Part of the WTIA’s mission is to grow a strong and sustainable workforce, which means we’re passionate about keeping local talent plugged into our state’s technology industry. In addition to our job board, every Wednesday we’ll be keeping you connected to Washington’s job market with the latest in local hiring news.

 

Seattle Biotechs Continue Hiring Spree

Puget Sound Business Journal | Rachel Nielsen | Feb. 16

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/health-care-inc/2016/02/seattle-biotechs-continue-hiring-spree.html

“Seattle biotech companies are hiring at a fast clip…Currently, the online career center run by Life Science Washington, which used to be called Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association, has more than 400 open positions for highly technical, well-paying jobs. Companies doing the most hiring include Juno Therapeutics, Adaptive Biotechnologies and NanoString Technologies, all of them based in Seattle.”

Latest local job postings at Juno Therapeutics

5 Fastest Growing CRE Markets (And Why You Should Care)

Seeking Alpha | SeedFeed Team (contributor) | Feb. 16

http://seekingalpha.com/author/the-seedfeed-team/articles

“CRE overall has made a steady recovery from the downturn, but there are naturally some markets that are outperforming the rest…Some U.S. cities are showing rapid growth in their CRE market, generally in response to strong job growth…The factor driving Seattle’s strong CRE market is simple: technology. The city’s tech sector is creating jobs and drawing new companies into the market. Major employers here are Boeing and Microsoft, and their presence attracts a constellation of related firms and services. Seattle is seeing increased activity from international investors as well, as fierce competition in the primary markets causes them to shift their focus to secondary cities.”

 

Inside Google’s expanded Kirkland campus: ‘Like a Willy Wonka chocolate factory’ for technology

GeekWire | Taylor Soper | Feb. 16

http://www.geekwire.com/2016/one-greatest-inside-googles-new-kirkland-campus-hideaway-caves-human-sized-nest/

“Google ranks among the best when it comes to tech companies that build workspaces to encourage productivity and comfort. Its expanded campus in Kirkland, Wash. is certainly no exception…The new 180,000 square-foot building doubles the size of the company’s existing engineering center located just east of Seattle, where it employs more than 1,000 people who work on products like Google+, Cloud, and Chrome… Google’s Kirkland office, which now totals 375,000 square feet, is the company’s third-largest engineering center. Smith, who has toured “many great Google spaces around the world,” had high praise for the Kirkland office.”

Latest local job postings at Google

 

Washington State Ranks No. 1 for Combined Job and Wage Growth

Seattle Times | Blanca Torres | Feb. 15

http://www.seattletimes.com/business/economy/employment-and-wage-growth-in-washington-outpacing-other-states/

“Contrary to the popular perception that American wages are stagnant, wages are going up for some full-time workers — those who have been employed for more than a year — according to the most recent ADP Workforce Vitality Report, which analyzes private-sector job and wage growth… Nationwide, employment and wages both increased by 2.1 percent year-over-year during the fourth quarter of 2015. In Washington, however, employment climbed by 3.7 percent. Much of that came from hiring in construction, information technology, professional services, and leisure and hospitality industries.”

Check out the ADP Workforce Vitality Report

 

2016’s Best & Worst Metro Areas for STEM Professionals

WalletHub | Richie Bernardo | Feb. 15

https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-metro-areas-for-stem-professionals/9200/

“STEM workers are in fierce demand and not just in the global epicenter of high tech known as Silicon Valley. According to estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — professions will expand 1.7 times faster than non-STEM occupations between 2010 and 2020. That should be welcome news to job seekers with skills in these areas, half of which do not even require a four-year college degree. Given their growing demand, STEM careers today comprise some of the most lucrative employment, paying higher salaries and boasting far fewer threats of unemployment compared with non-STEM jobs…[Ranked #]3. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA [with a score of] 59.14.”