In continuation of our series exploring tech hubs around the world, we take a look at what the tech scene in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has to offer

Pittsburgh packs a punch. While it doesn’t have the iconic status of New York or the impressive history of Boston, this wonderful city has plenty of other things to offer expats and locals alike.

From the local breweries to the booming restaurant scene, and numerous music festivals to fantastic art museums, people from around the globe are proud to call the ‘City of Champions’ home.

City pride is something that people take very seriously in the ‘Burg, whether they’re cheering on the football team (Go Steelers!) or making conversation with their neighbours. In fact, out-of-towners often comment on how friendly and helpful the people are.

The cost of living is another huge pull factor. In fact, Forbes named Pittsburgh the best housing market for Baby Boomers, while another survey discovered that Pittsburgh is the best place to move after college.

While the city was once synonymous with steel works and coal mines, it’s now a thriving tech metropolis full of innovation and opportunity. Here’s everything you need to know about working in the Pittsburgh tech scene.

Information technology

Did you know that the Pittsburgh region is #2 in the US for IT degrees? A staggering 2,600 students graduate with degrees in information technology every single year. This huge group of qualified candidates makes Pittsburgh a very appealing city for global tech giants including Apple, Facebook, Google, Intel, Uber and Microsoft. This isn’t to mention Pittsburgh-born startups such as Argo AI and Duolingo.

Duolingo is a language learning startup and one of the city’s most notable success stories. The company is valued at a whopping $6.5 billion, and it’s also the most downloaded education app in the history of the App Store.

At the moment, they’re hiring for a number of positions, including illustrator, content program manager and QA specialist. You can check out all their roles on the Information Age job board.

Robotics

While Boston is often considered the robotics capital of the east coast, Pittsburgh isn’t far behind. The city even has Robotics Row, a three mile strip along the Allegheny River that has an unusually high concentration of robotics and AI companies.

The Pittsburgh Robotics Network also has over 100 members ranging from self-driving car technology provider Aurora to Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) company Seegrid.

Seegrid is the #1 AMR provider in the US and the #1 market leader for tow tractor AMRs worldwide, according to findings by Interact Analysis. In the past 24 months, the company has doubled its headcount and they are predicting continued growth in 2022 and beyond. If you’d like a piece of the action, you can check out their available roles here.

Healthtech

Pittsburgh is also a centre of innovation in medicine, health systems and biotechnology. This is due to the city’s impressive research institutions such as the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University.

According to the Visit Pittsburgh website, 7,500 healthcare-related degrees are awarded annually and approximately 133,000 people are employed in the healthcare industry.

We can’t talk about healthtech in Pittsburgh without mentioning the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). A healthcare provider and insurer, UPMC is the largest non-governmental employer in Pennsylvania. The company has over 92,000 employees, 40 hospitals and 800 doctors’ offices and outpatient sites. While not specifically a tech company, this massive organisation has plenty of tech needs, and is always on the hunt for the best new hires. Check out their open roles here.

Cyber security

Cyber security is booming around the world and Pittsburgh isn’t immune to its growth. The city is home to a wealth of important security organisations, such as the CERT Coordination Center, the National Cyber Forensics and Training Alliance and the Pittsburgh High Tech Crimes Task Force.

In terms of cyber security companies, there’s plenty to choose from. Schneider Downs & Co Inc. is a firm favourite. They provide ‘accounting, tax, business advisory, technology and cyber security consulting to public, private and not-for-profit entities’.

They’re currently hiring for a range of different positions and the perks and benefits look great. From out-of-town travel and flexible work arrangements to community involvement opportunities. You can find out more here.

Are you ready to make a move to the ‘City of Champions’? You can find more job opportunities on the Information Age jobs board.

Related:

A guide to working in the Seattle tech scene — looking at what the tech scene in Seattle, Washington brings to the table.

A guide to working in the Tampa tech scene — exploring what the tech scene in Tampa, Florida has to offer.