As 2026 dawns, Big Wave Digital is sensing the next swell of hiring demand – after all, nothing stays quiet forever (even during an Aussie summer!). Between Christmas barbies and Bondi or Byron surfing, tech and marketing teams may relax, but by late January (after the Australia Day holiday) clients are back in action. In fact, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports unemployment around 4.1% (SA) by Dec 2025 and inflation cooling to about 3.4% (annual CPI to Nov 2025). That tight labour market and moderate inflation backdrop means businesses are cautiously optimistic and hunting top talent. Recruiting boss Keiran Hathorn says talent demand comes in idiosyncratic waves – “one week three clients all want a Platform Engineer, then it goes dead, and suddenly it’s boomeranging back.” (Einstein famously reminded us that “we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them” – in hiring, it pays to stay agile as trends shift.)

Here are the 10 most in-demand technical roles (over the last 18 months) that we’re placing across tech, SaaS, platforms and AI sectors – with a quick snapshot of each.

• Platform Engineer: Designs and maintains the foundational infrastructure and frameworks for cloud platforms and microservices. These “build-the-platform” specialists enable teams to deploy applications at scale, optimising performance and reliability in SaaS and large tech environments.
• DevOps Engineer: A bridge between development and IT operations, automating deployments and CI/CD pipelines. DevOps pros streamline software releases and cloud infrastructure, making development faster and more reliable.
• Cloud Solutions Architect: Plans and architects cloud environments (AWS/Azure/GCP) to meet business needs. They devise resilient, scalable cloud strategies for SaaS, eCommerce and enterprise systems, ensuring apps run smoothly in the cloud.
• Full-Stack Developer: Builds both front-end (user interface) and back-end (server, database) components of web applications. A ubiquitous role in tech, full-stack devs are valued for their broad skill set to create end-to-end features, from the UI in React/Vue to APIs in Node/.NET.
• Data Scientist: Analyses complex data to extract insights, build predictive models and drive AI initiatives. Using machine learning and statistics, data scientists help organisations optimise pricing, marketing and product decisions (a renaissance of analytics power).
• Machine Learning (AI) Engineer: Develops and deploys AI/ML models in production. These engineers turn research prototypes into scalable AI services – from recommendation engines to natural-language tools – crucial as AI becomes ubiquitous across tech and marketing.
• Data Engineer: Builds and maintains data pipelines and warehouses. They ensure that data flows reliably between systems and is clean and accessible, so analysts and scientists can work their magic. In other words, they’re the data custodians who lay the groundwork for insights.
• Cybersecurity Specialist: Protects networks, data and applications from attacks. With security threats ever-present, these pros implement firewalls, encryption and monitoring – an essential role as companies expand platforms and online services.
• Site Reliability Engineer (SRE): Ensures online services are reliable, scalable and efficient. SREs use software engineering approaches to manage large-scale systems (like eCommerce sites) and prevent outages – they ride the wave of traffic spikes so users don’t wipe out.
• Blockchain/Distributed Ledger Developer: Designs and builds secure ledger and smart-contract solutions. With sectors like fintech, Web3 and supply-chain tech, blockchain devs create decentralised platforms and token-based systems – a still-niche but in-demand area for forward-looking tech companies.

Likewise, digital marketing is riding its own wave of specialised roles. Here are 10 in-demand digital marketing positions, each key for (over the last 18 months) and beyond:

• Digital Marketing Manager: Oversees online marketing strategy across channels (SEO, ads, email, social). This role blends data analysis, creativity and leadership to run campaigns that grow brand awareness and revenue for tech and eCommerce firms.
• SEO Specialist: Optimises websites and content to rank higher in search engines. With Google’s algorithms always evolving, these experts analyse keywords, site structure and content to drive organic traffic – a capricious yet vital skill as search remains a primary lead source.
• SEM/PPC Specialist: Manages paid advertising (Google Ads, Facebook/TikTok Ads etc.). They craft and optimise pay-per-click campaigns, budgets and bids to maximise ROI. Performance marketers in this role are ubiquitous in startups and retailers aiming to acquire users quickly.
• Social Media Manager: Curates and executes social media strategy. Creating posts, community engagement and brand storytelling on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, they build brand loyalty and generate leads in a casual, conversational voice.
• Content Marketing Strategist: Develops content plans (blogs, videos, whitepapers) to attract and educate audiences. This role crafts the “voice” of a company, using storytelling and SEO savvy to nurture leads – essentially ensuring a continuous pipeline of value via useful content.
• Growth Marketer (Growth Hacker): Focused on rapid experimentation across product and marketing channels. Growth marketers use data analytics and creative hacks to find scalable ways to grow user bases – a highly analytical role that often overlaps with product and data science teams.
• Email Marketing/Automation Specialist: Designs automated email campaigns and nurturing sequences. They use platforms like Mailchimp or HubSpot to segment audiences, create newsletters and drip campaigns – critical for eCommerce and SaaS companies to retain customers and maximise lifetime value.
• E-commerce Marketing Manager: Drives online sales for retail or D2C businesses. From running promotions on Shopify/Magento to optimising product listings and ads, this role combines UX insight, paid/social advertising and conversion rate tactics to boost online revenue.
• Digital Marketing Analyst: Tracks and analyses marketing data (Google Analytics, ad metrics etc.). They turn campaign results into insights, advising teams on where to invest spend. With marketing becoming ever more data-driven, analysts are in high demand to ensure campaigns hit KPIs.
• Product Marketing Manager (Tech/SaaS): Bridges product development and marketing. They craft messaging and go-to-market plans for tech products or services – a strategic role that requires both technical understanding and marketing savvy, especially in fast-moving SaaS and AI firms.

Written by Keiran Hathorn, Director, Big Wave Digital Recruitment

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At Big Wave Digital, Sydney’s leading digital, blockchain and technical recruitment agency, we have deep connections, experience and proven expertise, and the ability to achieve a win for all parties in the challenging recruiting process. We can connect highly coveted digital and tech talent with the world’s best employers.

Keiran Hathorn is the CEO & Founder of Big Wave Digital. A Sydney-based niche Digital, Blockchain & Technology recruitment company. Keiran leads a high-performance, experienced recruitment team, assisting companies of all sizes secure the best talent.

Digital Marketing Recruitment in 2026 Sydney