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15 Roles in Silicon Valley That Will Generate High-Paying-Salary

Simi January 22, 2018

In just about every region of the world, the working industry is plagued by the same problems – lack of jobs, low pay, next to no advancement options and bad conditions. This has become a given if you’re an adult. In fact, this is so common that parents and relatives prepare you for the dreads of the corporate world from an early age. However, one industry is an anomaly in terms of this.

Of course, we’re talking about Silicon Valley, the high-tech and futuristic bastion of the entire world. There, unemployment is almost twice as low as in the state of California, not to mention the rest of the US. Every important tech company in the world has its headquarters there and we can observe many groundbreaking discoveries being made right under our noses.

This special place has become a dream destination for many people seeking advancement in their careers. An increased desire to work here leads to an increased competition for every workplace available. Also, companies don’t hire so easily and fast, mostly because the positions are so demanding that there simply isn’t a big enough hiring pool.

However, if you manage to get in, you will most likely be set for life if you work hard. In order to cover the significance of Silicon Valley for our world, we’ve compiled a list of the 15 most lucrative jobs there. Each one of these positions will transform your life in every way.

1. Senior VR technology developer

We’re going to start with one of the newer positions in the tech industry. Virtual reality has been humanity’s dream for some time. For the time being, we’re taking baby steps in developing sufficiently powerful technology that can handle the demanding graphic endeavors. Unlike normal graphic design and web developing, virtual reality apps and projects require a wide range of knowledge from all kinds of technical and artistic fields.

Because it takes so much knowledge, the Senior VR technology developer can earn more than $200k a year without a problem. Don’t be mistaken, however. The life of a VR developer is not a lavish one, nor is it easy to maintain your composure in such a competitive and demanding field. The position requires you to work long hours, have an open and creative mind, without any sort of bias whatsoever. It’s like a mix of multiple other positions, that’s why it’s so lucrative.

It takes a substantial amount of engineering knowledge to master the mechanics of things that you have to insert in a program or an app. Usually, the VR department of a company is divided into the hardware and software parts. Software developers use the technology created by the hardware department in order to maximize the potential to fuse reality with fiction.

The hardware department also leans on their software counterparts, due to the immense support a visual representation provides when creating a new device. If you’re a technician working on a VR project, don’t expect such a good work to pay ration. If you have a good master’s degree and sufficient experience, you can probably climb the corporate ranks and reach that $200k pay.

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2. Human resources department director

When we talk about all the Silicon Valley companies, we often think about the engineers and the brilliant developers right away. They’re the ones that bring you the software updates, your new smartphone and many other tech innovations which make the world a better place. Despite their significance and influence in the world, tech developers earn less than a person who is equally if not more important to the company than they are.

We’re talking about the human resources department directors. Now, we all have experience with people from the HR department, but choose to overlook them in the everyday chaos. However, they are the single most important cog and the thin thread upon which the future of every company holds. They are responsible for hiring new employees and evaluating their skill levels. In Silicon Valley, this is even more important and that’s the reason why they earn upwards of $200k.

If you think being the director of the HR department is just interviewing people for a new position, it’s much hard than that. Being in such a position requires substantial knowledge in the fields of psychology and philosophy. If you’re deciding who gets to be hired at a multi-billion-dollar company, you need to have excellent profiling and evaluation skills. This allows you to choose one candidate from more than a thousand.

Deciding what to do is not always easy and hiring an employee can make or break a company. If you love having lots of responsibility in your hands, then this job is the right one for you. Not many people really know how to judge character, but if you do – you can capitalize on that skill.

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3. Head of the legal department

The legal facet of the high-tech companies is always shrouded in secrecy. However, it’s been found out that Facebook’s head of the legal department earns over $400k. How is that possible? Well, normal companies and smaller ones don’t really have the money to have a constantly employed legal team. It takes a lot of effort, but it’s kind of pointless to have one if you don’t do that much business. A much easier option is to hire a team when something goes wrong.

Well, big companies like Apple and Facebook can’t afford to do that. They handpick the best legal teams in the country and hire them as their permanent lawyers. These corporations do a lot of service and export billions of items and devices each year. Mistakes are possible and if they happen, people are quick to sue. This is when the legal team comes in to help. They settle the problem outside the courtroom and save their company’s image.

Could you imagine what would happen if every lawsuit against every company became known? It would be a PR disaster and people would stop purchasing the services of that company. Moreover, it’s safe to say that the head of the legal department is the most demanding job in Silicon Valley. It is estimated that Apple faces around a thousand lawsuits of all kinds each month. It’s an immense burden to carry and a lot of work to do.

Only the best lawyers from the most prestigious firms have the ability to be the legal team of Apple, Microsoft or other similar companies. If you have no problem working under challenging conditions, you will love this job and the pay that comes with it.

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4. Product chief

Of course, it’s ludicrous to assume that every company in Silicon Valley has only one person who is tasked with the creation and subsequent promotion of every single product. Apple, Google and Amazon all have dedicated teams of hundreds of people, all tasked with maintaining the quality of one facet of the product. In some cases, there can be a whole team on the task of creating a new notification bar in the iOS 11, for example. It’s an intricate network of dedicated experts.

Despite the complicated system in which these companies work in, all the experts answer to one man – the product chief. The top product chiefs earn at least $2 million and with cash incentives and other bonuses depending on the success or different situations. With all these bonuses, the number can reach closer to $20 million. Despite the immense amount of money, these people are so successful, but how hard is their job really?

Extremely hard is the right answer. They approve or deny every single decision when it comes to the product that is about to be released. The software team can work on an idea for two years and if the product chief doesn’t like it – everything is in vain. It’s an extremely hard position to be in, as your decision literally impact the share prices and other different factors of a company’s success. Some say it’s not a comfortable position to be in.

Comfortable or not, one thing is clear. Every corporate giant has become successful because of the approval of a product chief. This position requires a broad range of knowledge in all sorts of fields. If you think you can handle the pressure, the road is open.

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5. Retail guru

The retail part of every company is the final piece which connects the seller to the buyer. Mastering the art of retail takes a substantial amount of skill. One thing is to make a genius product, a completely different one is to know how to sell it. In history, many different brilliant inventions have failed because they weren’t being sold at the right price or the right way. A good product with a bad retail guru will do much worse than a bad product with a good retail guru. Those are just industry facts.

In Silicon Valley, things are no different. Most of the big corporation place much significance in the retail sectors. The way you price something and the moment you release it influence the brand a whole lot. That’s why Apple and Amazon are so successful in launching their brands. Their retail gurus earn more than $1 million without cash incentives. And given the fact that these two companies are indeed worth multiple billions of dollars, it’s no wonder that these people are being paid so much.

Retail gurus and their teams work tirelessly to discuss the best launch options. It makes a big different if Apple decides to launch their new product in the first or in the 3rd quarter of the year. They have an extensive knowledge of demographics, economics and other fields of science. That knowledge is used to devise the best strategy which will further improve the company’s rating.

Out of all the jobs on this list, the retail guru is probably the most fun. There is not so much work in the traditional sense – it’s more comprised of brainstorming sessions.

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6. Marketing director

When faced with the promotion of an important project, you have a sensitive process on your hands. One wrong move and your product won’t reach the desired group. A single stock plummeting or a stat change can dramatically impact the future of the whole company. This is why it’s important to market the product in just the right way – something that is both unique and characteristic of the company which sells it. Therefore, you could say that marketing is the soul of the product.

How do you think Apple is so successful? They never employ intrusive marketing or pop-up ads. Along the years, they’ve found a formula for success and have stuck to the formula until it became a real-life piece of the company. This is thanks to the genius marketing directors which they have. Like Apple’s marketing, the directors work in silence in order to both keep their brand afloat and to expand it. And it brings the company more and more success each year.

If you like the spotlight, then this job is not for you. You will most likely work behind the scenes and spend countless nights awake how to help your brand reach new or lagging markets. However, if you can keep up with the stress, your pay will compensate for all the troubles you’re facing. The top marketing directors and executives in Silicon Valley are earning upwards of $500k, something that will set you up with a hefty retirement fund all in all.

Marketing is a great outlet for creativity and it brings the best in everyone. If you think your work can touch audiences of all ages and groups around the world, start ascending the industry’s ranks slowly but surely.

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7. Data scientist

Have you every though why Silicon Valley companies are so successful? Why do they increase their revenue every year and how exactly do they accomplish that epic feat? Well, for starters it’s because they know the demographic which is loyal to them. By knowing that, they identify a core group and target their features, marketing, and everything specifically towards them. This is an amazing strategy, but who in particular should we thank for this work?

The answer is – data scientists. These brave men and women are tasked with collecting data about their users. Not only that, after the collecting process, they have to sift through all that data and draw conclusions that may prove to be vital to the company. For example, if one of Microsoft’s laptops is not selling well, the data scientists will collect data about which stores are lagging in sales and will deliver the data to the executives. From there, they decide whether to remove the model from their offer or not.

Programming languages and data management are skills that are a must have if you wish to be a part of the team of data scientists. $200-250k is the base pay for this position. And, according to some predictions by experts, this numbers in only about to grow. More and more people are purchasing and browsing for products online, therefore more data scientists are in need.

It’s actually one of the less stressful jobs, which is a big positive for those that aren’t good at making decisions hastily. Collecting, categorizing and analyzing data is a good stable job that will surely enhance both your knowledge and quality of life altogether.

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8. Ruby on Rails engineer with experience

Some of you who are well-versed in technology and programming have heard about this term, but most people haven’t. Ruby on Rails is a famous variation of the programming language Ruby, a different form, if you will. It was specifically designed for easier writing of apps and games. It’s become an indispensable tool in the arsenal of every company which seeks the upper hand in web and app development. It’s an underrated, but paramount skill.

In Silicon Valley, everything revolves around the adaptation to the smartphone. Thus, Ruby on Rails engineers are sought-after more than ever. However, masters of this programming framework are not easily found. It’s fairly hard to learn the language and it isn’t one of the most popular ones. Most students opt for Java, C++ or HTML and CSS. Despite the lack of popularity, Ruby on Rails is still needed and you can use that need to your advantage. Companies are also willing to go an extra mile for this.

This extra mile includes pays upwards of $250k a year, without bonuses and added incentives. Despite the amazing pay, this rare breed of programmers is in even more luck. Companies often like to “bribe” them with apartments, unlimited vacation time, all you can eat buffets and even infinite Uber transportation credits. They’re truly living the life in Silicon Valley and you can get in on it too, if you have the perseverance to attain it.

You can learn the language, but you will approximately need a 5 year of work experience to be taken into consideration. Experience is the key in Silicon Valley, as they value workers who already know the ins and outs of the business.

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9. Senior iOS software engineer

Operating systems are some of the most stable and unstable creations of the present-day era. How can that be? Well, they’re designed to be stable and to serve smartphone and tablet users on a daily basis. However, constant use leads to the discovery of flaws, which need to be covered by frequent updates. These can come out on a weekly or monthly basis, with emergency tweaks coming out ahead of the regular schedules. It’s something that’s performed all over Silicon Valley.

The men who are employed by companies like Apple work tirelessly to keep their OS flawless. iOS is notorious for requiring a large team of software engineers that work around the clock to think of improvements and fixes for existing problems. It’s a hectic job that requires you to think with lightning speed. However, that doesn’t mean you don’t get the right compensation for your troubles. A pay of $200k+ is something that would motivate anyone to work and bring out the absolute best in him.

There’s even more to the benefits of working at Apple. They aren’t big on the whole “work experience” thing. You won’t have to sweat if you don’t have years of work experience. They place their priorities in the mental sector of the person’s performance. Anyone can rack up years of work experience, but not everyone has a brilliant mind. Therefore, there are rigorous tests included, in order to determine whether someone is worthy of becoming an iOS software engineer.

If you’re exceptional at your work, you can reach the position of a senior software engineer. If you love Apple products and know the ins and outs of the programming work, give it a chance. Silicon Valley is expecting you.

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10. VP of engineering

We’re heading into deeper territory right now, mostly revolving around the positions that take a lot of work and responsibility. Of course, every position on this list is demanding. Besides, Silicon Valley really is the center of the corporate world and the tech hub of the entire planet. But, these high-profile jobs are really designed to test the limits of human endurance. Such is the role of the VP of engineering, a position that combined two of the most important facets of the professional world.

If you take on that role, there are two main chapters that await you. It’s already a given that you know the ins and outs of all the programming languages and software tricks. You have to employ that knowledge both to help the company make advances, but also to mentor those less skilled. The second part is extremely tough and there aren’t many people who can accomplish it. Many brilliant experts simply don’t have the skills, talent or patience to mentor those around them. That’s why the role of the VP of engineering is so tough to fill.

Because it’s so tough to blend in technical savviness and people’s skills, the position can pay over $300k a year, something that you don’t encounter so often. A great amount of experience is needed to fill this position because you need to know to instruct your trainees how to act in a certain situation. In order to do that, you have to live through such situations numerous times.

It’s one of the most demanding jobs in existence, but it’s also the pinnacle of tech savviness and professional excellence. You’re going to need a lot of time to reach these heights, but the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll reach them.

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11. Network architect at Google

Network architects are some of the most silent, but most important people in the tech industry. Silicon Valley wouldn’t be what it is today without the constant work of tireless network architects. They have tackled the very basis of tech problems and have transformed the way we look at network systems. Aside from their past importance, people of the similar skillsets are always sought after and every major company is always in dire need of such skilled individuals.

Aside from the sky-high $250k+ pay, you will be loaded with responsibilities. For starters, your job is to maintain and develop network architecture for many enterprise environments. This means planning out new server placement, the remodeling of old ones and other difficult endeavors that often go unnoticed. Google places great value on their network architects, as they form the core of the interoperability between Google’s SDN and the corresponding vendors.

Other responsibilities include the maintenance of the lifecycle through thorough and frequent checks of the functioning architecture. Servers and server rooms are always one big mess and are therefore prone to different things going wrong in the process. Because of you, Google’s servers and every single service will run smoothly much to the joy of millions of customers. You won’t be in the spotlight much, as this requires a lot of “dirty work” in the server rooms.

It’s a job that requires lots of skills, most posts around Silicon Valley require at least a Master’s in Computer Science, but not much work experience. Like Apple, Google prefers sheer potential and intelligence, something they deem the crucial trait of every employee that steps through their door. If you have a knack for computers, hop aboard and apply.

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12. Chief industrial designer at Google

We’ve covered so many positions that concern the inner workings of smartphone, servers and similar devices. Despite the importance of the inside, not much has been said about the appearance, the sheer form of the many devices Google issues on a yearly basis. Functionality is important, but during this era, not many people prioritize it before elegance. Therefore, a sleek design on a device is the sales pitch of that device, appealing to the onlookers and passers-by. And you can be a part of this creation process.

Google is very strict when it comes to employing industrial designers. It’s also tough to rise through the ranks of the company, up to the chief designer title, but it’s doable if you have the talent, the pizzazz, and the brains. The job is difficult because as a head design specialist, you need to cater both to the requests of the company and the requests of the users. Your brainchild should be a device that is both suitable to the software within it, but also suitable to the wishes of the customers.

You will need to be exceptional at communication, as you are the bridge between multiple departments. Only you can make them all sync and work in harmony, as the final form of every smartphone, laptop or tablet fall upon you. The Pixel phones and the Chromium laptops are all orchestrated by the chief industrial designer. Even though it’s an exceptional amount of work, you get to be a part of something revolutionary, alongside a $200k+ pay.

The good news is that you don’t need to have much knowledge about software, as you only job is to be the mediator and the one that provides elegance to an excellent device. Sounds cool, doesn’t it?

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13. Sourcing/supply manager

Many big companies fall down quickly because they haven’t organized their resources well enough. Everybody dreams of growth but omits the crucial facet of growth – an increased number of resources needed. This can lead to complications, as needs stop matching with availability. In order to stop the creation of these problems, every Silicon Valley company has by their side a dedicated team of sourcing/supply manager, who work around the clock to have everything ready in case of need.

You will be tasked with overlooking the transactions concerning different items your company needs. Whether it’s air fresheners for the leisure room or new servers for the server room, you will oversee the people that oversee the people who get that stuff. It’s an important job that requires excellent people skills and organizational abilities. Everything can fall apart in a matter of seconds if you allow someone to misplace an order to screw up some numbers.

It’s the pinnacle of all organization in the world. If you’re the sourcing/supply manager for Google, you practically hold more responsibility in your hand that anyone else in the world. Some could argue that the President hold this title, but we’re afraid that the President of the US doesn’t have as wide an influence as Google does. Being in this position is the ultimate test of composure and organizational abilities. For such a significant position, the pay is well above the $200k limit.

If you’re easily confused and can’t handle long working hours, avoid this job. If you adore being responsible for everything and being in the heart of the action, don’t hesitate to seek an entry into the Silicon Valley industry.

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14. Director of the product testing department

Okay, let’s say you work at Apple. Tim Cook decides to kick off a new iPhone project. First, the industrial designers think of a concept of a design and seek approval. Next, we have software engineers spending months in their offices, trying to construct a series of innovations that will both be stable and amazing at the same time. When all this is done, the iPhone is ready for sale, right? Wrong. Something is halting its progress, something without which any project is a dead one. What could that possibly be?

The answer is – the product tester. Before every smartphone or tablet in Silicon Valley is ready for sale, it has to go through a grueling testing process. It will be tested for endurance in both software and hardware terms. There will be drop tests, water submersion, bullet firing and brick crushing. The software part of the testing includes running 10 demanding apps all at once to test if the OS can hold its ground.

In the midst of all those tests and trials, there will be one person responsible for everything – the director of all product testing. It is his job to oversee everything that’s going on and if the device is really ready for a trip to the retail world. Even though he has a really high pay, he must pay attention to a million phases and forms of testing.

It’s his world that gives a product the green light in terms of being ready for sale. You will be asked to have advanced organizational skills and an excellent command of large quantities of data all at once. If you like challenges, this is the ideal work for you.

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15. CEO

We’re at the pinnacle of all things Silicon Valley-related. The CEO is the man behind everything that goes within a company. He pulls the strings and orchestrates the entire company, from himself down to the delivery boy that is tasked with getting the devices to the customers. It’s the man or woman on whose shoulders the entire company rests. Of course, the dirty work belongs to the designers and engineers, but we often forget that every CEO has to take the same path as they did. The CEO just emerges as the best leader.

People like Tim Cook of Apple and Sundar Pichai of Google get astronomically high salaries. Cook got “only” $10 million this year, whereas Pichai cashed out with $200 million. Now, these numbers may seem astronomically and outrageously high, but if someone deserves it – it’s these guys. Cook is famous for resurrecting Apple after a hard period, being the hero that revolutionized the tech industry with his ideas, charisma and every other quality that a CEO should possess.

If you want to become a CEO of a company, you simply need to have everything. Starting from excellent organizations skills and charisma, all the way to being the absolute best in your line of work. You may not be the one who does the actual work during this period, but you’re responsible for everyone else’s work. It can be a bit overwhelming, but the trial and tribulations of the previous phases of your career prepared you for it.

Some CEOs are young, some are old, but everyone possesses that flare which we see in legendary scientists, leaders, and philanthropists. These are the men that spearhead every single change movement in the world.

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