Fostering innovation, providing deep insights, and creating new services and opportunities, data professionals today are highly valued by businesses. Data scientists and data architects can create automated systems for gathering data in real time, refining it into actionable findings, and putting information to work in new ways that ultimately serve customers better and allow your business to grow. Here, we list the data-professional jobs that are most sought after in the Middle East today, how to hire for them, and what the roles typically pay.

The rapid growth of data processing and technology such as machine learning have created a sharp rise in the demand for data professionals in both the public and private sector. LinkedIn, for example, found that tech hires in the Middle East increased by 61% in 2020, and data scientist was the UAEs fastest-growing role in 2019 with a 46% increase in demand. The 2021 Coursera Global Skills Report identifies data visualisation as an area with the greatest growth potential for Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria, with a global market value projection of $5.17 billion by 2026.

Industries like financial services, healthcare, and entertainment are increasingly seeking data engineers with skills required like statistical modelling and data visualisation. However, finding staff equipped data skills can prove to be a challenge for business leaders. The Coursera report found that professionals in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Kuwait, and Qatar excelled in business skills but lagged behind in the field of data science.

Its never been about just finding any candidate that fits the bill, says Manpreet Kaur, senior consultant for data for Michael Page Middle East, which supports companies in finding high-quality data professionals. Weve come to understand the investment a business makes and the risk associated with a data hire, where the ROI or cost might be borne longer than other hires On the flip side, good investments speak for themselves we also appreciate the level of impact and the significant value that a data hire can offer a business.

Building the right data team requires a strategic approach and in some cases, a shift in business mindset. Data is the new kid on the recruitment block that every company in the Middle East is curious about. The rapidly-growing sector has created enough buzz for companies to desire shiny new data departments, but do they know what they want their newly-formed data capabilities to achieve? The important question for any business right now is how data can solve their real-time business problems. The answer to this will be unique to each business and so a one-size-fits-all approach doesnt work, Kaur says.

Preparation is also key, as some companies lack the necessary infrastructure to support a data team. Today, most businesses in the Middle East tend to build their data capability out of a fear of missing out for example, maybe a rival is investing heavily in their own data agenda or perhaps out of compulsion, either to keep pace with the wider adoption of data in the region or even led by the government. Any business that is looking to invest in or build their data capability should do so with serious forethought and planning. Do they have the right technology or infrastructure in place? asks Kaur. Have they looked at building their data governance frameworks, and has the quality of data been assessed? Do we want to hire a data scientist and expect them to define the data quality rules?

Intellectual honesty amongst data leaders is essential here. Running a true assessment of where the business is with their data-readiness currently creates a stronger and more accurate foundation of what they need to be doing next, whether its related technology or talent. Retaining talent becomes a big challenge in a market like the Middle East. Data professionals may not be willing to invest time and effort in a business that isnt ready for them. Good talent will be poached by companies with a healthier and more mature data culture. The honesty when designing the job description reveals much about the companys data attitude while setting the tone for the rest of the hiring process.

Here are the top five data roles in the Middle East today, with insights about their salaries from Glassdoor and Robert Walters.

300,000 420,000 AED (US$81,000-US$114,000)

Investing in data engineers helps build a more scalable infrastructure to support all data department needs, Kaur says. Focusing on creation and improvement, data engineers design and develop the foundational systems that allow data scientists and data analysts to do their job. They manage databases and pipelines, integrate new datasets when necessary, create APIs, and utilise new machine learning models that can interpret data. Many data engineers have a software programming background and can also write scripts as well monitor and improve existing systems. A background in data processes and database architecture is crucial, as well as programming skills and knowledge of SQL-based technology.

200,000-336,000 AED ($54,000-$91,000)

Organisations turn to data analysts to make informed decisions. This professional is responsible for interpreting vast amounts of data in order to discover trends, patterns, and insights about user behaviour. Daily responsibilities include mining and screening data, extracting insights, identifying areas for growth, and presenting organisational recommendations to management.

Unlike data scientists, a degree is not necessarily required, however candidates without a formal educational background in should have knowledge of their companys specific industry in order to create a paradigm to reference when interpreting data. A statistics background and knowledge of computational frameworks is an asset, and experience working with programming languages like Java, Python, and R is a must.

230,000-500,000 AED ($62,000-$136,000)

This role is similar to a data analyst, however data scientists are expected to be able to address business problems with a deeper level of intricacy throughout the data science cycle. They determine what the most important questions or issues are that data could potentially solve. Whereas analysts describe the past and current insights from data, data scientists make predictions and recommendations to stakeholders with key metrics in mind. They are also responsible for training machine learning models to create more powerful and predictive algorithms. With the means to extract meaning from data and the direct impact of solving real-time business problems, data scientists are likely to remain within the top 3 in-demand roles within the field of data, says Kaur. The question is, have organisations in the Middle East taken the right steps to really extract the right value from these professionals?

Data scientists often have a Masters degree or Ph.D. in fields like computer science, engineering, or statistics. They also have in-depth knowledge of programming and analytical tools, and proficiency in Python, the Hadoop platform, SQL, data visualisation, and machine learning/AI.

350,000-448,000 AED ($95,000-$121,000)

While not every IT team includes this role, this is a steadily growing area in the data field, as regulatory frameworks are in a state of flux and compliance is key. The candidates should have a strong knowledge of legal and governmental policy issues related to data privacy, be familiar with national and region-wide frameworks, and be able to identify new policy implications within the scope of their business. They also lead the design and implementation of data polices, conduct data mapping and compliance audits, advise the IT and data departments, and review records of data processing activities. Candidates should have knowledge of information security processes and five years of experience in data protection/date security roles. A background in IT, information security, or public policy is an advantage.

540,000-780,000 AED ($147,000-$212,000)

Any company that wants to design and implement a data strategy needs a team lead. The data architect, or data lead, is like a combination of two of the above roles rather than having a background in software engineering and building data frameworks like a data engineer or having a background in statistics and analysis like a data scientist, the architect is expected to understand all of these fields and their related skills. They design the entire vision for a companys data architecture and continuously refine and improve data management systems with new technical features, data models, and management systems. In this role, a degree in computer science or engineering is a must, but an advanced degree like an MBA or Masters degree in data science is advantageous.

The data leader is the strategic bridge between ambitious organisational goals, traditional technology, and modern science, Kaur says. Data leaders are crucial in order to direct a business towards truly implementing a data-driven culture; they are a dedicated leader that understands the impact of data and has the courage to build whats needed to get there.

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The top 5 data professional tech jobs in the Middle East - CIO

As a first-year Duke student working towards a career in medicine, Benjamin Asomani was curious about computer science and coding, but wary of diving into coursework without prior exposure to the field. At the suggestion of another student, he participated in the summer 2021 Code+ program, learning CSS and HTML skills as part of an applied group project, while confirming his interest in computer science. This semester, Asomani has begun coursework for a minor in computer science to complement his planned major in biology.

The hands-on learning was a good way to be introduced to coding. I liked the process of making and building something for a project and having instructors who could help us review our work and spot mistakes, said Asomani, who finished the program feeling confident about his abilities in CSS and HTML.

Dukes Center for Computational Thinking (CCT) launched in 2020 to support and coordinate campus-wide resources for faculty, students and staff. Its core priority is to ensure all Duke students can be exposed to computational approaches and learn to use data to create new knowledge.

For students like Asomani, the CCTs network of programs can provide an introduction to computing, and make computational majors more accessible by reducing real or perceived barriers to entry.

For undergraduate Harsha Srijay, the summer 2020 +DataScience Advanced Research Program linked his math and data science majors with his interest in bioinformatics for a project exploring the use of predictive models for diagnosing respiratory diseases. Im more interested in applied work than theoretical modeling, and this project let me focus on using the tools of data science to solve real-world problems, Srijay noted.

To support instruction, the CCT works with faculty and departments across Duke to integrate computing-related content into their courses, and provides learning modules to supplement faculty instruction.

Learning how to draw critical conclusions from data and to take computational approaches to solving complex problems across disciplines are important elements of a 21st century liberal arts education, said Provost Sally Kornbluth. The CCT is connecting existing resources at Duke and responding to gaps in our current offerings to ensure all students and faculty have the opportunity to bring these approaches to their studies and their research.

Kornbluth recently appointed Duke School of Medicine Professor Matthew Hirschey to lead the center, working in close partnership with computing colleagues across campus. A molecular physiologist who embraced data science several years ago to advance his own skills and his labs data analysis capabilities, Hirschey is committed to helping students and colleagues realize the benefits of computational approaches.

As someone who came to computation rather recently, my perspective is that this is something everyone should know, Hirschey said. His vision involves helping students who are already steeped in computing understand its intersections with ethics, policy and other fields. And for liberal arts students and scholars, Hirschey wants the CCT to help them become comfortable and capable with computation and computational tools to extract meaning from data, regardless of their field of study, he noted. Because the current generation of liberal arts students should understand how computational approaches can be used to find patterns in literature, or art, or dance.

In a mini-course on data science led by Hirschey, Ph.D. students Taylor Chavez and Jessica Portillo learned computational skills with immediate application to their research. I come from a wet lab background, and this has provided the foundation and basic components of what I need, and clarified that I do want to do more computational work in the future, said Portillo.

Chavez studies tissue engineering and used course assignments to work with data from her experiments. I have some coding background, but really not enough, she said. This was the first time Id actually taken a class that was meant to teach me how to analyze and visualize experimental data in the context of my science. I brought my own data, and I got to play with different ways to visualize the results in ways that made sense for how I wanted to present my data.

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Computational Thinking Is for Everyone - Duke Today

This position provides an exciting opportunity to join the vibrant School of Information Technology at a young and progressive Deakin University. Undertaking research, teaching and community/industry engagement in a broad area of computer science. We are seeking an individual who is actively involved in research, teaching and engaged with industry and community. You will be joining a team of passionate computer scientists, software engineers and, IT professionals leading cutting edge courses and world class research centres in computer science, Artificial Intelligence, cyber security, software engineering and Internet Of Things (IOT). Additionally, providing you with opportunities to work across the Faculty with engineers, scientists, environmentalists, architects, and construction professionals. Collaboration and involvement with community, professional organisations, and industry is also a key part of the opportunities this role provides.

Your key responsibilities will include:

To be successful, youll have:

Applications for this position close on 20 Feb 2022

This role requires the incumbent to apply for and maintain a Working With Children Check (refer to Deakins Recruitment Procedure for further details).

Please submit your updated resume, responses to KSC and a cover letter outlining your skills and experience for this role.

For further information regarding this role, please contact Professor John Yearwood, Head of School, at john.yearwood@deakin.edu.au

Are You Ready?

Deakin is a Victorian university with a global impact. We are an agile, dynamic and innovative university committed to making a positive impact through our excellence in education, research and innovation and the contributions we make to the wider community.

We understand that our reputation has been built on the dedication and expertise of our staff and we offer a dynamic and diverse working environment with opportunities to grow and develop careers. We believe that a progressive, thriving culture will ensure that people choose to come, and stay at Deakin and contribute to our ongoing success.

We value diversity and aim to build an inclusive environment that champions, embraces and respects differences. We support and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people of all cultures, sexual orientation, and genders

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Senior Lecturer, Computer Science job with DEAKIN UNIVERSITY | 278589 - Times Higher Education (THE)

Jacob Adams holds a bachelors degree in Mathematics and Computer Science, which incorporated similar concepts to those used in Data Science, but he did not know how to use his knowledge and skills to advance his career.

The Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) at Texas Tech University changed that. It helped him realise there is a promising future in, what the World Economic Forum calls, the new gold.

Source: Texas Tech University Rawls College Of Business

Data is utilised in every facet of the economy today, and people from all over the world and from every different background can succeed if they want to learn how to improve decision-making in business. The MSDS degree has helped me identify how everything I learned in my undergraduate is being used in the real world, Adams enthused.

Although this programme is offered by the Rawls College of Business, it provides the perfect mix of both technical and business coursework, much to Ritu Jagatpal Tomars delight. The MSDS alumna strongly feels that this balance is the best aspect.

Adams concurs, adding, this programme is not specifically created for technically inclined people. He believes that its strategic combination of courses has allowed him to get ahead of most people in this industry.

The MSDS programme provides flexible learning modes: online or on campus. Source: Texas Tech University

The MSDS programme is flexible; designed to fit a wide range of personal and professional needs. Students learn how to use advanced technologies and statistical methods to manipulate and interpret data into actionable organisational strategies in one accelerated year either online or on campus. A two-year, part-time option is available online only.

Nick Burns, a graduate of the programme, took the one-year option, and has no regrets.

Looking back, the time I put into it was well worth it. If you put in the time and effort, you will definitely reap the benefits, recalls Burns, who worked his way up in the Data Analytics industry after graduation. He is now the CEO of his own coaching business.

Indeed, the MSDS programme is not only flexible, but affordable.

Texas Tech Universitys campus is located in the affordable city of Lubbock, Texas. Source: Texas Tech University

TTUs Rawls College of Business is located in Lubbock, Texas where students can enjoy both big city conveniences and small-town friendliness. Lubbock is ranked 16th among Texass cheapest urban areas and scores an impressive 91.5% for their overall cost of living index (Council for Community and Economic Research 2017), a fact that greatly appealed to Tomar.

Since Im an international student, one of the things that persuaded me to pursue this course was that the cost of living in Lubbock is quite low. You can manage your expenses very well here, Tomar explained.

In addition to the attractive costs, there is another incentive that may be of particular interest to international students. This programme is STEM-designated, which means upon completion, international students may qualify to work in the US under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme for up to three years after receiving their degrees.

Furthermore, as one of the first and most well-established Data Science programmes in the country, it is little wonder the online MSDS programme performs well in rankings. It is ranked #6 nationally, and the US News and World Report 2021 gave this programme the #17 spot for Best Online Masters in Business Programmes (Excluding MBA).

As we strive to provide a high-quality education to our students, the rankings show that all the strategic initiatives we have taken over the last few years are making an impact, raved Dr. Mayukh Dass, Associate Dean of Graduate Programmes and Research.

TTU Rawls College of Business faculty members are skilled in research subjects such as computer-aided decision making and information requirements determination. Adams is especially grateful for this.

MSDS graduates are highly esteemed in the industry. Source: Texas Tech University

Our professors are former professionals in their area of expertise, and are always willing to help, Adams chimed in, adding that he and other fellow students can also make use of the renowned of Rawls Career Management Centres useful employment services.

All of this, affordability, sterling rankings, exceptional faculty and student-oriented support services, result in an average starting salary of US$90,000 and an outstanding job placement rate of 90% for graduates. If you are looking for an excellent US postgraduate programme in Data Science, apply here today.

Follow Texas Tech University Rawls College of Business on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Instagram and LinkedIn

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Master of Science in Data Science at Texas Tech University: The best of both worlds - Study International News

Researchers from The University of New Mexico School of Engineering are part of a multi-institutional consortium selected by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) to pioneer research into robotic inspection, maintenance and manufacturing of satellites and other structures while in orbit.

AFRL and AFOSR selected the Carnegie Mellon University-led proposal, "Breaking the 'Launch Once, Use Once' Paradigm," as part of the newly established Space University Research Initiative (SURI). Rafael Fierro, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is leading the project at UNM.

The main goal of the project involves developing a way to repair, maintain and upgrade the 6,500 satellites that are currently in orbit. It is estimated that about half of those are not functional, which renders them useless, and repairs and refueling are nearly impossible in orbit. This means that satellites are typically good for only one use.

This consortium aims to change that, however.

"This is an incredible opportunity to work together toward an ambitious goal," said principal investigator Howie Choset, a professor in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellons School of Computer Science. "No one knows how to refuel spacecraft such as satellites and telescopes. If we're successful, we will."

The work will require expertise in artificial intelligence, hard and soft robotics, additive manufacturing, astrodynamics, estimation theory, control, and space systems. Researchers intend to further develop existing technologies related to self-deployable construction tools,decentralized autonomy, attaching new components to existing structures while in orbit, and intelligent and interactive inspection.

Fierros research includes advanced robotic manipulation for space operations. He directs UNMs Agile Manufacturing (AgMan) Lab, a joint effort between the university and AFRL, which provides state-of-the-art robotics and automation equipment aimed at creating on-orbit advanced manufacturing. UNMs part of the project will be conducted at this facility, which is on UNMs South Campus.

Fierro said UNM will be tasked with leveraging the successful AFRL-university-industry cooperative research model currently implemented at AgMan.

For the last three years, UNMs AgMan has been working with AFRL enabling robotics, artificial intelligence, and additive manufacturing technology to make satellite assembly more efficient and cost effective, Fierro said. We are excited to be part of the first SURI program and develop novel solutions to enable on-orbit servicing and manufacturing of spacecraft via advanced robot systems and digital twins.

In addition to Fierro, a postdoctoral researcher and several graduate and undergraduate students will be workingon this project.

Additional consortium collaborators are Texas A&M and Northrop Grumman Corporation, which will develop systems for intelligent inspection, dexterous maintenance and agile manufacturing of satellites in space.The University of Buffalo will lead a team from Penn State, Georgia Tech, MIT and Purdue in a second SURI proposal focused on tracking and gathering information on objects in space. Each proposal is eligible for up to $1 million in funding per year for three to five years.

Photo:Arendering of the Northrop Grumman mission robotic vehicle using its robotic arm to service a satellite, an example of what the SURI project will strive to accomplish. (Photo credit: Northrop Grumman)

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UNM SOE developing technology to repair satellites and build structures in orbit - UNM Newsroom