travel software engineer

How to Travel While Working: The Traveling Engineer's Survival Guide

As Co-Founder and COO, Breanden Beneschott has been effectively running Toptal, a venture-funded company growing hundreds of percent year over year, while traveling across the globe. Breanden shares his tips and experiences as a successful traveling engineer and entrepreneur, including his perspective on the benefits of this new lifestyle.

By Breanden Beneschott

As the co-founder of Toptal, Breandan was instrumental in the creation of Toptal’s. He helped set up our infrastructure in 40+ countries.

I’ve lived and worked remotely overseas in approximately 30 countries since I finished school three years ago. I’ve been running Toptal , a venture funded company growing hundreds of percent year over year —all from my laptop, phone, and tablet.

I don’t have an apartment. I don’t have a house. I don’t have an office.

I hate the cold, so I summer hop.

Everywhere I go, I meet great traveling or local overseas engineers who end up becoming invaluable parts of Toptal.

I encourage everyone in Toptal from freelancers to developers to employees, to travel, and a lot of us do . Some of us travel for week long “breaks” throughout the year, and some of us live out of a suitcase like me. Few of us ever stop working for a full day.

I’m writing this because…

I was repeatedly asked if I had some sort of guide or checklist for traveling and working abroad the way I do. Especially for first-timers, the idea of adventuring overseas while working can be daunting. There are a lot of details to consider, and I’ve learned a lot from my own trial-and-error.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized a guide like this was actually missing for traveling engineers and freelancers.

The Four Hour Work Week  was great, and I like Tim Ferriss  a lot. But what if you want to work more than 4 hours a week? I like working crazy hours. I don’t want a lifestyle company. I want to solve hard problems. I want to build something big and give it my all.

So are there other guides?

Well, Remote  by the guys at 37 Signals  was the the biggest disappointment of 2013 (I loved Rework  and therefore had high hopes). The book was for old people who need help convincing their bosses that they can try working remotely. A fair premise, but I didn’t learn anything. I wasn’t even inspired.

I want a book on how to create a billion dollar company while becoming a fighter pilot. (I’m trying to build a world-changing company while becoming a professional polo player.) That would be inspiring. But until it comes, maybe this post will be helpful to a few traveling freelancers out there.

Why travel as an engineer or freelancer?

Because it’s unbelievably awesome. Now is the time: it’s feasible like never before. You can put in a full work day no matter where you are. If you’re standing in line for airport security, you can listen to The Changelog . If you’re in the Hungarian countryside, you can work perfectly via 4G. If you’re flying across the world, you can work from the moment you buckle in to the moment you stand up to get off the plane. The airport will have WiFi to push a commit if your plane didn’t. You can travel while producing some of the best work of your career, and you will grow with every new stamp in your passport.

The secret benefit: avoiding burnout. I don’t take vacations. I don’t want to work hard to build a company that makes lots of money so I can piss off and go on holiday. I’m at a start-up. I’m a part of it, and it’s a part of me. This is a marathon, and there will be a winner. Traveling and working allows you to go non-stop. There is no burnout. There’s no staring at a clock or calendar waiting for the EOD/weekend/break. You’re refreshed weekly, and you can hone your focus and structure your time so you are a cross functional superstar who never stops learning.

Length of travel

I usually stay in places for ~3 months . Why?

It fits under the constraints of the typical tourist visa. More on that in a second.

It gives you time to relax and focus in between the stressful travel sessions. Power trips of 9 countries in 3 weeks are for students on holiday. You need to be able to stop traveling and focus on work.

It gives you time to really explore and get to know a place and people. There are almost certainly local tech meetups, and there are likely to be other Toptal engineers  wherever you go now as well.

You can really try local culture. Learn to play polo in Argentina. Practice capoeira in Brazil. Go to trance festivals in Europe. If you don’t know where to start, join Internations  and go to expat meetups.

It helps with costs. Trips of this duration help you negotiate special medium-term deals on apartments, cars, vespas, etc.

Who to go with

A close friend/colleague You can split costs for a lot of things like cars, hotels, etc. You can also split the research and push each other to do things you might not do yourself (like go out to new places, go on adventures, rent a boat, etc.).

Alone Not for the faint of heart but not everyone has the flexibility you do as a traveling software engineer. If you don’t have anyone to go with, don’t let it stop you. With Internations and a network like Toptal, you can almost certainly go anywhere and immediately find people with lots in common.

A girlfriend/boyfriend Can be by far the most expensive option, but it’s probably the most rewarding and fun. Nothing brings compatible people together like adventure. However, nothing drives incompatible people apart like stress, so be careful. The other thing to consider is whether your significant other will also be working during your travels. If so, that’s tremendous, and you are very lucky. If not, that can be very hard. The added costs of having a dependent aside, you don’t want to be in a position where someone resents you for constantly working during what they’ve misunderstood to be a vacation. Luckily there are many interesting traveling freelance careers in addition to software engineering that are now doable remotely (e.g., executive assistant, translator, designer, tutor, entrepreneur, etc.).

What to take on your freelance travel adventure

Always a carry on. Pretty much always with me.

Laptop I use a MacBook Pro 15” Retina .

Unlocked Smartphone Get a local SIM card (usually a prepaid or pay-as-you-go for between $20-$50 at T-Mobile, Vodafone, etc., with a few GBs of data that you can top up as-needed) everywhere you go so you can always be online and never stress about what you’re missing. Don’t leave the store until you have the phone in your hands with working Internet. If you’re on an iPhone 5, you can almost always cut a micro SIM to fit the nano  SIM and it will work just fine.

Tablet You’re an engineer. Use Airdisplay  to enable your tablet as a second monitor. It also makes it much easier to work on planes: I used an iPad Mini  to write this post on a flight from LAX to Auckland, New Zealand.

GPS I rent cars and explore places a lot, so this is key. I have a Garmin Nuvi . I try to download the maps before I leave to go to anywhere new.

External charger iPhone batteries are terrible, and this saves the day.

Apple headphones For work, I use the ones that come with everything Apple . They never fail, and I live on Skype. I see lots of people with more expensive systems and they constantly have problems. It’s pointless.

Ethernet cable WiFi doesn’t always work.

Travel adapter You’ll use this everywhere. If you ever find yourself without one, ask the hotel if they have an extra.

New whiteboard marker It saves the day at least a couple times a year, whether it’s because you’re collaborating in a coworking space and all the markers are dead or you need to work out something John Nash-style .

Passport Take photos of this on your phone and also email them to yourself.

Insurance card Take photos of this on your phone and also email them to yourself.

SIM card collection

Business cards

Thera-Band Olympic gymnasts use these for resistance training. With 6” of rubber, you can do a full body workout anywhere . When you spend long hours on your computer, you need to get up and exercise  every hour.

Ibuprofen For headaches and general aches and pains.

Dramamine For motion sickness.

Probiotics For digestion. Traveling can be stressful, and new foods do unexpected things.

Deodorant Don’t let yourself expire .

Checked on flights. Leave your Louis Vuitton luggage at home. It just makes you a target, and your stuff will get stolen. Some traveling engineers or freelancers swear by expensive luggage, but I’ve used a basic 5-piece luggage set  since I graduated high school in 2004, and it’s worked fine.

• Dress shirt
• Dress shoes
• Running shoes. Running is a great way to explore places.
• Swim shorts
• Flip flops. For gyms, pools, and beaches.

Aka the toy bag; also checked on flights.

• Snowboards, polo equipment, surf boards, or whatever you need for your specific trip. It sounds strange, but always make sure your stuff is clean. Some countries (like New Zealand) are very protective, and if there’s dirt, sand, grass, hair, etc. on your stuff, they may take everything and sanitize it for you (in God knows what) at the airport, or even confiscate it.

Where to stay

Try NomadList  for selecting a city. The data here does not match my experience in many cases, but, overall, it gives a pretty good overview of some of the important aspects you’ll need to consider for each location you choose.

Airbnb  is what I use most, but it’s a PITA for medium-term stays. I see a need in the market for medium-term rentals. If you know of a better solution, please let me know! Unless you’re booking far in advance (something I find impossible), you’ll find Airbnb places might be available for a month straight except for one or two weekends where you’ll have to either temporarily move out or find another place. Don’t get too comfortable. I’ve had success asking the Airbnb hosts if they have recommendations on medium-term housing. They often have friends with unlisted places or can make special arrangements for you (like getting an apartment ready that they weren’t renting at all before… and since you’re there, you can check it out before you commit). Once you’ve stayed with them via Airbnb, you’ve earned their trust a bit, and they’re usually very helpful.

You need great Internet. So, for now, Antarctica is out. But most places are totally fine (and often better than in the US). However, you have to do your homework. As a traveling software engineer, you can never be unavailable due to bad Internet. Buy a pay-as-you-go SIM first thing, but still be sure to explicitly ask every host/hotel/realtor etc. what the Internet speeds are .

Here’s my standard message when making an inquiry on Airbnb:

Every hotel will say their Internet is great, but you can usually find reviews about how good their Internet really is on Tripadvisor  (and by Googling). Sometimes specific rooms at a hotel are ok while others are not. Do not get into a position where you can’t have a clear Skype call because you listened to a clueless receptionist.

You can also try All The Rooms . This is an aggregator of many house/apartment/hotel websites.

Kayak  and Hipmunk  are good for hotels/rental cars. However, you can usually call the hotels directly and negotiate better rates and upgrades.

Always ask for a better room or free upgrade when you check into a hotel. You’ll get something about 50% of the time.

Similarly, always try to negotiate a special weekly or monthly rate on housing and cars.

Don’t stay in hostels. You’re not a kid. You’re a professional engineer, and you need dedicated time to focus on work.

How to pull it off

The longer you wait, the more expensive it is That said, I hate planning, and I find that last minute usually works out fine. Worst case scenario: you’re uncomfortable for a little while (red eye flight, stuck in traffic while it’s 900 degrees, etc.) but you end up with a funny story and an adventure.

Rental cars (above) If you’re American, learn how to drive a stick shift before you go overseas. They are much cheaper to rent, and it’s often impossible to find an automatic.

Rewards programs Use TripIt  or SuperFly  to keep track of and redeem your rewards. They will build up over time.

Money I always try to carry a few hundred USD. It’s easily exchanged whereas others currencies aren’t always. Before you travel, you’ll also need to call your banks and let them know in which countries you’ll be using your debit card. Otherwise they may block it after your first transaction, and you’ll have a mess to untangle. Also, be sure to download a currency converter app so you know how much things cost; and when you need more cash, pull it from an ATM instead of an exchange in order to reduce fees.

Skype number Get one and add credit to it so you can call clients, hotels, etc. any time. It’s also wise to have it forward to your current mobile number so your clients and colleagues can call you when they need to.

Lost a charger or adapter? Ask the hotel desk. They usually have a box of them that other guests have left behind.

WiFi Check Foursquare for free WiFi hotspots. Rewards lounges usually have a WiFi network. Restaurants often do as well… just ask for the password. Many gas stations like Shell and OMV have open and fast WiFi as well.

Time zones Always use something like World Time Buddy  to easily double check time zones. Do not get into a position where you’re missing team calls because you forgot daylight savings time or you did the mental math wrong.

Any time you want.

As I mentioned earlier, most countries permit a three-month stay under their tourist visa. (Specifically, 90 out of every 180 days.) This is great for contract work overseas as a traveling engineer.

Most counties are very easy to go in and out of. The worst is always the US where I’m treated like a terrorist virtually every time I enter or leave. (I refuse to fly into Seattle–Tacoma International Airport ever again). For many countries (in my experience, as an American), all you need to do is show up at the border not looking like a criminal, and they will give you a tourist visa as you go through the airport. In some countries like Turkey, you’ll have to pay a small fee (~$20). In others, you need to fill out paperwork beforehand and pay a larger fee (e.g., Argentina and Brazil). I carry a printout of a recent bank statement and copies of my return tickets (if I have them) just in case a customs agent asks to see them (and some countries like New Zealand require them).

Always check visa requirements before you travel. I like using CheapoAir’s tool . If you have questions, call an embassy.

This sounds obvious, but don’t overstay your visas. While most countries are pretty forgiving (you pay a fee on your way out/in and you can’t come back for a while… if you’re caught at all), it’s not worth the stress (and waiting in that line feeling guilty and terrified is freaking stressful). If you love a place and want to stay longer, find a recommended lawyer on Internations  (just post a question asking for recommendations) and ask what it takes. For Europe, it’s pretty easy (at least in my experience as an American). You can go to a lax country like Hungary and pretty easily get a 1-year visa, which is then good for anywhere in the Schengen Zone .

Communication with clients. If the technical ability is there, then now it comes down to communication and reliability. I always tell traveling engineers and their clients that if I were to take each into a separate room, they need to always be able to give identical answers to the following three questions:

• What are you working on now?
• What were you just working on?
• What will you be working on tomorrow?

Maintaining that level of communication and transparency is not difficult in an office, but it’s also not difficult when you’re remote or overseas. Always be connected and proactive.

Always lock your suitcases with TSA approved locks . I’ve had lots of baggage get lost and several misc items get stolen.

When flying, always check the rates for business class. If you’re checking multiple bags, sometimes business class can be cheaper because the bags are free.

When you’re on long flights, get up and walk around every couple hours. You don’t want to die from a blood clot .

Shit will happen. Try to let it go immediately. You don’t need to (nor can you) plan every last detail when you travel, and you don’t need to follow every rule. Sometimes you need to wing it. Be impulsive. Seize an opportunity to jump on a train to Oktoberfest with a group of brand new friends. Invite the girl you can’t stop thinking about to a wild weekend in Turkey. Go to Georgia and party like Russia might come back tomorrow.

That’s when awesome happens. Welcome to Toptal.

Further Reading on the Toptal Blog:

• The H-1B Visa: An iOS Developer's Journey from Honduras to Silicon Valley
• Broad vs. Narrow Skillsets: Software Engineering Skills Demystified
• The Developer Resume Is Dead: Long Live the Portfolio
• A Digital Nomad Adventure: Traveling with Hacker Paradise
• Learn to Code: Wisdom and Tools for the Journey
• Freelancing

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How to travel the world as a developer

by Iskender Piyale-Sheard

We’ve all seen it. That Facebook photo of a friend posing on a paradisiacal beach — with a laptop and a coconut drink — and the caption: “my office for the day.”

For a lot of people, this is living the dream. And it’s not hard to see why.

Having a job that allows you to make your own hours and travel at the same time is pretty cool. But it’s not always easy.

So let’s talk about how you can get started. We’ll discuss some of the best resources you can take advantage of, and some things to watch out for along the way.

Set Realistic Expectations of Remote Work

First off, let’s get one thing straight. The beach is an awful place to work. You may have tried it once or twice to make all of our friends back home jealous of your incredible new lifestyle. But the fact of the matter is:

• The beach has no WiFi.
• Sand and salt mess up your computer (sand + magsafe adapter = no fun)
• You get horrible sun glare on your monitor.

And there are a hundred other reasons why you don’t actually want to try and work on a beach.

The reality of remote work is you’ll probably be spending most of your time in cafes, co-working spaces, public areas with wifi, and at home. And that’s great! There’s nothing wrong with that!

And for the record, all those people posting ridiculous photos of their “office for the day” are mostly full of it.

Take it from me — I’ve personally gone to these sorts of satirical extremes:

Challenges That Remote Developers Face

Some of the biggest challenges that remote developers face while working abroad are:

• Unreliable/slow wifi
• Finding consistent places to work (daytime/nighttime)
• Being surrounded by people on vacation (while you need to clock in hours for work)
• Coordinating work with people in different timezones
• Finding places to hop on a call with your coworkers/clients
• Navigating the legal issues around working remotely abroad without a work permit
• Staying focused while making your own hours

These may not seem like particularly big challenges at first, but when you’re on the road for a while they really start to pile up. And the more inconveniences you have, the more difficult it is to keep a steady routine.

What About The Good Stuff?

Now that we’ve cut through a lot of the difficult stuff, why don’t we dig into the juicy bits. What makes remote work great?

Remote work can be extremely rewarding if you get into a good groove with it. One of the best things about it is that even if you are working 40–50 hours week (or often more for business owners), as soon as you’re on a break, you get to pop out for lunch in Japan, or go for an after-work surf in Bali, or zip home on your scooter through some luscious green rice paddies in Vietnam.

You’ll start to notice that even if you don’t have many of the luxuries you might have back home (a car, a 4K TV, your blazing fast wifi, your entire home being automated with a Raspberry Pi), the novelty of living in a drastically different environment is a very fulfilling experience.

It’s really the novelty of all the small interactions you have outside of work, the places you get to explore on evenings and weekends or on a particularly nice afternoon that make remote work extremely satisfying. You get to make friends with locals, learn as much of a new language as you can, and soak in all that incredible culture.

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” — Bill Bryson

How To Get Started

There are a few ways of going about getting started with remote work — either by getting a new job, taking on freelance work, or negotiating with your boss.

Method #1: Find a remote job on a website like RemoteOK or any one of these 25 other websites .

Method #2: Find some freelance work opportunities through friends and acquaintances to build a client base. Or try websites like Upwork or Toptal .

Method #3: Negotiate a few small baby steps for remote work with your boss, then knock it out of the park. Try a couple days, then push for a couple weeks. Read this Lifehacker article on how to convince your boss.

Word To The Wise (a few little tips)

The biggest factors in making your remote work experience successful is maintaining a balanced healthy and sustainable lifestyle. So start establishing some routines.

Do you normally cook/work out?

Eating out all the time is an easy (and delicious) trap to fall into. Make sure you find ways to keep a healthy diet, and not be too frequently seduced by the tasty but junky tourist food. Work out? Find a gym, go for runs, or find some ways to get that exercise in.

Do you have a routine?

Set some standard office hours for yourself and stick to them. Wake up early and get your brain working, make a cup of tea, go for a walk and get the day started. It’s ok to stray away from the routine here and there but for the most part keep it consistent.

Do you have a steady spot?

Where are you going to be working from day to day? Find a cafe that has decent wifi and is open during the hours you need to work. Not enough? Then get a membership at a co-working space, hint they have awesome places all over the world. Scout out some great spots on Workfrom .

Do you have a vague idea of where to travel to?

You don’t have to have things planned out to a T. But getting some opinions on nice places to go that have reliable internet, great 4G SIM cards (major bonus points for places like Thailand and Taiwan).

The best places to start your search is on NomadList . You can filter by weather, ease of access, cost of living, internet speeds, and much more.

Do you have people around you who are working too? Hanging around in hostels and the like can be challenging because everyone you’ll meet will likely be on vacation. Not the ideal scenario for you, someone who is trying to take on sustainable long-term travel. Find others like yourself who are working remotely and you’ll benefit immensely.

Learn From Others

Over the course of your travels, you’ll meet lots of incredibly talented developers and entrepreneurs. One thing I’d emphasize more than anything else I’ve mentioned so far is to take advantage of opportunities to meet them.

Check out Meetup.com and find events near you. Go to co-working spaces and find local startups to meet with.

Being exposed to developers and entrepreneurs from all over the world is one of the most educational and rewarding experiences you’ll have. It will open your mind to diverse perspectives, philosophies, and expertise. There’s really nothing like it.

What About Co-working Retreats?

Some people call them co-working retreats, others call them co-workations. There are a million different names for these types of events.

One way or another, you’ve probably heard murmurs or gotten ads on Facebook about how to travel around the world for a year with a group of like-minded people. As a matter of fact, that’s how I started my work-travel adventure. For a year, I was the Trip Facilitator for a group called Hacker Paradise .

Today, these types of retreats are a dime a dozen. Everyone and their uncle has started some sort of travel+work, yoga+coworking, surfing+coworking retreat, and they can vary significantly in length, quality and price. Here’s a whole list of ones you can check out .

My only word of advice here is be careful and read lots of reviews before making a big commitment.

Recent bootcamp grad? Have a long think about this decision? Immediately delving into long term travel by yourself is probably a mistake. Your biggest goal right now should be to hack on new projects, contribute to open source, and solidify and build upon all the skills you’ve learned.

That being said, while you’re looking for work, joining a co-working retreat for developers for a few weeks could prove to be extremely beneficial. It could get you collaborating with brilliant developers. Together, you could hack on fun projects. You could build an incredible network of people who can share opportunities, connections, and advice.

Long Story Short

Want to work and travel? Awesome! Find a way and make it happen. Talk to successful people you know who’ve done it and ask for advice. Just like learning to code, you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

DRY: Don’t Repeat Yourself. Just like in programming, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Take advantage of all the awesome tools and resources people use to make their work/travel lives easier and more effective.

Take advantage of the incredible people you’ll meet and learn from them. Keep those connections close and they will inevitably come back to benefit you later.

Good luck and happy travels! Questions? Feel free to reach me on Twitter @izzydoesizzy .

Iskender Piyale-Sheard (aka Izzy) is the Community Manager at Lighthouse Labs , a web/iOS bootcamp in Canada. In his spare time, he likes to write about career growth, teach himself to code and work on fun community projects .

Find him at: izzydoesizzy.com

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15 Best IT Jobs with Travel (Traveling Computer Science Jobs)

by Erin Schollaert

Updated September 22, 2022

When many picture IT jobs, they think that you have to be stuck to your desk at all times: but there are a surprisingly large number of IT jobs with travel included in the description!

Regardless of your specialty or how much you’d like to make every year, there are plenty of options for anyone who wants to get out of the house, either on the road or in the air.

These are the top computer science jobs that travel and encourage workers to get out of the house!

1. Network and Computer Systems Admin

Average yearly income: $84,810 (BLS)

Working as a network and computer systems admin means most of your workday will be spent organizing, installing, and supporting an organization’s computer systems.

This is an incredibly detailed job to get into, and although most of the time you can work remotely: many customers and companies will fly you out to their location if they want you to work hands-on.

It’s one of the most popular jobs with a computer science degree due to the strong market demand.

So this can be a great opportunity for travel.

Trends on the Rise Almost 41% of computer systems admins are happy with their pay, which is 10% higher than the national average. Being more experienced and having a higher education will, of course, allow you to earn more in this role: but it’s one with a very high satisfaction rate.

2. Sales Engineer

Average yearly income: $94,002 (Glassdoor)

A sales engineer specializes in technologically and scientifically advanced products.

Using their refined technical skills, they’ll explain the benefits of their products and convince people and companies into buying said items.

This is one of the top traveling IT jobs because it’s necessary to travel to speak to many companies or individuals about buying or investing in your company’s product.

Sales engineers don’t have to be IT focused, and is in fact a popular side job for mechanical engineers .

Travel isn’t only available: it’s essential for this role, along with good communication and people skills.

3. Software Developer

Average yearly income: $107,510 (USNews)

Software developers are intelligent creatives that are behind masterminding computer programs.

In this role, you’ll conceive, design, and build computer or app programs or possibly even build underlying operating systems.

There are multiple ways you can get to travel with this job, but the most common is that you design software for a company, and they have you travel out to show how it works and introduce them to it.

Not to mention, there are also many high paying side jobs for software engineers .

Tactics for Success Many software developers say the key to a good career in this field is getting good at knowing how to research for answers on the job and not just guess if you don’t know something. Debugging is a must since you’re bound to run into endless problems; put a lot of emphasis on learning how to debug and training thoroughly in this portion so that your job will be easier when you get into the field.

4. Software Trainer

Average yearly income: $60,596 (ZipRecruiter)

A software trainer takes a software developer’s hard work and boils it down into a class on how to work the program and understand it clearly for anyone who needs to come in contact with it.

In addition, if you want to avoid stress this one of the top jobs without deadlines .

In this role, you may have to travel to train at a company’s many locations or even work with the software developer to better understand their design.

5. Computer Support Specialist

Average yearly income: $52,270 (USNews)

Computer specialists, also known as technical support specialists, troubleshoot, analyze, and evaluate computer network issues.

These workers play a huge role in maintaining their company’s networks and do multiple tasks, including performing file backups on the network.

In this role, you’d be able to travel with various companies to do routine maintenance across the board.

Support specialist is one of the most common ways to make money when injured .

6. Hardware Developer

Average yearly income: $140,983 (Glassdoor)

Computer hardware developers create the physical aspect of computers. They design new hardware and ensure that it manufactures perfectly according to their specs.

Some may even modify the hardware design to suit their company’s needs. This role would allow you to travel to keep an eye on the development of the hardware through each step of the process.

This market is expected to grow 2% in the next few years, but that’s massive for a tight market.

Trends on the Rise Although many worry about aging while working in IT jobs: the average age of an employed hardware developer is 43!

7. Information Security Analyst

Average yearly income: $99,730 (USNews) 

An information security analyst installs software like firewalls to protect computer networks.

They plan and carry out security measures to protect a company’s computer networks and systems, and this role changes and grows with the company.

With this job, many have to travel between headquarters and their main office, but more travel may occur as the company expands.

If you work as a freelancer, your ability to travel is multiplied many times over.

8. Technical Recruiter

Average yearly income: $85,111 (BuitIn)

Technical recruiters have one of the most important jobs in their industry. In this role, you’ll identify, recruit, screen, and then present great candidates for tech positions.

Your technology expertise is a plus, and you’ll get to collaborate with many parts of your company to ensure that the technical requirements are realistic.

In addition, you may get to travel with this job if they want to recruit from outside of the country, or there are multiple headquarters.

9. Project Manager

Average yearly income: $73,897 (Indeed)

A project manager plans, organizes, and directs the completion of projects so that they meet their time and budget limits without going over.

In this role, you’d have to travel if you worked for a larger company, or for multiple companies, to keep tabs on everyone who’s working on the project without losing sight of any part of it getting completed in the way that is so easy to do with a computer.

Tactics for Success Confidence is key in this role, although 75% of tech workers consider themselves introverts , this is a job where you have to command and be assertive. Get to know your team members regardless of where the company locates you: knowing their strengths and weaknesses will give you the chance to help the entire team succeed when it comes down to completing the project.

10. Work Year or Short-Term Contracts

Average yearly income: $74,752 (ZipRecruiter)

Freelancing is the best way to ensure you get to travel, you get to work as many interesting jobs as you want, and you get to get paid as much as possible.

In some freelancing gigs, a client will expect you to stay on location with them for the entirety of your contract, ensuring that you have a home base, while others don’t care where you are as long as your work is turned in on time and is of good quality.

11. Technology Architect

Average yearly income: $113,054 (Glassdoor)

A technology architect designs and plans the implementation of new systems and tech.

They help create the new and emerging technologies that come out every year and can prepare for the future.

Travel is a large part of this job, not only to allow you to take in information from all over the world but also to work with multiple companies when necessary.

12. Marketing Technology Specialist

Average yearly income: $74,630 (ZipRecruiter)

A marketing technologist works both in IT and marketing and helps create an awesome process to ensure that the product aligns with their company’s goals.

They lead the company in not only developing skills in employees but also helping with everything from overseeing the company website and managing data services.

If you work for a company that has multiple offices, you’ll get to travel to train and learn about these offices.

13. Systems and Server Engineer

Average yearly income: $91,113 (Glassdoor)

A systems and server engineer job will require you to configure and manage the servers of multiple operating systems, doing everything from installing to upgrading them while also adding enhancements.

This is an incredibly detail-oriented role that needs you to be able to think quickly on your feet since you’ll have to travel for your company so you can get as hands-on as possible.

14. IT Implementation Field Tech

Average yearly income: $59,992 (Glassdoor)

This role gets to travel a lot, but the projects can sometimes be tough.

Implementation field techs ensure the software and hardware systems a company invests in are well maintained and functional.

In this role, you may have to travel to ensure all of the company’s software and hardware are on the same playing field.

15. Software Quality Engineer

Average yearly income: $99,695 (Glassdoor)

Software quality assurance engineers design test plans, scenarios, procedures, and scripts.

They document defects and track bugs to keep on top of what parts of software need to be updated the most and which parts are exceeding expectations.

You’ll get to travel with larger companies, helping them unify their software and hardware experience, but smaller companies may not require any travel.

Wrapping Up

Whether you’re starting your career and don’t want to start a habit of staying behind your desk, or you’re ready for a large career change that will allow you to get out and see the world: there’s more to working in IT than being stuck inside.

Consider these jobs, and find one that offers everything you need!

Erin Schollaert

Erin is a business teacher and mother of three. When she’s not in the classroom or fulfilling her obligations as an A+ hockey and lacrosse mom, she’s working on her latest article.

• Erin Schollaert https://www.trendsandtactics.com/author/erinschollaert8799gmail-com/ 16 Funny Ways to Make Money that Pay Shockingly Well
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Best Tech Jobs at Travel Companies

Tech jobs are available in many businesses these days, including travel companies. Tech professionals like web designers, software developers, and data scientists are in high demand in travel tech companies. If you are a tech professional looking to work in the exciting travel industry, this article is for you. 

This guide contains details about tech jobs in some of the biggest travel firms in the world. We have also included a list of the top 15 travel companies that hire tech workers and the current job opportunities in those companies. 

Find your bootcamp match

Do travel companies hire tech workers.

Yes, travel companies hire tech workers for a wide range of tech jobs. Some of these jobs require frequent traveling, some are remote, and others are office-based. Your job responsibilities and the compensation you will receive depend on the role you have in these travel tech companies. 

Which Tech Experts are Travel Companies Hiring?

• Software engineers: Software engineers are technology experts who create different types of computer systems that solve real-world problems for individuals and businesses. A travel company may need a software engineer to provide technology solutions for their clients. 
• Web developers: Web developers are software developers who specialize in the design, development, and maintenance of websites and web-based applications. These experts can create websites for online travel companies and ensure that they meet the best practices for JavaScript , HTML, and CSS, which are considered the pillars of web development. 
• Mobile app developers: You will hardly find an online company that does not have a fully functional mobile application for its clients. Using mobile devices to get information is common nowadays. There were 15 billion active mobile devices in the world as of 2021, according to Statista, so travel firms know that it is essential to have mobile apps. 
• UX/UI designers: It is not enough to create a website. Travel companies need to make sure that visits to their websites are converted to sales and the only way this can happen is with a great UX/UI design. A user interface and user design expert is charged with ensuring that applications are attractive, fast, and functional. 
• Data analysts: If you are yet to choose a career in tech, you should consider becoming a data analyst. Data analysts help travel agencies collect, analyze, and model data, which is an essential part of helping the company make informed decisions. Data analyst salaries can be quite high and you can have access to excellent compensation packages. 

Most In-Demand Tech Skills in the Travel Industry 

• Software development 
• Data analytics 
• Cyber security 
• Machine learning (ML) 
• Cloud computing 

Top 15 Travel Tech Companies to Work For

Top 5 tech companies to join in travel: a closer look, expedia group.

Expedia Group is one of the most innovative companies in the world. Since it was founded in 1996, the company has helped solo travelers and businesses plan their trips to different parts of the world through online bookings. 

Expedia Group has several websites and mobile applications that provide a wide variety of services, from direct bookings of hotel rooms and airline tickets to car rental information. The platform also alerts travelers if any changes take place regarding their travel plans.

Tech Workers Employed by Expedia Group

• Software engineers 
• Web developers 
• Artificial intelligence engineers 
• Operations specialists 
• Machine learning engineers 

Current Job Openings at Expedia Group

The following jobs were open as of February 2022:

• Software Development Engineer III | $119,165: This position is available in several locations in the United States. The qualified candidates will be part of the company’s data organization group. They will be expected to design and develop software for self-service solutions. 
• Senior Manager, User Experience Design | $122,680:   If you have excellent skills in UX design, you can apply for this position that is currently available in Illinois, Chicago. It is a senior management position that involves coming up with groundbreaking strategies to help the UX design team provide customer satisfaction. 
• Machine Learning Scientist III | $145,149: The Washington branch of Expedia is looking for machine learning scientists to join its marketing data science team. The person who qualifies for the job will design and implement ML strategies and testing methods. 

Airbnb 

Airbnb is one of the most popular travel companies in the United States’ hospitality industry. Founded in 2008, the American-based company provides multiple travel-related services like hotel bookings, tourism activities, and vacation rentals in an innovative digital platform. The company has several subsidiaries that provide similar travel services, and you can find tech positions in all of them. 

Tech Workers Employed by Airbnb

• Software engineers
• Cloud engineers 
• Backend developers 
• Data scientists 
• Full stack engineers 

Current Job Openings at Airbnb

• Staff Fullstack Engineer, Guest Experience | $168,144: This position is available in Atlanta for full stack engineers with at least eight years of professional experience. The role involves using front end and backend technologies to create and maintain products in Airbnb’s service-oriented architecture. 
• Manager, Data Science- Algorithms, Trust | $232,494: Data scientists with over eight years of experience who want to work in San Francisco can apply for this job. You will build machine learning and deep learning models. The candidate will also come up with other data science strategies and supervise the data science team. 
• Staff Technical Program Manager, Infra Regionalization | $198,799: For this role, you will need up to 10 years of technical project management experience. You will take the lead during different technical projects in the company and you must have excellent communication skills.

American Express Global Business Travel 

American Express is most popularly known for its credit card services. However, the American Express Global Business Travel was launched specifically to provide travel services. This company helps businesses plan entire trips for groups and solo travelers. 

Tech Workers Employed by American Express Global Business Travel  

• Software developers 
• Financial analysts 
• Big data engineers 
• Project managers
• Salesforce administrators 

Current Job Openings at American Express Global Business Travel 

• Big Data Engineer | $130,166: A big data engineer at this company will be required to use big data tools like Hadoop and Amazon Web Services to create data pipelines. You will need a degree in computer science and strong leadership skills since you will be required to mentor others. You will also be in charge of data privacy and security. 
• Graphic Designer | $80,776: Graphic designers are currently needed for a remote job in the UK branch of this firm. You do not need a degree to apply for this job but you will need to present a project portfolio. Advanced knowledge of PowerPoint and Adobe software is important and you also must be a creative person. 
• Senior Software Developer | $141,418: Are you an experienced software developer with knowledge of TypeScript, C#, and TSQL? If yes, you can apply for this remote position in the United Kingdom. You will be required to build server-side applications from the ground up on your own. You may also need travel experience so you can develop suitable products.

G Adventures 

G Adventures is a global tourism firm that helps people who love to explore other countries organize their trips at affordable rates. The company handles flight bookings, hotel bookings, on-site tours, multi-city tours, and everything in between.  

Tech Workers Employed by G Adventures 

• DevOps engineers
• Project managers 
• Full stack developers 

Current Job Openings at G Adventures 

• DevOps Engineer | $125,088: This job post is available in the Canadian branch of G Adventures but you can do it remotely if you don’t want to travel. You will be required to work with different people in the development team to come up with innovative solutions. You need about five years of experience in your field. 
• Senior Full Stack Developer, CEO Systems | $112,733: As a full stack developer, you should be able to work on client-side and server-side software development. You must be proficient in Python, Django, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and other web technologies. You will also need at least two years of experience in a leadership role. 
• Junior Project Manager, ERP | $49,786: The project management role requires strong collaborative skills. The qualified candidates will work with the project management team to ensure that roadmap deadlines are met and the right project methodologies are followed. 

TripAdvisor

This platform helps travelers find the best deals and gives them estimates for travel costs regarding their journey to different parts of the world. Customers find a lot of travel advice about restaurants, hotels, and other topics related to travel. 

Moreover, other travelers may provide a travel list or travel plans of the best places to visit in a country. There are several job opportunities for remote tech workers at TripAdvisor since the company is primarily an online company. 

Tech Workers Employed by TripAdvisor

• DevOps engineers 
• QA mobile automation 
• Android developers 
• Application security engineers 

Current Job Openings at TripAdvisor

• Application Security Engineer | $105,954: If you have a bachelor’s degree in information technology, cyber security, or computer science, you can apply for this position. The role requires monitoring and ensuring the security of TripAdvisor web applications. You will also need some knowledge of cloud computing. 
• Android Developers | $125,373: This position is for Android developers who specialize in using the Kotlin programming language. Apart from your experience in Kotlin development, you will also need to know how to use GraphQL APIs, RxJava, or Dagger2. While it is not compulsory, experience in iOS technologies might help you too. 
• Senior DevOps Engineer | $139,042 : If you are a passionate DevOps engineer with at least two years of senior engineering experience, you might be a good fit for this role. Your job responsibilities will involve Linux system administration, software development with Java, and database administration skills. 

Where to Find Job Openings for Travel Tech Companies 

Indeed .

Since Indeed was launched in November 2004, it has built a reputation as one of the best places to get jobs across a wide range of sectors. You can use Indeed to find tech travel jobs from the comfort of your home. To increase your chances of finding a job with travel tech companies, subscribe to Indeed’s email list. 

FlexJobs is another popular job board for travel tech jobs. If you become a member of this platform and opt for premium features, you will get the first pick on available high-quality positions from different travel tech companies.  

Glassdoor 

Glassdoor was founded in 2007 as a job resource platform for workers to post their experiences in companies. Glassdoor also has a database dedicated to job openings in the tech industry and beyond. 

Should I Get a Tech Job in Travel?

Yes, you should get a tech job in the travel industry if this is your passion, as there are a lot of applications of travel technology. Most travel tech companies provide options for remote work, and some of them even offer sponsored vacation opportunities for every travel agent and tech worker alike. The travel industry may have taken a hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but things are quickly getting back to normal. 

Travel Tech Companies FAQ

Expedia Group is currently the biggest travel company. It has more than 24,500 employees and six different subsidiaries that provide travel-related services. It also relies significantly on technology to promote its services and offers several travel technology solutions.

Technology is used in marketing and improving customer experience. In recent times, several innovative companies have adopted the use of augmented virtual reality to give customers a preview of what they should expect during their vacation and before they make their travel bookings.

A travel technology company is an agency that relies significantly on modern technology to promote travel services. Tech travel companies use automated tools to offer an all-in-one platform for travel bookings, payments, and travel advice.

Mobile phones and universal Internet are the two most important technologies for frequent travelers. These ensure that you stay connected to your loved ones and the rest of the world irrespective of where you find yourself. There are also several tech tools that frequent travelers use to help them on their journeys.

About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication .

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Do Software Engineers Travel? (What You Should Know!)

If you’re thinking of working in the software development field, you may ask whether or not software engineers travel. This article will look at what the data says about software engineers and travel.

Yes, software engineers do get to travel. This career can involve traveling to conferences, client or partner offices, and other locations for business purposes. However, the amount of travel may vary depending on the company, job title, and location.

Despite this, many devs prefer to work remotely and do not have to travel as often. According to a  Stack Overflow survey , 85% of developers said their workplace has remote work.

So, it’s possible if you’re looking for a career in software development where you can travel. But, it’s essential to keep in mind that the amount of travel may vary depending on your company and position, with hybrid working becoming ever more popular.

In this article, we’ll explore whether or not software engineers get to travel, how often, and what factors influence their amount of travel.

Finally, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of travel when working in the software development field.

What Type of Position Offers the Most Amount of Travel for Software Engineers?

A position that offers a lot of travel for software engineers is a technical account manager role.

In this type of position, you would be responsible for working with customers and partners to help them deploy and use the company’s software products.

This involves a lot of travel, as you would be meeting with customers and partners all over the country (or even the world) to help them resolve any issues they are having and to help them get the most out of the company’s products.

If you’re interested in this type of role, it’s important to be prepared to travel frequently. You should have good organizational and logistics skills, as you will need to plan your transport, accommodation, and meetings.

It would help if you also were comfortable with public speaking, as you’ll often be presenting to large groups of people, including non-coding stakeholders who may not be familiar with technical jargon.

If you’re up for the challenge, a technical account manager role can be a great way to see the world while doing your job.

What Factors Influence the Amount of Travel?

Several factors influence the amount of travel for software engineers. One of the most important factors is the type of company that a software engineer works for.

Large companies often have offices worldwide, meaning their engineers may be required to travel to different parts of the globe.

Software powerhouses like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft have a significant global presence, so their engineers travel more frequently.

On the other hand, smaller companies may not have as many offices, and their engineers may not need to travel as often. The same applies to software contractors who often only travel if the expenses are attractive and the hourly rates high.

In fact, since the COVID-19 pandemic, remote working has become much more popular, which means that even for engineers who work for large companies, the amount of travel has decreased.

Another factor that influences how much travel a software engineer does is the type of work they are doing.

For example, if a software engineer is working on a project that requires them to meet with clients or partners in person, they will probably have to travel more frequently.

Also, some coding languages have a desperate shortage of qualified engineers, which can result in a lot of travel as companies search for the right talent.

Clojure and Chef, for example, are two languages that are typically hard to master.

Engineers skilled in these languages may be required to travel to different parts of the world to work on specific projects.

The upside to this for workers is that the pay is incredible. A software engineer with these skills can easily command a six-figure salary, which more than compensates for the increased travel.

Pros and Cons of Being a Software Engineer Who Travels

There are pros and cons to being a software engineer who is required to travel.

Some of the pros include:

• Seeing new places: One of the best parts about traveling for work is exploring new places. This can be a great way to see different parts of the world and experience new cultures.
• Meeting new people: When you travel, you’ll have the opportunity to meet new people from all walks of life, expand your network and make new friends.
• Learning new things: When you travel, you’ll also have the opportunity to learn new skills about how other coders do something which could be different but more effective than what you’re used to.

The negative side to traveling when working:

• It can be disruptive to your personal life: If you have a family or other commitments at home, traveling for work can be disruptive. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance can be challenging when you’re constantly on the road.
• Expensive: Especially if you’re required to fly frequently. If your company doesn’t pay for your travel upfront, it can affect your monthly budgeting! To save money on mobile data costs, consider using a free app like Textnow .
• Stressful: There’s no doubt that traveling can be stressful, especially if you’re constantly flying to different time zones or dealing with jet lag.

Overall, if you are single, don’t mind being away from home often, and are excited about the opportunity to learn new experiences.

Being a software engineer who travels frequently can be a great experience.

However, if you have family or other commitments at home, it’s crucial to weigh the pros and cons before deciding if this job is right for you.

Can I Work Remotely as a Software Engineer if I Don’t Want to Travel?

Yes, working as a remote software engineer is a popular choice, and many companies are happy to accommodate both remote and hybrid working for their dev staff.

This is mainly due to the skill shortage in this field, where companies struggle to find the right talent that meets their specific requirements.

This is key because it means that if you’re not interested in traveling or working on-site, there are still plenty of opportunities to work as a software engineer. 

A quick check on indeed.com for remote jobs  reveals thousands of jobs that don’t require travel!

The demand for remote workers has increased significantly since the pandemic started, and many companies have found that they can be just as productive when working remotely.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know that software engineers travel, you may wonder what the experience is like. Generally, traveling for work can be a lot of fun. It can allow you to see new places and meet new people. However, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, it’s important to be prepared for travel, ensuring that you have all the necessary documents and that your luggage is packed correctly.

You’ll also want to ensure you have everything you need to stay productive while on the road. This may include a laptop, charger, and headphones.

Just ensure your packing is secure, you don’t want pressure marks on your laptop that could render your device unusable.

Second, it’s important to stay organized while traveling. 

This means keeping track of your expenses and scheduling time for work during your trip. It can also be helpful to create a packing list, so you don’t forget anything important.

Finally, enjoying yourself while traveling is key, taking advantage of the opportunity to see new places and meet new people. Just be sure to balance work and fun, so you don’t get too overwhelmed.