Even with a slight deceleration, the adoption of IoT solutions is steadily increasing worldwide. In 2021, IoT startups exceeded 1,200, with investment levels rebounding to pre-pandemic figures after a brief decline in late 2020.
Amid this expansion, competition for digital talent is heating up. Finding skilled IoT developers has become a significant challenge, hampering progress in AI, digital transformation, and cloud projects. To streamline project management and ensure role clarity, many companies are now incorporating RACI models to define responsibilities clearly.
An analysis by Distrelec from March to May 2022 showed around 52,500 “hire IoT developers” job openings per month globally, but only 19,500 were filled, highlighting the untapped potential in this field.
For businesses aiming for significant returns on their IoT investments, meeting human resource needs is crucial to stay competitive. Whether launching a new IoT platform or integrating IoT solutions into existing frameworks, having a specialized team of IoT experts is essential to transform innovative ideas into reality.
At IntelliSoft, we pride ourselves on providing top-tier IoT solutions. Recently, we partnered with a leading Swiss industrial heating system manufacturer to enhance their remote heating solutions’ control and monitoring through IoT technology. We offered not only expertise but also dedicated personnel and customized ERP systems.
Curious about hiring the best IoT developers, finding a team for your IoT project, or the best practices in IoT recruiting? Wondering about typical IoT developer salaries? Check out our comprehensive guide as we dive into the exciting world of IoT recruitment. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Who Is an IoT Developer?
An IoT engineer is a connected objects specialist who develops innovative services that help users receive, control, and manage information. They are also responsible for developing and managing a vast array of IoT devices, platforms, software, hardware, and systems through a combination of data, technology, and research.
Collecting information using IoT is one of the key trends actively developing today. To succeed, specialists must know the principles of the processes responsible for receiving, processing, storing, and using data in the future.
What Do IoT Engineers Do?
An IoT engineer is involved in development of Internet of Things solutions. Developing IoT applications involves knowledge and skills in many areas, from hardware design to network design and low-level/high-level programming languages.
Even if the specialist focuses on the development of one part of the system (it can be connected devices, networks over which they communicate, IoT platforms,applications for end users), they need to understand the principles of the rest. The responsibilities include:
- Development of solution architecture for building IoT systems
- Network design
- Development of device prototypes
- Development of app interfaces for user interaction with IoT systems
- Interaction with hardware and software vendors on technical issues
- Installation and setup of hardware and software
- Integration with related systems
- Ensuring cybersecurity of IoT systems
Here are specific duties based on the example of job vacancy:
- Apply mqtt-based software to connect IoT between the individual IoT product and the broker software.
- Manage the device software.
- Send data from mqtt broker to firebase server (server used as backend by user application)
- Restore from firebase and send back to mqtt broker.
Since the field of IoT is new and complex, an engineer has to take on some tasks that a project manager (PM) usually performs. For example, discussing solutions with the customer, preparing documentation, forming a team, and participating in the search and selection of contractors for the project.
IoT Engineers: Basic Skills
Here is the list of skills necessary if you want to hire AWS IoT developers:
- Knowledge of process analysis theory.
- Understanding of sensor devices principles.
- Knowledge of languages and development environments necessary for device prototyping: C/C++, Python, JavaScript, Arduino.
- Knowledge of languages for developing web and mobile applications for interaction with IoT devices: Java, Swift, Node.js.
- Knowledge of data exchange protocols – MQTT, CoAP, AMQP, Websocket, XMPP-IoT, REST.
- Knowledge of hardware platforms – Samsung Artik, Intel Edison, Arduino, Raspberry, BeagleBone, SparkFun, FPGA.
- Knowledge of cloud platforms – Samsung Artik Cloud, Microsoft Azure IoT Suite.
- Network design skills and knowledge of networking standards, protocols (in particular wireless protocols – BTLE, ZigBee, LPWA, 6LowPAN, Z-Wave, SigFox) and networking technologies (Wi-Fi, Low Energy Bluetooth, RFID).
- GPS programming skills.
- Understanding of cybersecurity practices for IoT solutions.
In addition, experience with SCADA systems and industrial controllers (IEC 61131-3) is encouraged for IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things).
Who And Why Needs the IoT Professionals
To collect and analyze certain information, special systems are being developed, and it is almost impossible to understand their operation without having a basic knowledge of business analytics.
Companies that decide to hire AWS IoT developers are looking for candidates who can design, implement, and maintain a robust and scalable data management system.
There are a number of reasons why you might wish to employ IoT developers, whether within or externally:
- You want to set up an IoT environment so that you can perform some operations.
- IoT technology can help your organization with a number of difficulties, including automating some repetitive operations to offload workers.
- Your company employs smart gadgets, which ought to cooperate or be included into a single system.
- You wish to improve your project with new features and adhere to the most recent trends.
Related readings:
- How to Build an IoT Dashboard: Benefits, Challenges, and Process
- How to Benefit from an IoT Solution for HVAC: Tips & Tricks
- Internet of Things Predictions for 2023: What Should We Expect?
- IoT Connectivity: A Comparison Guide
- Cloud Computing Scalability: What Is It and Why It’s Important?
Pros & Cons of the IoT-Architect Profession
The pros and cons of the profession stem from the great popularity of IoT architects with employers.
Pros:
- High demand.
- High salaries.
- Low competition.
- All work is intuitive.
- Opportunity to find a promising job in the developed countries.
Cons:
- Special requirements for compliance with safety regulations.
- High responsibility for expensive technology.
- Lack of unified standards in the industry.
Duties and Roles of an IoT Software Developer
IoT engineers accomplish a great variety of tasks with the primary goal of creating helpful solutions for both individuals and businesses.
AI & ML
While machine learning (ML) can be used to enhance services based on collected data, artificial intelligence (AI) can make decisions on its own.
In order to forecast the future and prevent possible problems and predict when some parts need maintenance, an IoT developer must create a system that can collect and analyze large amounts of data. They need a solid understanding of AI and ML for that.
Data Science
Big data is the engine that powers the Internet of Things, and it is the responsibility of every developer working in this space to ensure the data acquired is put to good use. Big data has gained such traction that even municipalities are beginning to explore how it might be used to generate novel solutions and address existing infrastructure issues.
Finding an Internet of Things developer that can effectively incorporate big data into the project and generate novel solutions is essential.
Mobile App Development
In order to take the setup with you, you’ll need a mobile app that can communicate with the gadgets. For this reason, you should look for an IoT developer who is also fluent in Android and iOS app creation and can facilitate remote access to your IoT system.
BI
To improve your services in an IoT system, you must gather, store, and analyze data. To make sense of data, a developer must comprehend its worth. So, employ an IoT developer that possesses the bare minimum of business acumen required to handle data.
API Automation
The operability of IoT systems determines roughly half of their value given the amounts of data and interfaces they must analyze. As a result, a developer needs to be able to link automatic API testing with manual testing.
UI/UX Design
People want user-friendly designs simple to use on desktop and mobile platforms. Your users should find the app to be user-friendly and responsive.
Because of this, before you decide to hire remote iot developers, make sure they have a solid grasp of the UX and UI needed to create a user interface that your clients would adore.
Networking
A developer must create a network that is effective, straightforward, and can handle all the linked devices when creating a large-scale IoT project (such as an environmental monitoring system). They need to have a thorough understanding of network design in order to construct such a network. Additionally, they should be at least minimally knowledgeable about network protocols, standards, and technologies like Bluetooth,
Zigbee, etc. You might occasionally need experts who have very specialized knowledge, like how to use IoT Core.
Safety
Any significant IoT project that involves a vast network of systems and devices must integrate their data. However, this raises concerns about invasions of privacy, data loss, harmful assaults, and more.
A secure system with an impenetrable design is what a customer requires. For an IoT developer to create a system that can guard against unwanted access and data loss, they would need to have a solid understanding of digital security.
How to Hire an IoT developer: Job Description And Screening Questions
So, how should one hire IoT developers? First, you should see the difference between outsourcing and in-house development.
Outsourcing vs In-house Development
You must consider your desired course of action as soon as you decide what you want to get out of IoT development. Either create an internal team or work with an IoT software development company.
Reduced costs
IoT developer outsourcing helps cut costs significantly.
- Recruitment. To find the needed workforce, you don’t have to hire recruiters. You can trust your IoT development company to handle it.
- Workspace. The workplace is provided by your IoT partner. Rent is not due until tomorrow.
- Equipment. Employees are given all necessary hardware and software by the company.
- Rates. You can choose an IoT partner with a reasonable hourly charge. It’s not actually advised to select the least expensive option. Even so, hiring an excellent service will still be less expensive than paying the in-house staff.
Quicker team setup
An offshore business gets access to more developers tested by time. As a rule, IoT outsourcing companies have a recruitment division that will locate the lacking employees needed for your project. In any case, your IoT partner is in charge of organizing the team so that work may begin ASAP.
Skilled professionals
A trustworthy IoT development company possesses the necessary subject knowledge. The portfolio of the organization should support its experience.
TIP: Consider employing IoT developers from Eastern Europe or Ukraine. These regions provide reasonably priced, high-quality services. The in-house developers will require some time to become acclimated to working with one another, unlike the outsourced company.
With outsourcing solutions, you hire IoT developers prepared to start working right away.
Checklist for the Job Interview
Make sure you do not forget to ask the following set of questions when deciding to hire IoT app developers:
- What is your background in IoT project development?
- Can you show a portfolio with your previous projects?
- Do you have any real-time IoT systems installed personally in our sector?
- Can you provide any references?
- How competent is your team in terms of UI/UX?
- What level of hardware knowledge do you have regarding the Internet of Things?
- Do you adhere to any protocols or best practices to streamline your production?
- What is your rate per hour/week/month?
Rates of IoT Developers
One of the most pressing inquiries startupers typically ask when they have an idea for a project is “What is the cost?” The location of your IoT application developer will have a significant impact on the ultimate pricing. In light of this, let’s analyze the salaries of IoT engineers in various nations to determine which choice best meets your needs.
The United States. If you want to hire American IoT app developers, be prepared to invest a lot of money. These specialists demand between $100 and $150 per hour because of the relatively high cost of living in this nation.
Ukraine. Paying top Ukrainian IoT developers between $30 and $80 per hour is a common practice. Annual wages of Ukrainian developers range between $11,936 and $46,787. The prices are nearly two times lower compared to US developers and marginally lower than in most of Western Europe and China. IoT software’s quality deserves attention as well. Ukrainian engineers had an average score of 88.7% across all HackerRank challenges.
China. Chinese IoT experts are priced similarly to those in European nations, although being unquestionably less expensive than US developers. More particularly, they charge $40 to $80 per hour for their services. $1300 per year is the typical salary.
The Netherlands. Like in the majority of Western European nations, the hourly pay for IoT app developers in the Netherlands can approach $90. However, you can be fortunate enough to come across coders who will work for just $45 an hour. The rates may achieve €42991 annually.
Where to Look for the IoT Engineers
Several sources exist where companies or individuals can look for the IoT developers.
Freelance Websites
If you need more personnel for lesser jobs, hiring independent contractors is a viable choice. Candidates who are qualified can be found on platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, or Toptal. You can search for freelancers based on their ratings, experience, and pertinent abilities. It’s not a suggested choice, though, if you require an IoT developer to assist with the software design and process management. After all, you can only rely on the profile descriptions provided by independent specialists who might lack references.
Outsourcing Companies
Outsourcing your project to an IoT software development company is an additional possible option. You’ll have access to a large pool of tech talent in this way. An outsourcing firm will handle the hiring procedure, compensation, tools, team management, and other aspects of developing software.
“Language difficulties and time zone differences are potential obstacles to take into account. The developers you deal with will have solid English language proficiency and be able to adjust to your time zone thanks to established communication channels if you select a vetted provider, like IntelliSoft.”
Kosta Mitrofanskiy – CEO @ IntelliSoft A technology expert and entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience in the web & software development business.
Review Websites
Those are platforms that compile unbiased customer reviews for each company listed on the site. They conduct in-depth interviews with businesses and clients to learn more about how well they interacted with each user. As a rule, such services create a fair assessment of all the companies based on the information received and real testimonials.
Companies offering IoT experts may be, for instance, grouped according to their location, area of specialization, and emphasis on credentials. You can check Clutch, VenturePact, Digitalogy, and more.
Professional Networks
LinkedIn, FaceBook, and some other social networks might serve as a good example in this category. It is not the best channel as some specialists may lie about their expertise in their profiles.
Conclusion: Hire IoT application developers at IntelliSoft
When assembling your ideal team of IoT app developers, start by evaluating their skills. What are their true capabilities? Prepare a set of incisive questions to assess their expertise during interviews. Next, consider the financial aspect—compare the costs of hiring IoT engineers across different countries to find the best fit for your project’s budget and requirements. Lastly, choose a strategy to hire IoT developers that aligns with your financial constraints and preferences.
If outsourcing is on your mind, why not explore a partnership with IntelliSoft? Based in Eastern Europe, we’re not just another software development company. We specialize in crafting advanced web applications and delivering top-notch IoT software development services. Here’s why so many clients trust us:
- Talented experts. Our team boasts skilled IoT and mobile app developers dedicated to building engaging iOS, Android, and hybrid applications.
- Tailored solutions. We enhance the connectivity of wearables, ensuring seamless access to your IoT systems.
- Advanced technologies. Our mobile data visualization services provide comprehensive reports and in-depth data analysis accessible from anywhere in the world.
Ready to bring your project to life? Connect with our experts, share your vision, and let us help you achieve your goals with precision and flair!
