportunities that didn’t exist 10-20 years ago. These job opportunities are lucrative, challenging, and will be here for the long haul. Here are 10 virtual reality jobs you should consider if you want to enter the immersive technology industry.

Technical 3D Artist

Technical Artists bridge the gap between the creative, programming, and engineer teams in game development. They work closely with the Game Designer, Lead Artist, and Lead Programmer, advising on technical resources, maintaining tools and pipelines, and preparing digital files of finished artwork to run efficiently without visual degradation.
An average wage for a Technical Artist is between $45,000 and $106,000 per annum.
Some of the skills required include Career training in VFX, Solid understanding of art and animation pipelines, familiarity with game systems and the game development process, scripting skills, ability to identify the best tools and software to maximize game delivery, and knowledge of high-end coding languages, etc.

Virtual Reality Game Engineer

A VR game engineer creates interactive content such as games, apps, and videos. The primary duties of a VR engineer include designing, analyzing, debugging, and developing VR prototypes. They test prototypes of models in 3D before releasing the final product. VR engineers master skills such as 3D development, software design, and programming languages such as C++. To become a VR engineer, you need a coding background and an in-depth understanding of the different programming languages required to build interactive 3D worlds and experiences. You need the knowledge of geometry and linear algebra and some UX/UI Design knowledge, JavaScript, etc. VR game engineers earn between $150,000 to $220,000 annually.

UX/UI Designer

UX/UI designers create an optimal experience for users when interacting with a digital or physical product, such as a game, website, or virtual reality product. They conceptualize, iterate and execute ideas. They blend users’ desires with technical feasibility and business viability. Some of the skills required for a VR UX/UI designer include visual design, software development, digital marketing, UX research, wireframing and prototyping, interaction design, visual communication, and information architecture, HTML, JS, CSS. UX/UI designers earn an average salary of $85,277 annually.

Virtual Reality Unity Developer

VR Unity Developers work with Unity – a runtime and development environment for games (aka game engine).
Unity is primarily used for game development and is generally geared at gaming platforms such as PC, game consoles, web browsers, and mobile devices. The primary responsibility of the VR Unity Developer is to implement game functionality by translating design ideas, concepts, and requirements into a functional and engaging game.
The skills required for a career in Virtual Reality Unity Developer are an excellent knowledge of Unity, C# programming skills to write Scripts, familiarity with level design and planning, knowledge of game physics and particle systems, experience with game and console games development. The average a VR Unity Developer makes is between $85,000 and $130,000 per year.

Senior Software Engineer

A software engineer in virtual reality develops new software and builds features that make different VR tools work together.
Although they work at an independent level, they are required to work with and supervise a team of software engineers to develop information systems for a website or other software programs.
The most important responsibilities of a senior software engineer include: translating business requirements to technical specifics, developing software architecture and design based on the client or company requirements.
Use tools, applications, and other resources to create required codes and keep all information and codes confidential, etc.Senior Software Engineers are fluent with functional, imperative, and object-­oriented languages, possess knowledge of Java, Scala, or Clojure, or JavaScript, either strong OOP or Functional Programing and modeling skills, and experience working in an agile environment. The average salary of a software engineer is $115,676.

Business Intelligence Analyst

Business intelligence (BI) analysts convert data into insights that drive business value through data analytics, data visualization, and data modeling techniques and technologies.
BI analysts identify trends that help other departments, managers, and executives make business decisions and improve processes in the organization.
Some responsibilities of a business intelligence analyst include reviewing, overseeing, and validating data, developing policies and procedures for the collection and analysis of data, creating new data procurement and processing programs, monitoring analytics and metrics results, implementing new data analysis methodologies, etc.The skills required by a business intelligence analyst include knowledge of data warehouse, data modeling, data mining, business intelligence, Tableau, and data visualization, Hadoop, SQL, Python and C#, Data analysis, Microsoft Office, Excel, Critical-thinking and problem-solving.
The average annual salary of a business intelligence analyst is between $48,701 to $93,243.

Product Manager

The product manager brings together all parts of the business and market and orchestrates success through a deep understanding of both the business and the market.
They lead product teams through the ideation, development, and launch of new products for developers or consumers.
The responsibilities of Product Managers include: Creating a long-term vision while developing a roadmap to realize that vision.
Creating a real-time experience for the consumers on app and web platforms via VR and 3D visualization. Driving product development from ideation to launch, interacting with customers, sales and design teams to build VR capabilities, etc.,
The skills required for a product manager role experience in 3-d visualization VR, Virtual reality, and design tools include thinking strategically, understanding how product decisions are tied to key business drivers, etc.
An average product manager earns between $80,647 to $170,000.

Design/Graphics Engineer

Graphic Engineers help organizations integrate graphics and computer vision research. They collaborate with artists and designers to build and improve experiential prototypes, develop new visualizations and effects, and are responsible for their company’s 3d asset standards.
Companies hiring design/graphics engineers seek candidates who possess criteria such as experience developing 3D applications or games, familiarity with 3D game engines like Unity and Unreal, knowledge of C#, C++, and other languages like Java, etc. Graphics engineers earn between $92,313 and $212,850 on average annually.

Gameplay and Tools Engineer

Gameplay and Tools Engineer is code writers who integrate software to the requirements of a video game.
They empower developers with solutions that lower their software iteration time, help to improve developer tools, and boost their workflow efficiency.Responsibilities of the Gameplay Engineer include writing code to affect gameplay, correcting or refining software tools that may not be working effectively for the game. Dealing with UI (user interface) events, player notifications, calculating maths for upgrades, and writing evaluation code.Skills required for a Gameplay and Tools Engineer include experience writing in python, C, and Java languages, experiences with Vulkan, OpenGL, or DirectX, etc. Average Gameplay and Tools Engineers earn between $107,000 and $126,000.

VR Sound Effects Specialist

A VR Sound Effects Specialist creates original audio suitable for virtual reality apps and games.
Virtual reality is creating an environment by imitating a real-time environment, but it does not only depend on the visual component.
To achieve the feeling of a second reality, stimulating all human senses is crucial. VR Sound Effects Specialists connect all audio files to their visuals. They combine the audio content such as documentation, audio tools, and test dialogue delivery in the application itself. Average VR sound effect specialist has knowledge and proficiency in music processing, Unity, and Unreal Engine development.
The average VR Sound Effects Specialist earns $40,159 per annum.

Any of these job roles will give you the headway you need to enter the technology industry if you are willing to put in the work to learn the skills. 

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