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.

 

With Latest Moves, Amazon Gets Serious about Game Development

GeekWire | Simone De Rochefort & Keezy Young | June 15

http://www.geekwire.com/2015/with-latest-moves-amazon-gets-serious-about-game-development/

“Amazon Game Studios is working on a computer game. Kim Swift, Senior Designer at Amazon, posted a hiring call a couple of weeks ago. The company has snapped up a lot of talent from different studios and is ready to make an “ambitious new PC game project.” But that’s not all. As its recent acquisition of Twitch.tv signaled, Amazon seems to be expanding its gaming efforts in more than just the PC direction.”

Latest Job Postings at Amazon

 

Head of Facebook Seattle Steps Down ahead of Massive Expansion

Puget Sound Business Journal | Jacob Demmitt | June 15

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2015/06/head-of-facebook-seattle-steps-down-ahead-of.html

“Facebook recently doubled down on its Seattle location, which has been steadily growing since it first opened in 2010. More than 500 people already work out of the site, but it’s about to get a whole lot bigger. The company recently announced plans to move into a new office on Dexter Avenue that is four times the size of the current one, making room for about 2,000 workers. With that kind of growth ahead, Facebook stands poised to become one of the Puget Sound region’s largest technology employers.”

Latest Job Postings at Facebook

 

Math, Science Skills Add up to More Job Opportunities: Survey

CNBC.com | Sarah O’Brien | June 15

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102745918

“Good news for all you math and science whizzes out there: You sort of own the job market… We see every year that STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] jobs are rising on the list for a variety of reasons,” said Tony Lee, publisher and editor for CareerCast. “Their hiring outlook, salary, better work environment brought on by competition for employees … all walk hand-in-hand to make these jobs more appealing than any others.”

 

Remitly Seeks Front End Developer for Expansion Plans

GeekWire | Monica Nickelsburg | June 11

http://www.geekwire.com/2015/geekwork-picks-remitly-seeks-front-end-developer-for-expansion-plans/

“In March the Seattle startup raised $12.5 million to expand its service, which allows users to send money to friends and family abroad. Last year the company grew its customer base by 400 percent and facilitated over $100 million in transfers. Remitly continues to build momentum, and it needs a new Front End Developer to join its team. “This is an exciting time to join a fast-growing startup focused on changing the world by improving the experience and lowering the cost of financial access for millions of individuals around the globe,” the company says.”

Latest Job Posting at Remitly

 

Want a Career in Math or Science? Seattle Is for You

Puget Sound Business Journal| June 10

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2015/06/want-a-career-in-math-or-science-seattle-is-for.html

“A NerdWallet survey ranked cities based on average income for those jobs, the size of the industries and the cost of living… About Seattle, NerdWallet wrote: “The job market in the Seattle-metro area features 121 STEM employees for 1,000 jobs, making it one of the largest STEM centers in the U.S. Also, the average annual STEM salary in Seattle is among the highest in the nation at $98,493.”

 

Oculus Leases Space from American Life

Daily Journal of Commerce | Nat Levy | June 10

http://www.djc.com/news/re/12078526.html

“Oculus VR, a company owned by Facebook that is developing a virtually reality headset called Oculus Rift, has leased one floor at Stadium Innovation Center in Sodo. Dan Dahl, a senior vice president at Colliers International, said Oculus is leasing about 51,000 square feet. Stadium Innovation Center is at 1531 Utah Ave. S. and was developed by American Life Inc.”

Latest job postings at Oculus VR

 

Seattle No. 1 for Techies Looking to Flee California

Seattle Times | Gene Balk | June 10

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/seattle-no-1-for-techies-looking-to-flee-california/

“We know that young people aren’t buying homes in Seattle — so who’s fueling the bidding wars that have broken out across the city? New data points to a familiar scapegoat: Californians, specifically refugees from Silicon Valley’s brutal housing market. The online real-estate brokerage Redfin recently reported a surge in the number of searches from people in the Bay Area looking for homes in other places. Seattle was listed among the market areas seeing a big increase. So I asked the firm if they could share some more of their data.”