Introduction - Statistician
Statisticians collect, analyze, and interpret quantitative data in order to help with decision making in the face of uncertainty, aka real-world problems, in business, engineering, the sciences, or other fields.
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- Data Analyst
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What does a Statistician do?
What are the typical responsibilities of a Statistician?
A Statistician would typically need to:
- Consult with clients and agree on what data to collect and how to gather it ethically and legally
- Design experiments, trials, or surveys to acquire required data
- Collect, analyze, and interpret data, ensuring the right decisions are taken based on the results
- Apply statistical methodology to complex data; monitor data collected throughout its shelf life
- Present results to senior managers, regulatory authorities, and clients; advise policy-makers on key decisions based on results
- Present findings at conferences, write reports, and write articles for publication
- Design and implement data gathering and management of computer systems and software; use statistics to make forecasts and provide projected figures
- Liaise with colleagues; carry out research, often as part of a team
- Supervise junior statistical staff; recommend ways to improve the design of future surveys or experiments
- Use data scrubbing techniques to separate files and check thoroughly for overall quality
Statistician Work Environment
Statisticians usually work in an office setting. They may have to travel to supervise projects, distribute surveys, collect data, and attend seminars or conferences. Some Statisticians may choose to telecommute, but even they have to travel often to fulfill their work commitments. You may have to operate as part of a multidisciplinary project team. Smart casual would be the preferred dress code unless otherwise specified.
Work Schedule Most Statisticians work full time; however, flexible working hours are standard. Paid overtime is occasionally available. Part-time work, work from home, and career breaks are also possible.
Employers Self-employment, as a consultant, is possible. Pharmaceutical and healthcare industries provide opportunities to travel abroad. Some international secondments are open to government Statisticians.
Statisticians are generally employed by:
- Pharmaceutical Companies
- Higher Education Institutions
- Operational & Scientific Research Establishments
- Contract Research Organizations
- Public Sector Research Organizations
- Regulatory Authorities
- Market Research Companies
- Manufacturing & Service Companies
- Investment Companies & Banks
- Insurance Companies
Unions / Professional Organizations Professional associations and organizations are a key resource for those interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in Statistics. Membership in one or more looks great on your resume to bolster your credentials and qualifications as a Statistician.
Workplace Challenges
- Legitimacy and integrity of the profession
- Workforce shortages
- Communication with non-statisticians
- Professional isolation
- Marginalisation
Work Experience for a Statistician
Work experience in the form of a work placement or a year in professional training can showcase how statistical methods work in real life. Government departments sometimes advertise summer placements for Statisticians in the civil service.
Recommended Qualifications for a Statistician
Students interested in becoming mathematicians or Statisticians should take as many math courses as possible in high school. A bachelor's degree in statistics, mathematics, or economics is sufficient for some entry-level jobs; however, Statisticians typically need a master’s degree. Some countries offer a two-year higher certification program or a graduate diploma in statistics instead of a bachelor’s degree.
Students of statistics are encouraged to take courses in fields such as computer science, engineering, physics, or mathematics. Computer programming courses may be particularly beneficial for students who wish to be Statisticians. In the case of an irrelevant undergraduate degree, a master’s in statistics or applied mathematics may be useful. Research and academic jobs generally require a PhD.
Certifications, Licenses and Registration Certification demonstrates competence in skills, typically through work experience, training, the passage of an examination, or some combination of the three.
Statistician Career Path
Many organizations employ Statisticians in small numbers, minimizing promotion opportunities. Promotion may be easier to find by changing employers once you have gained sufficient work experience. Larger companies usually have a promotion structure that allows for advancement into more Senior Management positions. A PhD may translate into a career advancement in research and teaching.
Some Statisticians move into related areas such as project management and regulatory work, or work as a freelance consultant. Within the government statistical service, career progression depends on performance and merit.
Statisticians in the pharmaceutical industry generally begin working under supervision with personal interest dictating the choice of advancement as a manager or a technical expert. Opportunities for employment abroad abound with the sheer number of international organizations.
Job Prospects Job opportunities are favorable for applicants with powerful quantitative and data analysis skills, computer programming skills, latest statistical methods, programming languages, advanced mathematical techniques and modeling, strong communication skills, and the ability to interpret and present their data and findings.
Statistician Professional Development
Statisticians with a master's degree or a PhD can usually develop new statistical methods or become independent consultants. Staff development programs in the form of short courses in computing software, presentation skills, management, and teaching are available to statisticians working in universities. On-the-job training is standard along with self-learning from various resources.
Learn More
Statistics is considered among the fastest-growing fields and most profitable careers while remaining one of the most rewarding and exciting areas. Statistics offers you a unique opportunity to apply in-depth numeric analysis to almost any field you could think of, that interests you. Practically any question a firm, a political party, or a researcher has can be solved with stats, and only a Statistician can answer them. Google, for example, uses statistics to determine what websites come up when you search for something. Amazon uses statistics to decide what products you might like.
Conclusion
You never get bored as a Statistician. Few careers offer as much flexibility. Considering that statistics is a career with no absolutes, the software you use, the decisions you make and the methodologies you employ once you gain experience, will allow you to produce some very fundamental analyses: something authentically yours.
Advice from the Wise An approximate answer to the right problem is worth a good deal more than an exact answer to an approximate problem.
Did you know?
Human eyes blink an average of 4,200,000 times annually. Seventy percent of birthmarks fade. This is how Statisticians work, calculating everything we wish to know--and even some things we don’t!