The specialty of manual testing and development quality control, often called Manual QA or quality assurance, remains the most popular field among Russian women working in IT, according to a SkillStaff study. SkillStaff is a platform that connects freelance IT specialists with project opportunities, and its findings shed light on career preferences within the Russian tech scene for early 2023. The study highlights how these professionals prioritize hands-on defect detection and software reliability, setting a clear trend in the Russian tech workforce that resonates with teams worldwide, including Canada and the United States where QA remains a critical capability for product quality and user satisfaction.
As reported by SkillStaff, the manual QA specialization was held by 15% of women on the platform at the start of 2023. This designation refers to professionals who identify and analyze software issues without relying on automated tooling, emphasizing keen analytical skills, meticulous observation, and a strong understanding of end-to-end workflows. In an era of rapid software delivery and frequent updates, such expertise continues to be valued for its ability to catch defects that automated tests might miss and to guide teams toward more robust releases.
The second most popular specialization among these professionals is systems analysis, accounting for about 14.6% of women on the platform. Systems analysts bridge business needs and technical solutions, translating requirements into feasible architectures and workflows. Close on its heels, business analysis rounds out the top three, with roughly 11% of the platform’s women working in this area. These roles collectively reflect a strong emphasis on understanding how software supports real-world processes, a focus that is increasingly important for multinational teams building products for global markets, including North America.
Beyond these core roles, the largest groups of women on the platform are found in UX/UI design, automated QA testing, frontend development, and Java development. This distribution illustrates a balanced mix of design, automation, and core development skills among Russian female IT professionals, which aligns with global hiring trends that favor cross-functional teams capable of delivering user-friendly and reliable software at scale.
In terms of seniority, about a quarter of all women on the platform hold a Senior developer rank. This level of experience is particularly prevalent among systems analysts, suggesting a strong progression path from analysis to more comprehensive product leadership. Senior professionals bring strategic insight, mentoring capabilities, and a deep understanding of complex systems, which resonates with the needs of larger teams and international clients who rely on seasoned expertise for critical project phases.
Geographically, the study shows that most Russian women on SkillStaff originate from Moscow and St. Petersburg, followed by cities such as Ulyanovsk, Krasnodar, and Taganrog. The geographic spread points to regional hubs where tech ecosystems have grown robust enough to support high-quality software work and freelance opportunities. This urban concentration mirrors broader patterns in the tech world, where capital cities and regional tech centers often serve as knowledge and talent pools for global companies seeking skilled professionals, including those in Canada and the United States.
Professionals who have already entered the workforce emphasize the importance of practical, real-world problem solving in IT. They note that a solid grounding in testing, analysis, and design strengthens collaboration with development teams and accelerates the path to reliable software. For employers outside Russia, these insights translate into a workforce that can contribute effectively to distributed teams, hybrid workflows, and international projects—an asset in today’s global tech landscape.
Overall, the SkillStaff findings present a detailed portrait of the IT gender landscape in Russia, with manual QA, systems analysis, and business analysis forming a strong core for many professionals. The data also underscores the vitality of design and development roles that complement QA expertise. As companies in Canada and the United States continue to expand their hiring of remote and hybrid tech teams, these trends offer a relevant lens into the kinds of skills and career paths that are both common and increasingly globally valued.