How to be a Blockchain Engineer

Have you ever wondered what it takes to become a blockchain engineer?

Blockchain engineers are coding rockstars in the cryptocurrency industry.

Cryptocurrency startups are flocking to hire blockchain developers and tech companies like Google and Microsoft are scrambling to recruit these engineers.

While this technology is still young, it has already made millionaires out of early adopters and investors.

What skills do blockchain engineers need

Blockchain engineers are in high demand and short supply. These developers are tasked with making the technology behind Bitcoin (and Ethereum, and Litecoin, etc.) secure, stable, and scalable. To meet this challenge, blockchain engineers need to know a lot about cryptography, distributed systems, and economics.

But there's more: they also need to be able to design distributed systems; understand the underlying incentive mechanisms that govern these systems; and have a strong grasp of finance and economics.

These are big challenges for anyone—but what makes them even more difficult is that blockchain technology is still so new! This means that many people who want to get into the field don't have resources they can turn to for guidance.

If you're one of those people—or if you just want to make sure that your blockchain engineering team is on track—here are some things that you should keep in mind when it comes to the skills needed for this type of work.

How much do blockchain engineers get paid

Blockchain engineers are currently earning $150k to $175k on average, with some earning as much as $250k.

These numbers may seem high for someone who's just starting out, but it's important to remember that most companies are offering a base salary plus equity, which means that you'll continue to earn money even after you leave.

Some of the more innovative companies also offer bonuses based on specific project milestones that can add another 5% to your annual salary.

Blockchain engineers with experience can expect to earn around $200k to $300k per year, while senior engineers command an average salary of $500-$750k annually. And if you work at a bank or other financial institution, compensation may be even higher: one blockchain engineer at Goldman Sachs makes an average of $400k per year.

What programming languages do Blockchains Engineers use

Blockchain engineers work in a variety of different languages, depending on the nature of their project. Some of the most popular programming languages used by blockchain engineers are C++ and Go, but there are also some less commonly used ones like Erlang, Haskell, and Rust.

Each language comes with its own set of pros and cons—some are more beginner friendly than others, while some have certain features that make them better for specific applications. If you're interested in working as a blockchain engineer, it's a good idea to learn as many different programming languages as possible.

Every blockchain engineer's background is unique—a lot of them might major in computer science or mathematics in college and go straight into working at a company, while others might start out with no relevant experience but end up becoming blockchain engineers because their previous work experience matches up well with what companies need.

Learning multiple programming languages will help you understand the best ways to approach solving problems through code, which is essential when working on a cutting-edge technology like blockchain.

Conclusion

The blockchain is a novel technology that enables a new way of exchanging value with other people over the Internet. This article is a long read, but worth it if you are interested in finding out how Bitcoin works or want to become a blockchain engineer. If this topic interests you, have a look at our programming for block chain tutorial series.