How to Build a Career in the VR Industry!

How to Build a Career in the VR Industry!

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The virtual reality industry is experiencing exponential growth, and there are several in-demand jobs within the VR industry for people with the right skills.

Virtual Reality (VR) technology seems to have taken the world by storm and affects several industries. This new technological frontier has gained lots of attention and is fast becoming an industry with much potential. If you’re looking to build a career in the VR industry, it’s crucial to know where and how to get started and the kind of jobs you can get into. 

There’s more to VR than just video games, and you need to have some basic knowledge of UX design and other related software and applications to put yourself in contention for a job in this industry.

However, generally speaking, getting a job and building a career in the VR industry isn’t very difficult. There are opportunities everywhere in this industry for you to get a job, and because it’s still a new industry, there’s still a lot of learning to do on the job.

To build a career in the VR industry, here are some of the top jobs that UK Careers Booster professionals recommend to help you get started:

1. Software developer

Every company venturing into, testing or investing in XR needs XR software developers. Since this is a fast-growing company, it’s normal that the demand for developers is very high.

However, because the industry’s growth is dynamic, you also need to have a dynamic skillset to excel in this industry. Although many employers may need you to code in C++ and C#, you would have a better edge in this industry if you knew more languages. 

Skill requirements

Some important skills required for this job are:

  • Practical experience with Unity.
  • More than two years of experience in VR, MR, or AR.
  • Experience developing with C#.
  • Experience developing for Vile, Oculus and other platforms.

There are several roles within this space ranging from junior developer to senior developer roles and from managerial duties to director of software development.  

2. Graphic/Design engineer

Graphics or XR design engineers help organizations combine computer vision research and graphics. They work with designers and artists to create and improve experiential prototypes, develop new effects and visualizations, and are responsible for the company’s 3d asset standards. 

Skill requirements

These are the common criteria that companies hiring graphic/design engineers are looking for:

  • Experience developing 3D games and applications.
  • Understanding of how 3D game engines such as Unity and Unreal work.
  • Experience coding in C++, C#, and other programming languages like Java. 
  • Skilled in 3D maths and holds an academic degree in computer engineering.

3. Software Engineer

Software engineers in AR, VR, and MR are a major part of the company’s R&D team. They’re responsible for developing new software and building features that make the disparate XR tools work together. They also work with both the hardware and software components of AR, VR, and MR products. 

Skill requirements

Some of the skills that employers are constantly looking out for in this role are:

  • Research skills
  • Experience working with different operating systems
  • Systems programming with C++, C#, Swift, Objective-C, etc. 
  • Server programming experience

4. Product managers and project managers

Project managers and product managers are responsible for leading product teams throughout the process of ideating, developing, and launching new XR products for consumers or developers. They develop the structures to help the team achieve their goal while bringing organizational thinking into the team. 

Skill requirements

These are the common skills required for this role:

  • More than five years of experience in product management.
  • Experience collaborating with a team of designers, engineers, prototypers and testers on projects. 
  • Establish project frameworks
  • Lead work environment and customer experience

5. Business development manager

Businesses hire XR business development managers to help develop new business solutions about the XR technologies and drive solutions for the existing customers. 

Skill requirements

Common skill requirements that employers ask for are:

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree
  • More than ten years of experience in hi-tech industries
  • Over two years of experience in XR spaces.
  • Experience with early products in the market
  • Open to frequent travels
  • Experience with handling customer-facing situations

Conclusion 

There are many other careers or jobs you can seek in the VR industry. You should go for it as long as you have the qualifications and skills. If you’re considering a career change in the VR industry, make sure to equip yourself with the necessary training and skills for the field you’re seeking. 

VR Industry article and permission to publish here provided by Jane Turner. Originally written for Supply Chain Game Changer and published on July 28, 2022.

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