By Jacquelyn Smith, Forbes.com
Special to Online Career Tips
The 10 Companies With The Most STEM Job Openings Right Now
If you’re a job-seeking college grad or professional with a background in science, technology, engineering, or math, we’ve got some good news for you: Some of America’s biggest and brightest corporations are looking to fill thousands of STEM positions right now–and landing one of those gigs might not be as difficult as you think.
“The demand for STEM professionals currently outweighs the supply,” says Mike Steinerd, director of recruiting at Indeed.com, an online job search engine. “There’s a need for STEM professionals to help companies grow their web or mobile applications, as well the need across specific industries such as biomedical, manufacturing, or even construction. Truth is, there is a dearth of STEM talent despite the considerable buzz in the academic circles around STEM education and constant discussion about increasing quotas for qualified immigrants.”
Forbes and Indeed have teamed up to compile a list of the 10 companies with the highest number of available STEM positions, which are occupations that require an education in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics disciplines.
Indeed.com combed through its data to find all open STEM jobs, as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*NET Online application, and then sorted the results by company.
The picture we offer does not reflect a precise number of available jobs. An opening can be listed in more than one place and can remain online for some time after it’s filled. Nevertheless, the numbers do offer a strong, broad gauge of hiring demand for STEM jobs across the country right now.
In Photos: The 10 Companies With The Most STEM Job Openings Right Now
Not too surprisingly, every company on the list is a technology or defense firm. In the No. 1 spot is Microsoft. The Washington-based software giant is looking to fill 1,553 STEM jobs right now.
“We recruit STEM candidates to fill roles in hardware, software, services and beyond,” says Kimberly Wagner, a staffing consultant for Microsoft University Recruiting. “Hiring levels are strong as we look for candidates who are adventurous thinkers, creative collaborators and embody the entrepreneurial spirit of the STEM industry. Intellectually curious, imaginative, and results-oriented STEM professionals thrive here. Microsoft provides an engaging environment for STEM professionals to have a hand in creating world-class services and devices that reach more than a billion consumers.”
Lori Harnick, general manager of citizenship and public affairs at Microsoft says the company is committed to championing better access to STEM education “because we believe it is the gateway to so many fulfilling careers – across multiple industries – that will help fuel economic growth around the world. Championing STEM education is evident in a number of our company initiatives, including Microsoft YouthSpark, our commitment to create opportunities for 300 million youth around the world by helping them access opportunities for education, employment and entrepreneurship.”
In Photos: The 10 Companies With The Most STEM Job Openings Right Now
Trailing close behind in the No. 2 spot is Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer. The Seattle-based e-commerce behemoth currently has 1,493 unique STEM job postings.
Steinerd says Amazon “continues to scale its e-commerce strategy, Kindle program and Cloud Storage, which all require technology professionals.”
The types of STEM positions Amazon is looking to fill: Software developer, systems engineer, research scientist, database administrator, and software engineer, among others. According to Indeed, most of these open jobs are located in Seattle, Palo Alto, Herndon, Va., and Boston.
Rounding out the top three: SAIC. Headquartered in McLean, Va., the defense company with approximately 38,000 employees worldwide provides scientific, engineering, systems integration, and technical services and solutions.
“SAIC primarily serves the U.S. Department of Defense, the intelligence community, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a few other U.S. civil agencies, as well as select commercial products,” Steinerd says. “The company is growing and hiring despite federal budget cuts. They have seen increased contracts in commercial health IT, environmental, and energy projects in the private sector which has resulted in a demand for STEM employees.”
SAIC is currently looking to fill 1,380 STEM positions.
In Photos: The 10 Companies With The Most STEM Job Openings Right Now
Though tech and defense companies dominate the top 10 list, Steinerd says plenty of firms in other industries are also looking to take on more STEM employees right now.
“We live in an ever-evolving digital world, which is causing a shift towards technology in industries that aren’t actually technology based. In essence, every industry is becoming its own mini tech industry. IT personnel and engineer positions are extending beyond traditional industries and we are seeing them crop up in new places like hospitality, music, and healthcare.”
Employers in any industry who are seeking STEM job candidates typically look for those with a specific academic foundation such as Computer Science, Engineering or Math, he says. “In addition to the hard or technical skill set, employers are equally interested in finding professionals who demonstrate good soft skills. This may include the ability to communicate effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences; ability to work as a productive team member; and perhaps the ability to think strategically.”
As the demand for STEM professionals is expected to continue growing, the talent war will continue, he adds. “Organizations could increase their own internal training and development programs to offset skill deficiencies, work closely with schools to help develop specific STEM programs and/or increase their attractiveness as an employer of choice,” Steinerd concludes.
In Photos: The 10 Companies With The Most STEM Job Openings Right Now
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