The 50 Most Surprising Remote Jobs in 2020

As the number of employees working remotely increases a survey by FlexJobs unveils some surprising jobs being performed remotely. The survey indicates that 50 jobs that would normally be considered as traditional office-based have shifted towards remote gigs.

“As everyone broadens their views of the workplace, I fully anticipate we will continue to see a growing variety in remote job titles into 2021.” This according to Sara Sutton, Founder and CEO of FlexJobs, in the announcement for the survey.

FlexJobs Most Surprising Remote Jobs

Work from home has been gaining traction in the workplace even before the pandemic. Initially spurred by employers’ desire to provide a work-life balance for employees as well as raise productivity. Projections indicate that up to 70% of the American workforce will be working remotely at least five days each month by 2025.

Additional findings of the survey include:

• Positions such as apparel product development consultant, architect, associate scientist, bridge engineer and conversation designer are among the top surprising remote work opportunities, according to FlexJobs.
• Employee demand and more accepting attitudes from employers around remote work is changing perceptions.
• More and more jobs formerly considered as in-office work are likely to start being performed remotely.
• The 50 unlikely remote jobs are either active postings or were active at some point during 2020.
• These positions range from entry-level to senior-level and span across a wide range of industries.

50 Most Surprising Remote Jobs of 2020

• 1. Apparel Product Development Consultant
  2. Architect
  3. Associate Scientist – Climate Impact and Snow Modeling
  4. Bridge Engineer
  5. Conversation Designer
  6. Cosmetology Practice Question Writer
  7. Culinary Arts Virtual Teacher
  8. Dental Assistant or Hygienist
  9. Digital Painter
  10. Director of Identity and Freelancer Fraud
  11. Electrical Controls Analyst
  12. Fertility Utilization Review
  13. Festival Coordinator
  14. Finance and Banking Translator
  15. Fitness Instructor
  16. Geospatial Analyst
  17. Home Stylist
  18. Infectious Diseases Research Scientist
  19. In-Game Chat Moderation
  20. Junior Food Photographer
  21. Lead Chef Instructor – Pastry
  22. Lead Sediment Design Engineer
  23. Lead Telehealth Creative Arts Therapist
  24. Life Coach
  25. Menu Team Supervisor
  26. Mixology and Bartending Instructor
  27. Navy Readiness Improvement Program Lead
  28. Northern Mine Geotechnical Specialist
  29. Nurse Practitioner
  30. Organic Handler Certification Specialist
  31. Pattern Maker
  32. Phonetician
  33. Project Manager – Custom Farm Builds
  34. Prop Styling Photographer
  35. School Social Worker
  36. Scientist
  37. Script Analyst
  38. Senior Mortgage Underwriter
  39. Senior Scientist – Biocompatibility Specialist
  40. Simulation Creator
  41. Social Support, COVID-19
  42. Spaceship Physics Developer
  43. Strategic Partner, Sports
  44. Styling Team Lead
  45. Teleradiologist
  46. Tissue Regeneration Specialist, Surgical and Sports Medicine
  47. Toxicologist
  48. Trade Book Strategist
  49. Virtual STEM Camp Director
  50. Wildlife Scientist

How to Get Your Employer to Buy-in on Remote Working

With social distancing and health concerns, various industries are now starting to reconsider what types of jobs can be done from home. This comes at the heels of a recent report where 65% of workers prefer to work remotely full-time in the post-pandemic era. With an additional 31% swaying towards a mix of both home and in-office work after COVID-19.

FlexJob has developed a guide for employees seeking to convince their employers to consider a work from home arrangement. The guide advises a written request to work from home permanently. It explains the perks of a permanent arrangement and a potential work from home schedule and communication details.

Growth of Remote Working

One of the reasons why remote working has grown is because of the advances in technology that have made transitioning to remote working much easier. Even before the pandemic, a steady slew of communication and collaboration tools such as Zoom, Slack and Microsoft Teams made it easy for teams to stay connected and productive.

Remote working offers great opportunities and flexibility for businesses as well. It allows them to save a considerable amount of money on office space, insurance, and taxes.

This comes in handy in times when business is slow or other unforeseen conditions. By exploring remote working, businesses can expand the pool of candidates they hire irrespective of location. For employees, one of the first things working remotely does cut commuting costs. Additionally, it allows them to spend more time with their family and live in areas with lower costs of living. Remote workers on average can save up to $ 2,000 when working two to three days from home every week.

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