Order up a new career in online food delivery

Food delivery is no recent phenomenon. The concept of take-out goes back to at least ancient Greece. During World War II, volunteers brought meals to families who’d lost their homes and kitchens in the London Blitz bombings. There’s something undeniably appealing, even comforting, about having someone take your order, make your food, and bring it to you—preferably quickly.

Things have gotten a bit more high-tech since then, to the point that Amazon may soon be able to deliver goods to your door before the thought of ordering them even crosses your mind. But they’re far from the only ones making strides in this space: new restaurant delivery startups seem to appear faster than the time it takes to request an Uber—which, by the way, is getting into the food delivery game itself.

With more and more companies and investors jumping on the delivery bandwagon (or motor scooter, as the case may be), it’s a great time for job seekers who’d love nothing better than to refine the exact process by which a pizza is transported from a hot oven to your dining room. And by dining room, we mean bedroom, because let’s be honest: no one who orders dinner off their iPad is getting out of their pajamas in the immediate future.

At any rate, let’s take a look at a few of the different markets (and corresponding job opportunities) within the new, still-developing space connecting the food and tech industries.

1. Restaurant apps

Companies: Seamless, Grubhub, EAT24, Postmates

What they do: These companies serve as middlemen between local restaurants and their customers, allowing users to order food online rather than calling it in and running the risk of getting their dumplings fried instead of boiled (it still happens). User experience is a major battleground here: when multiple companies all offer slightly different variations of the same service, you need to find unique ways to make the end product more appealing than the competition.

What you’ll do: Senior software engineer, sales executive, search engine marketing specialist

Outlook: The market for online restaurant delivery is estimated to be worth $70 billion, but saturation is a bit of an issue. GrubHub, which merged with Seamless in 2013, has high profits but struggles to attract new customers. You evolve or you die: Postmates, for instance, uses an Uber-like fleet of drivers to make pickups from restaurants that might not have their own delivery personnel. So if you really want Taco Bell but can’t bring yourself to face the outside world (a common conundrum), they’ve got you covered.

2. Online grocers

Companies: Instacart, Amazon Fresh, FreshDirect

What they do: Online grocers come in a couple of different flavors. Some stock and sell their own groceries, while others serve as intermediaries between grocery stores and their customers. FreshDirect, first offered in 2002 in the New York area, was a trailblazer in the former category. Instacart, which is making huge strides in the latter one, will deliver items from participating local shops within an hour or two of ordering (Target is their latest big get).

What you’ll do: Accounting assistant, software development manager, senior operations analyst

Outlook: 2015 could go down as the year online grocery delivery exploded. Forbes named Instacart America’s most promising company earlier this year, and a Series C funding round that valued it at more than $2 billion is just one illustration of investors’ confidence. Google is getting on board, and Walmart plans to launch its own groceries-on-demand service next month, but will only offer in-store pickup.

3. Meal kit services

Companies: Blue Apron, Plated, Munchery

What they do: Want to prepare a home-cooked meal without the hassle of finding a recipe, hitting the grocery store, and wandering the aisles for hours as you try to track down one esoteric spice or another? These services will do it for you, delivering fresh ingredients and an accompanying recipe a few times a week.

What you’ll do: Technical recruiter, associate counsel (legal team), VP of industrial engineering

Outlook: Food-industry consulting firm Technomic predicts between $3 billion and $5 billion in growth over the next 10 years in this sector. Blue Apron recently expanded its service to deliver wine—although at $65.99 per month, subscriptions will likely be prohibitively expensive for some.

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