IT jobs are still poised to be extremely necessary in 2012, no matter what people may say about “cloud computing taking over the jobs of living, breathing people.” In fact, cloud computing has only created new roles for IT professionals in the coming year. Industry analysts told CIO Magazine they expect 2012 to be “10 to 15 percent better than 2011” in terms of hiring.

Here are five of the hottest IT jobs to look for in 2012…

Mobile app developers will continue to improve the lives of smartphone and tablet owners in the coming year. Job postings for Android and iPhone developers are up 129 and 190 percent, respectively, in fact. Starting salaries have gone up 9.1 percent in 2012 and range from $85-$123K per year. Mobile game developers working on the next “Angry Birds” phenomenon can expect to make anywhere from $110K to $140K per year, although many developers work on a contractual basis.

Software programmer IT jobs work with Java, .NET, C#, SharePoint and other web apps. The salaries range from $60,000 to $150,000 per year, and are largely based on experience. Some Java developers make $90 per hour! Web developers make $61,250 to $99,250 a year.

Security IT Jobs

Security is and always will be at the forefront of the industry. Without user privacy and security, the whole architecture would crumble. Postings for security IT jobs have jumped an astounding 141 percent from 2010-2011 alone. With so many companies shifting to cloud computing, there is an even bigger need to protect private data. Workers in this field make $89,000 to $121,500 a year.

Data Mining IT Jobs

Analytics are everything for companies that want to manage their bottom line and implement only the most successful website designs and online promotional strategies. IT jobs increased 6.7 percent in this field and are poised to increase even more. Analysts and data miners earn an average of $88,000 to $119,000.

Infrastructure IT Jobs

There is renewed demand for network engineers and systems administrators, thanks to the cloud computing phenomenon. These IT jobs involve managing virtual servers and storage environments, as well as orchestrating operating systems upgrades like Windows 7. Salaries are expected to increase 5.8 percent, along with the rising demand. On average, these workers will make $75,000 to $107,750.