At the end of each year, Hays compiles a list of the top 10 in-demand tech jobs among employers worldwide. From entry-level tech jobs to more high-paying ones, these are based on our own listings and conversations with organisations, and provide professionals at all levels with an insight into where to find your next opportunity.
As we’re halfway through 2025, it’s time to provide an update on where employers are looking to recruit in permanent roles. We’ve crunched the numbers from the last six months to forecast where we expect demand for tech professionals in the rest of the year.
There’s a mix of jobs that report into and communicate directly with other business stakeholders, and those whose focus is largely on the “techie” side of things. Data professionals continue to be highly sought after, while artificial intelligence (AI) still hasn’t sounded the death knell for people with programming skills, as some predicted.
If you’re looking for your next role in tech, search our available jobs here.
This role has fallen down the list since the start of the 2025, but there are still plenty of Java Developer jobs available. Given the number of programmes that run on Java, it’s no surprise to see that demand is still high. My advice to professionals looking for work in this space would be to keep up to date with AI and the ways it can – and can’t - support you.
Today’s organisations are reliant on secure – and scalable – networks that enable employees to work from anywhere. From maintaining servers to managing cloud platforms, Infrastructure Engineers keep IT systems running smoothly. It’s a role suited to those with skills in security and network architecture who can adapt to evolving business needs.
An organisation’s success in using AI will hinge on the quality of its data. It’s why this is the first of three such roles in this list, and why this one has climbed the rankings since the start of the year. Working largely with unstructured data, you’ll analyse and interpret this information using statistical methods and machine learning techniques – as such, strong mathematics skills and AI knowledge is useful. You’ll then use your findings to inform business decisions.
Learn more about the skills needed to be a data scientist from Hays’ Martin Pardey, plus his top CV tips.
Whereas software developers are mostly responsible for the programming, an engineer’s focus is on the design and development of the software. Proficiency in multiple languages and frameworks is essential. We’re also seeing more demand for candidates who’ll be able to integrate AI technologies without compromising performance.
Ongoing digital transformation doesn’t just lead to opportunities for people with deep technical knowledge - they require strategic thinkers who can drive innovation. This role is less reliant on technical skills as the tech jobs listed above. Instead, strong communication, adaptability and being well-organised are crucial. You’ll own the vision, prioritise features and align teams across the organisation to deliver products.
This is a role that fell out of our top tech jobs list at the end of 2024. However, Windows-based applications are still vital for organisations of all sizes, and we can expect demand to return in the rest of 2025. You’ll need to be proficient in .NET and C# among other coding languages. Knowledge of cloud integration is also becoming essential.
Success in data analysis will depend on your ability to aggregate the relevant data to provide key feedback on the numbers, using tools such as SQL and Tableau. The best candidates will also be confident in using AI to derive further insights. Unlike some roles on the list, it’s slightly more reliant on technical skills, such as programming in Python and R.
Interested in becoming a Data Analyst? Find out more about skills, salary and responsibilities in this blog by Nadine Wirkuttis, Head of Data and Channels at Hays Germany.
There’s another data role in the top three, which reenforces its importance in implementing AI effectively. Companies need to ensure that the data they’re collecting is easily accessible and actually useful before they use it to derive insights. That’s where Data Engineers come in. These people build and maintain the storage solutions, as well as “cleaning” the data so it’s ready for analysts and scientists to assess. Proficiency in SQL, as well as NoSQL, is vital.
The second of two analysis roles in the top five, Business Analysts are responsible for delivering solutions by liaising with a wide range of stakeholders, from decision makers to technical staff. In terms of skills, this involves building relationships across the business so you can determine what needs to be solved and how best to do this. That requires you to be a confident communicator with excellent interpersonal skills, as well as a natural problem solver.
Still at number one, Project Managers are vital for organisations of all sizes in overseeing and ensuring the delivery of transformation. Keeping all the parts moving requires excellent stakeholder management skills, while core soft skills include being well organised and comfortable communicating with people across the organisation. You’ll also need to be able to work within agile frameworks.
Learn about the role in more detail from Hays’ Amanda Whicher.
Interested in any of the roles above? Search our available tech jobs here.