If you’re a tech professional with substantive professional experience and seeking a new opportunity, there are a plethora of reasons to have Ottawa on your radar! It’s not just Canada’s innovation capital; Ottawa is currently one of the hottest tech hubs across the globe.
Top tech talent from all over the world call Ottawa home, and that’s reflected in CBRE’s Scoring Tech Talent report published in 2024. It puts Ottawa at #1 for tech talent concentration (12.3%) among major North American cities, tied only with the mighty San Francisco Bay Area. That’s thanks to a dense ecosystem of over 1800+ tech companies ranging from early-stage startups to global R&D centers and driven by innovation in software, AI, cybersecurity, data, and cloud.
In short: Ottawa is hiring, and if you’re experienced in the software or applied tech space, there’s opportunity here.
In this blog, we are showing the 10 most in-demand tech roles right now and key skills that hiring companies are seeking in ideal candidates.
1. Software Engineer / Developer
Software Engineer or Developer has always been a foundational role, and it remains one of the most sought-after across all sectors in Ottawa. From SaaS startups to product-based enterprise platforms, plenty of companies in Ottawa are seeking talent who will design, build, and maintain software systems that need to scale and perform reliably.
Key skills:
- Programming in Python, JavaScript, Java, or C#
- Writing complex SQL queries
- Debugging, testing frameworks
- Algorithms and data structures
- Git workflows, Docker, Kubernetes
2. Front-End Software Developer
User experience is everything, and Ottawa companies are looking for talented front-end developers to build clean, user-friendly, and accessible digital products. If you’re a front-end developer who transforms designs into code and ensures that it performs on every screen, you’ll be in high demand.
From healthcare apps to Ai-powered data dashboards, there’s no shortage of interface work in Ottawa.
Key skills:
- HTML, CSS, TypeScript
- JavaScript frameworks: React, Angular, Vue
- RESTful APIs, Git (GitLab)
- Debugging and performance tuning
3. Back-End Software Developer
Behind every great product, there is a team of powerful back-end infrastructure developers. It’s a great role if you enjoy the nuts and bolts of building efficient systems under the hood. In Ottawa, companies are looking for engineers to build secure, scalable systems that power everything from finance tools to machine learning engines.
Key skills:
- Python, Java, Ruby, PHP, Go
- SQL/NoSQL databases
- RESTful and GraphQL APIs
- Server-side tech (Nginx, Apache), cloud platforms
- Security, performance optimization
4. Full-Stack Developer
Ottawa’s fast-growing startups and mid-sized product teams love full-stack developers, especially those who can own a feature from UI to deployment. Ideal for developers who enjoy working across different layers of software development and seeing their work go live fast.
Key skills:
- Front-end: React/Angular/Vue, HTML, CSS, JavaScript
- Back-end: Python, Node.js, Java + frameworks (Django, Express, Spring Boot)
- SQL and NoSQL databases
- Git workflows, Docker/Kubernetes
- Cloud platforms: AWS, GCP, Azure
5. AI / Machine Learning Engineer
Code is in Ottawa’s DNA and the demand for applied Ai sector is growing rapidly in our city, particularly in sectors like defense, telecom, life sciences, cybersecurity, and autonomous systems. You won’t just be building models in this role, rather, you’ll be expected to deliver measurable impact with them. AI engineers are in demand to build, train, and deploy models that solve real-world problems.
Key skills:
- Programming: Python, PySpark, R, SQL
- Azure ML, Databricks, Cognitive Services
- Deep learning, forecasting, optimization
- CI/CD, containerization
- Cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP)
6. DevOps Specialist / Engineer
As the IT infrastructure and its reliability is now more important than ever, Ottawa’s established and growing companies need DevOps engineers to streamline development workflows and manage modern infrastructure. This is one of the fastest-growing roles across the city’s mid-market and enterprise tech scene. If you’re fluent in infrastructure as code and love automation, this role is a perfect fit.
Key skills:
- Programming in Python, Bash, or Ruby
- Automation tools: Ansible, Puppet, Chef
- CI/CD (Jenkins, GitLab CI, CircleCI)
- Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, CloudFormation
- Cloud experience with AWS, Azure, or GCP
7. Data Engineer
Data is the new oil and companies in Ottawa are actively seeking data engineers to build the pipelines, platforms, and infrastructure to extract value from it. This role suits engineers who enjoy working deep in the data layer with performance and scale in mind. You’ll be working on ingesting, cleaning, and transforming data to feed analytics and ML models.
Key skills:
- Programming: Python, SQL, Java, Scala
- Databases: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Cassandra
- Data modeling, warehousing (ETL with Apache NiFi, Talend)
- Big data frameworks (Hadoop, Spark)
- Cloud-based data platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
8. Data Scientist
Ottawa has no shortage of companies looking to make smarter decisions and that’s where data scientists come in. If you enjoy digging into complex data and turning it into actionable insights, this role is in high demand. Whether it’s building predictive models, running A/B tests, or surfacing insights, this role drives business strategy.
Key skills:
- Python, R, SQL
- Statistical analysis, math, ML/DL with TensorFlow or PyTorch
- Visualization tools: Tableau, Power BI, D3.js
- Big data tools: Spark, Hadoop, MapReduce
9. Cloud Engineer / Architect
With more platforms going cloud-native, Ottawa employers need engineers who can design and maintain secure, scalable cloud environments. You’ll work on architecture, migrations, and infrastructure optimization. A strong understanding of networking, Linux, and cost optimization is a must.
Key skills:
- Deep experience in AWS, Azure, or GCP
- DevOps pipelines, CI/CD (GitLab CI, GitHub Actions)
- Containerization (Docker, Kubernetes)
- Security (IAM, encryption, compliance frameworks like GDPR, HIPAA)
- Automation and scripting (Python, Bash, Node.js)
10. Network Engineer
From secure government networks to large-scale cloud connectivity, Ottawa companies need network engineers who can architect, secure, and manage physical and virtual networks. This is a high-impact role for professionals who understand both the technical and security layers of infrastructure and can work with a superior sense of responsibility.
Key skills:
- TCP/IP, routing/switching, OSI model
- Security (firewalls, IDS/IPS, access control)
- Cisco, Juniper, Aruba, Fortinet tech
- Virtualization (VMware, Hyper-V)
- Cloud networking (AWS, Azure), scripting (Python, Ansible)
Why Consider Ottawa?
Ottawa checks a lot of boxes: top-tier tech talent, lower cost of living than Toronto or Vancouver, and a high quality of life. It’s a city where you can build a career and still have time for enjoying life to the fullest with trails, rivers, and parks minutes from downtown.
Here are some facts that will help you understand why tech professionals love Ottawa so much:
- Ottawa boasts a high quality of life, ranking #3 among major North American cities (Mercer, 2024)
- It’s one of the major tech hub but with more affordability, being one of the most affordable major North American cities (Mercer, 2024)
- A great place to work remotely: ranking #1 in Canada and #7 in the world (KISI, 2022)
You’re also plugging into a city that values innovation, collaboration, and impact. It’s a city where you get to enjoy the urban lifestyle similar to the renowned technology hub without putting a strain on your wallet.
If you want to learn more about living in Ottawa, check out this blog.
Curious about where you might fit in?
We’re hosting a free webinar on May 6th to help experienced tech professionals explore Ottawa’s tech landscape. You’ll hear directly from our Senior Expert on the Software sector, learn about current openings, and get a sense of what it’s like to live and work in Ottawa.
Register today and your next big opportunity might be just one move away. Secure Your Spot.
