6 Machine Learning Careers That Are in Demand
Machine learning is among the most transformative technologies today that has been changing various industries fundamentally. It has changed how businesses make decisions, operate, and innovate. Not just businesses, its real-world applications are also huge, be it recommendation systems in ecommerce or social media apps, or smooth operation of self-driving cars. The impact of machine learning is huge.
So, as this technology is increasing rapidly, it is obvious that career options in this field are also increasing simultaneously. The demand for AI professionals like AI Engineers, machine learning engineers, data scientists, researchers, and others are increasing at an unprecedented rate.
Any student or professional looking to start or switch to an AI career might find it confusing, which is the right machine learning career to opt for. So, let us analyze various machine learning job roles and understand their roles and responsibilities, and the required skills to become one.
Popular Machine Learning Job Roles
These are some of the most popular and rewarding career paths in machine learning jobs that offer exciting careers as well as high
- Machine Learning Engineer
The most common and most important machine learning job role is that of a machine learning engineer. They act as the bridge between theoretical machine learning concepts and their practical applications.
They are primarily involved in designing, building, and maintaining machine learning models for real-world applications.
- Machine Learning Researcher
They are popularly known as Research Scientists in the AI career path. They help the field of machine learning and AI grow north with their advanced research and findings. They have to conduct original research, develop machine learning algorithms and architectures, and try to push the boundaries of what AI and machine learning can do.
You need to have a strong educational background to advance in this role such as a Master’s of Ph.D.
The role involves:
- Designing and testing new machine learning models
- Publishing research papers
- Finding new areas in deep learning, reinforcement learning, or generative AI
You can start your career as a Research Assistant to become an ML Researcher and then a Research Director as your career progresses.
- Data Scientist
The roles of machine learning engineer and data scientists often overlap as they both are focused on the analytical and exploration aspects of data. These professionals use advanced machine learning techniques to extract valuable insights from huge amounts of data to identify trends and assist businesses with data-driven decision-making.
Their major roles and responsibilities include:
- Data collection, data wrangling, and data visualization
- Development of predictive models and statistical analysis
- Communicating insights to decision-makers
Numerous data science certifications are available that can equip you with required skills to start your career in data science and progress towards becoming a successful data scientist.
- Applied Machine Learning Scientist
This role too involves expertise in both data science and machine learning. They utilize machine learning techniques to solve real-world business problems. They can also be considered as domain experts who can convert a business problem into machine learning solution.
This career path starts from being a machine learning analyst to becoming an applied ML Scientist, and then towards becoming a machine learning solutions architect.
- Machine Learning Product Manager
They define the vision, strategy, and roadmap to develop effective and impactful AI/ML products. They help develop products according to market demands and deliver tangible value. You need to have a strong technical knowledge as well as effective communication skills, as you will be required to bridge the gap between business needs and technical teams, and should have a strong understanding of the machine learning development lifecycle.
- Deep Learning Scientist
These are senior AI professionals who have a deep understanding of AI and machine learning concepts. They help their organizations design, train, and optimize advanced neural network models capable of solving complex problems.
They may be involved in developing new algorithms for various applications like image recognition, natural language processing, and predictive analytics. But this job requires a strong academic background and deep technical expertise.
Essential Skills and Certifications
The following table shows the essential AI skills and machine learning certifications courses that can prove to be beneficial in each of the above-mentioned job roles:
| Skills | Certifications and Courses | |
| ML Engineer | Programming (Python, Java)ML frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch)System architecture | Certified Artificial Intelligence Engineer (CAIE™) by USAII®Machine Learning Operations (MLOps) by Duke University |
| ML Researcher | Research methodologyML theoryAlgorithm design | Machine Learning by DeepLearning.AI & Stanford University Introduction to Machine Learning Specialization by IBM |
| Data Scientist | Data AnalysisData VisualizationMachine Learning Techniques | Certified Data Science Professional (CDSP™) by USDSI® |
| Applied ML Scientist | Data analysis ML applications Business understanding | Machine Learning for Data Analysis by Wesleyan UniversityCertified Lead Data Scientist (CLDS™) by USDSI® |
| ML Product Manager | Product managementML understandingStakeholder management | Certified AI Consultant (CAIC™) by USAII®Machine Learning Foundations for Product Managers by Duke University |
| Deep Learning Scientist | Deep learning frameworks Neural network architecture Graphics processing units (GPUs) | Neural Networks and Deep Learning by DeepLearning.AICertified AI Scientist (CAIS™) by USAII® |
Conclusion
So, by now, you must have understood the various roles offered in a machine learning career path. You must gain the essential skills required to excel in those corresponding roles with the help of the best certifications and courses. With the right skills and qualifications, you can ace these career paths for a successful and rewarding career ahead.