An In-Depth Look Into Machine Learning

By David Geer

 What Is Machine Learning? 

While many people think of Machine Learning as some form of artificial intelligence, it is actually something much more precise. “Machine Learning is effectively the creation of intelligent algorithms that allow software code to learn, grow, and change on its own without a developer or programmer having to explicitly reprogram it,” says Ari Weil, Vice President of Product Marketing, Yottaa, an adaptive CDN provider.

Unlike Artificial Intelligence, which people tend to think of as still waiting somewhere far off in the future, Machine Learning is already at work in research and production environments today. Since that is the case, candidates should consider the high-tech jobs available for those who have the right blend of Machine Learning skills.

Machine Learning Skills & Job Opportunities

To get the jobs, you need the skills. The latest technical skills in Machine Learning include the ability to write / create algorithms, a mastery of R and related analytic scripting languages, and expertise in cloud automation, including opportunistic offshoots from that in the direction of technologies like SAP Hana or IBM Watson, says Weil, who earned his degree in Applied Mathematics.

And you need to be able to apply the skills to job duties. Candidates can apply their algorithmic skills to doing predictive modeling inside the enterprise for APM (Application Performance Management) and in the areas of security, operations, and infrastructure, according to Weil. Analytic programming skills support work in predictive analytics where companies model the supply chain, manage risk, or gauge customer sentiment. Cloud and HPC (High-Performance Computing) skills are important to genome modeling in health research. Candidates will find that they can also apply Machine Learning skills to fraud detection work where very large numbers of ecommerce transactions take place, especially for high-ticket items.

It helps to know where to look for machine learning jobs. Vertical industries that have the biggest appetite for technical candidates with Machine Learning skills include healthcare, civics and infrastructure, and international bodies, says Weil. A lot of funding goes into disease research, which requires data modeling skills. Skills in predictive analysis are key to using data to determine and plan for changes in populations and infrastructure needs. International bodies working in ecommerce, crisis interventions, disaster response and recovery, and humanitarian aid need people who are well-versed in those analytics talents, too.

Job titles for candidates to watch for when searching job listings include machine learning engineers, automation engineers, software engineers, and even data scientists.

The Demand for Machine Learning Experts Remains Unmet

According to Weil, the tech job market has a voracious hunger for machine learning skills for the same reasons it is still in need of people with Big Data skills: the potentially untapped opportunity for a safer planet, healthier people, and greater revenues. All this is ultimately possible by leveraging the knowledge that machine learning can help us to uncover.

But the supply of experts with the requisite skills is slight at best. Machine Learning requires people with intelligence, tenacity, imagination, and ingenuity, according to Weil. If this is you, find those listings and apply today.