15 Unconventional Jobs For a Computer Science Major
by Eric Hebert
15. Military
Ever thought of working in the military? Didn't think so. Many take the safer route to college to avoid any military entanglement, yet that computer science degree could land you right on the battlefield. Instead of physcially being of the front lines, however, chances are you'll manage to get a piece of the action while staying far from it. Were talking about robots here folks, the kind that kill people, and it will be your responsibility to make them a reality. Were all ready underway as the military spends more and more money (and were talking millions of dollars here) to develop robotic weapons that will someday take the place of our courageous soldiers on the battlefield. Whether it's their physical engineering and construction or powering the software that controls them, it will be your job to make sure these weapons work properly and don't blow up in our military's faces, literally.
14. Food & Beverage Industry
If you weren't aware, the restaurant biz is a crazy one. Between the staff, the food, the booze, the bills, and everything else that comes with running the joint, there's a lot to account for. As technology expands, more emphasis is being placed on the management of the various overhead, and that management is being controlled more and more through the use of computers. Whether it's working in the development stages of creating cost effective product management software, developing microchips for beer mugs, or keeping the money in the safest place as possible (which is in the boss's bank account!), the CS major will become a huge part of making this all happen. Most careers will come from start-ups that sprout to meet demand as more and more businesses clamor for new products, and let's not forget the people they'll need to service and maintain these installations. Ultimately, the big boys (a certain king or golden arch, perhaps?) will hire within their own ranks as to build their technology from the inside out.
13. Baby Boomers
If for some reason you are a "baby boomer" and are reading this, then chances are you're well educated and know how to work a computer. However, much to your dismay, there are many, many boomers who have a hard time adapting to technology. These old timers are starting to retire by the millions, and are going to start having plenty of time on their hands to jump online and spend their money. Working in this sector, the CS major will find a lucrative career in developing hardware and software applications that cater to an audience struggling to use and understand basic devices. Usability will be a key factor in design architecture in both hardware and software. Other possible career paths include developing training methods and materials to assist folks in learning about technology and how it can help them live better during their golden years.
12. Children
On the other side of the spectrum, we have the children. Nowadays, kids are being exposed to all kinds of technology at a very young age. So now poses the problem of making sure their using this technology properly and safely. This is especially true with all the "adult" content available on the Internet. And by adult I'm talking about much more than just pornography. There's much more online that we may need to protect our children from, namely other people (psychotics and predators), but also information. Imagine if your little girl jumped online only to find that Santa Claus is really a fake a little too prematurely? If you like working with children, then you'll love a gig developing technology for these little rascals, as you're going to spend most of your time developing products that cater to their childish needs. They'll need to have access to certain portals which you'll help create, which means complex algorithms that keep certain content away from their innocent little minds.
11. Cyborgs
Aren't familiar with what a cyborg is? Well, then you shouldn't be in the field of computer science, because every geekozoid on the planet knows that a cyborg is human that part machine. Six Million Dollar Man? Yeah, he's a cyborg. So was Robocop, and Darth Vader, to name a few more fictional ones. So what does this have to do with the real world? Well, funny you ask, because in the 21st century, creating robotic parts that work with the human body is a real deal career. Most "cyborg" work involves creating limbs for amputees that world with their own nerves. These parts require complicated hardware and software that is being developed by the technical elite, something your CS degree could help you break into. How would you feel being responsible for giving someone their arm or leg back?
10. Media
This might not seem like too much of a crazy idea. I mean, you just watch TV on, well, a TV right? Wrong, kid. Things are not just the same as they used to be. With today's technologies, the television and computer screen is being put into other household devices like our refrigerators (yet we still haven't figured out why - unless you really can't wait until the commercials to grab that next Sam Adams!) It will be your job as a CS graduate to assist in the development of new types of screens and interfaces of many different sizes, and to find new places for them to go. Who knows, with your help, we could all be watching televisions from inside our own coffins some day (how else am I supposed to watch Battlestar Galactica after I'm dead?)
9. Sports
First it was steroids in baseball, now computers? Believe it or not, computers are a huge, no, super huge part of the zillion-dollar sports entertainment industry. I'm not necessarily talking about installing computer chips inside T.O.'s head to keep him opening his mouth, or another to make him catch passes better (although that may be a possibility down the road.) Were talking about the game itself, or more importantly how we watch the game. Notice how every year the camera angles get better and we spend more time analyzing those close calls? What if we could put computer chips in balls and on flags and in shoes, so we knew whether or not they crossed that line? The industry has always embraced new technology and every sport has always benefited from it. Take your CS degree and get a job in molding the sporting experience of the future.
8. Music
Think about what happened to music in the twentieth century. Go ahead, think for a minute...anything come to mind? How about a few things like, I don't know, the keyboard, electric guitar, or electronic mixer? If you really think about it, the methods used to produce music nowadays weren't around a hundred years ago. So what does the next century hold for music? If you think we've reached a threshold with what we can produce in the form of sound, then think again. And it will be (and already is) computers that play an important part in the construction of the instruments and devices used in the future. From sound amplification, to distortion, to making music easier to learn and manipulate, it's clear that technology will continue to drive artists to produce in the foreseeable future.
7. Politics
Ah, politics, everybody's favorite subject to discuss. In the wake of a rather controversial period in our government's history (they're all like that though, aren't they?), Washington has become aware of the rights the U.S. citizens have when it comes to knowing certain information, and how easy it is to obtain information in today's technological wonderland of computers, cellphones, and PDA's. Never before has the "power of the people" been more relevant, as each and every citizen has their eyes open and their ears to the door of the political bedroom, ready to hear what's going on inside. This increasing surveillance will require more technology to get the job done, and with that CS degree, you'll be at the other end, developing applications to keep our powers-that-be in check.
6. Education
Gone are the days of getting up and skipping off to school to sit bored in the classroom, mindlessly listening to teachers rant over outdated and choreographed information that brainwashes our children to grow up as a solider in a war of corporate supremacy. Instead, we are being introduced to a system of constant interactivity, where students begin learning if different ways then their predecessors, focused on their talents and strengths that properly prepare them for the social, financial, and scholarly conflicts that will arise in the new global economy. This technology will require those in CS to get a grasp in the modern classroom and test new computer systems that will transform the nature of the classroom and prepare it for the future of learning.
5. Animals
We as humans find pretty much everything in the universe (including ourselves) really fascinating to some degree. We love to research the world around us, and a big part of that are all the other forms of life here on earth. Whether it's our indoor pets or insects that live underwater, each and every day we continue to dig deeper into how these creatures eat, sleep, and act and what else may be going on inside their little brains. How do we move to the next level? Computers are starting to play big roles in how we watch and track animal life and how we treat and care for our pets. Could your CS degree help in developing a system to better communicate with animals? Maybe a virtual Dr.Dolittle exists sometime in the near future.
4. Fashion
Remember the watch Dick Tracy used to have? A perfect example of how technology will begin to pour into everyday objects, including those you wear. We currently have running shoes that communicate with your Ipod; expect trends like this to continue as powerful computer chips get smaller and more dynamic. Comic book fantasies will come to life as more people accessorize their lives with gadgets and devices are sewn into hats, sunglasses, jackets and more. Fashion designers will take notice and begin incorporating features and they'll end up in front of the cameras on the runway. Take that CS degree and make good with an ambitious clothing company and you could be the next big thing in fashion.
3. Travel
Have you heard of SpaceShipOne? Yeah, it's the space shuttle some guy built that took the first civilian into space. Space will soon become the next biggest tourist attraction as entrepreneurs all over the world are beginning to building launching sites designed to send anyone who has the loot up into space. This will mark a new frontier in space travel. The more money that gets made, the more will be reinvested in new space travel systems offering new and exciting ways to travel around space. Can you imagine taking the family for a two week trip up to the moon? Or how about studying abroad on Mars? These will someday become serious travel destinations, and with your CS degree, you can help get us there. Can you say "all aboard?"
2. Energy
It's no secret that the earth is in trouble. Our growing population equals an even greater need for energy. Developing nations are starting to drive more cars, creating a strain on oil and gas reserves. Global warming exists and is becoming a greater threat each and every day. With your education in CS, you'll be at the forefront of the renewable energy revolution that's about to take the world by storm. It won't be governments that will be responsible for this development, but instead cutting edge companies that have the money to spend on research and development (which means money to spend on you!)
1. Porn
To the general public, this would definitely be considered "unconventional". To many who live in southern California, taking a CS degree and landing a job working for a pornography company might be considered normal to some people. Sure, your parents might not be too happy and you're girlfriend might leave you, but there is such a thing as job security. The truth is porn has paved away for many of the web technologies we have today and will continue to do so in the future. The industry continues to grow and become more legitimate and mainstream every day. And where there's boatloads of money to be made, you can be assured there will be a place for computer and technology minded individuals to stack their own chips. Just don't tell mommy and daddy what your plans are!