New Cohort Starts:

Donate

3D074 Career Guide

Air Force

3D074: Cyber Systems Programmer

Career transition guide for Air Force Cyber Systems Programmer (3D074)

Translate Your 3D074 Experience Now

Get a personalized AI-powered translation of your military experience into civilian resume language.

Start Free Translation

Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 3D074 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Software Developer

$115K
High matchVery high demand

Database Administrator

$98K
High matchHigh demand

Software Quality Assurance (SQA) Engineer

$92K
High matchHigh demand

Information Security Analyst

$105K
Good matchVery high demand

Skills to develop:

Security certifications (e.g., CISSP, Security+)Knowledge of compliance frameworks (e.g., NIST, HIPAA)

IT Project Manager

$110K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Project Management Professional (PMP) certificationAgile methodologies (e.g., Scrum, Kanban)

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 3D074 training built — and where they transfer.

System Modeling

You created mental models of complex software systems to understand how different components interacted and to predict the impact of changes or upgrades.

This ability to visualize and understand complex systems translates directly to analyzing and optimizing business processes or IT infrastructure in the civilian world.

Rapid Prioritization

You routinely prioritized software bug fixes, feature implementations, and security patches based on their impact on mission-critical systems and user needs.

Your experience in quickly assessing and prioritizing competing demands is highly valuable in fast-paced civilian environments where you must make critical decisions under pressure.

Procedural Compliance

You rigorously adhered to DoD directives, security standards, and software development lifecycle (SDLC) processes to ensure the integrity and security of software systems.

Your meticulous attention to detail and commitment to following established procedures is essential for ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements in various industries.

After-Action Analysis

You conducted thorough reviews of software failures, security incidents, and testing outcomes to identify root causes, implement corrective actions, and prevent future occurrences.

Your ability to analyze past events, learn from mistakes, and implement improvements is critical for continuous improvement and risk mitigation in any organization.

Resource Optimization

You optimized software development processes, testing strategies, and configuration management practices to maximize efficiency and minimize waste of resources.

This skill in optimizing workflows and resource allocation is highly transferable to roles focused on process improvement, cost reduction, and operational efficiency in the business world.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Business Intelligence Analyst

SOC 15-2051

You've been developing standardized tools to transform raw data into actionable intelligence. As a Business Intelligence Analyst, you'll leverage your analytical skills to identify trends, patterns, and insights from business data to inform strategic decisions. Your ability to understand complex systems and prioritize information will be invaluable.

IT Risk Manager

SOC 11-3021

You've been ensuring compliance with security standards and protecting systems from unauthorized access. As an IT Risk Manager, you'll use your experience in identifying vulnerabilities, assessing risks, and implementing security controls to safeguard an organization's IT assets and data.

Data Quality Manager

SOC 11-3021

You've been debugging code and ensuring data accuracy. As a Data Quality Manager, you'll leverage your analytical skills and attention to detail to establish and maintain data quality standards, ensuring that data is accurate, complete, and reliable for decision-making.

Process Improvement Specialist

SOC 13-1081

You've been optimizing software development processes and testing strategies. As a Process Improvement Specialist, you'll use your analytical skills and problem-solving abilities to identify areas for improvement in business processes, streamline workflows, and enhance efficiency.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Cyber Warfare Operations (CWO) Training, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado Springs, CO

1,200 training hours30 weeksUp to 15 semester hours recommended

Topics Covered

  • Software Development Fundamentals
  • Database Management and Design
  • Cybersecurity Principles and Practices
  • Scripting Languages (Python, PowerShell)
  • Operating Systems (Windows, Linux)
  • Network Protocols and Services
  • Configuration Management
  • Secure Coding Practices

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

CompTIA Security+70% covered

While your experience covers security concepts, you'll need to study specific CompTIA Security+ exam objectives, including risk management, cryptography, and security technologies and tools.

Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP)60% covered

You'll need to study specific SDLC methodologies, software engineering principles, and project management techniques as defined by the IEEE CSDP certification.

Project Management Professional (PMP)50% covered

You'll need to study the PMI's PMBOK guide, focusing on the five process groups (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, Closing) and ten knowledge areas. Focus on formal project management methodologies.

Recommended Next Certifications

Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)AWS Certified Developer - AssociateCertified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) certification (e.g., SAFe Agilist, SAFe Practitioner)

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
Air Force Network Operations (AFNETOPS)Network Operations Centers (NOC) using ITIL frameworks
DoD Information Technology Portfolio Repository (DITPR)Enterprise Architecture (EA) tools and IT portfolio management software
Automated Message Handling System (AMHS)Secure messaging platforms like Microsoft Exchange with encryption or specialized secure email gateways
Remedy Action Request System (Remedy ARS)ServiceNow or Jira Service Management
Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS)Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) methodologies with requirements management tools (e.g., IBM Rational DOORS)
DISA STIGs (Security Technical Implementation Guides)CIS Benchmarks and industry-standard security hardening guides
VersionOneAtlassian Jira Align, or other agile portfolio management platforms

Ready to Translate Your Experience?

Our AI-powered translator converts your 3D074 experience into ATS-optimized civilian resume language.

Translate My Resume — Free