The number of computer science jobs available with the government continues to grow as the public sector begins to wholeheartedly embrace the benefits of technology when it comes to governing, managing, and providing more transparent legislating to the voting public. Once perceived as too slow and inefficient to embrace technology, the sector is now hiring computer scientists at a breakneck pace in order to play catch-up and meet consumers online, on their tablets, and on their smartphones. The government is also working to enhance its own information security and anticipate new electronic threats before they affect key parts of state and federal agencies or programs. As a result, the hottest computer science jobs are quite diverse in nature.
Software Developers and Computer Programmers
One thing that might become apparent after working with a government agency is that these agencies almost always use their own, custom software suites when managing data or interacting with the public. The reason for this is actually pretty basic: Custom software allows for more enhanced security and a tighter policies on information release, which is absolutely essential in an era of government hacking, online espionage, and other threats that could compromise top-secret information as well as personal data. Computer scientists, with extensive knowledge of software and programming, are often hired to help the government create, maintain, or port these applications on a variety of platforms. Their services make it easier for entire agencies to perform their work online and electronically.
Ethical Hackers
The government has had a policy of hiring ethical hackers for at least the last 20 years, and it adopted this policy as a way to help work out its own security weaknesses. Though the government has hired convicted hackers in the past in order to commute their time in federal prisons, most agencies also hire computer scientists who spend their time trying to break into servers, hack encryption, steal key files, and otherwise embarrass legislators and other authorities. If they succeed, computer scientists will fix the problem and move on. If they don’t, they’ll prepare a full report on the successful security procedure being used to guard an agency’s sensitive information.
Advisors and Analysts
Technology moves quickly, and it can quickly leave behind slower government agencies with limited funding. Many agencies hire a team of technology advisors, primarily composed of computer scientists and IT professionals, to monitor the industry and advise them on new threats, new technologies, and emerging opportunities to make government a bit more open and efficient. These advisory roles can be found in almost every state and federal agency, as well as within the federal executive branch and in several Congressional offices. The result of this advising as led to members of Congress having their own websites, their own Twitter accounts, open legislation available to the public for online viewing, and many other improvements.
Related Resource: Cyber Security Jobs
A Growing Sector for Advanced Computer Scientists
The government is increasingly becoming a tech-enabled part of the economy, through custom computer applications, mobile apps and new mobile platforms, and a variety of internal initiatives that allow government employees to engage with social media and other networks. Computer scientists make that possible through analysis, advising, programming, development, and even ethical hacking, providing key services to state and federal agencies alike. According to Forbes, the computer science jobs available with the government in today’s economy are more diverse and more connected than ever due to these ongoing changes in the public sector.
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