Blockchain Developers

Blockchain is a shared, distributed ledger database that maintains a continuously-growing list of records that cannot be changed without the agreement of all parties who have access to the database (i.e., no central authority or third-party mediator, such as a bank, is involved in verifying the transaction). Each digital transaction is called a block in the chain of records, hence the blockchain moniker. Each chain is encrypted, in part, with data from the previous block to create the encryption. Both private (permissioned) and public (permissionless) blockchain ledgers can be created. Because blockchain technology is encrypted and immutable (i.e., unchangeable without the agreement of all parties), it has become a key tool in the sale and transfer of cryptocurrencies (decentralized digital currencies that allow people to exchange money instantly without the use of a third-party such as a bank) such as Bitcoin, as well as in the secure transfer of business assets (both digital and tangible) between member organizations and individuals.

Companies, government agencies, and nonprofits are investigating many ways to use blockchain technology. For example, Computerworld reports that “IBM Watson Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are exploring the use of blockchain for secure patient data exchange, including sensitive electronic medical records, clinical trials and data culled from mobile devices and wearables.” The diamond giant DeBeers is using blockchain to track diamonds from the time they are mined all the way through the supply chain to the jewelry store to ensure that they have been mined and traded legally. Pharmaceutical manufacturers are using blockchain technology to track drugs and fight counterfeiting. IBM says that the use of blockchain-based ledgers allows businesses to “save time and costs, while reducing risks.”

Blockchain developers are software engineers or developers, or other information technology (IT) professionals, who use their knowledge of cryptography, programming, data structures, networking, and distributed systems to design and create blockchain technology for a variety of applications.

Salary Range

$50,000 to $100,000+

Minimum Education Level

Bachelor's Degree

Certification/License

None

Outlook

Much Faster than the Average

Personality Traits

Problem-Solving

Realistic

Technical

Career Ladder

Director of Information Technology or CEO

Blockchain Project Manager

Blockchain Developer