Data Science Jobs

Data science is one of the most in-demand technologies today. It’s a field that involves the gathering of vast amounts of data, and unravelling hidden patterns and trends in those to drive the growth of an organisation. With data being generated at an unstoppable pace, the need for individuals to process and make sense of the same has become paramount. 

✅ Who is a data scientist? 

A data scientist is someone who gathers and analyses large sets of data — mostly messy and unstructured — and puts the findings into perspective to make it more valuable for an organisation. 

A data scientist has to have a unique blend of skills because the role involves a mix of computer science, statistics, and mathematics. Based on the insights of a data scientist, an organisation can identify trends that help them make better decisions and create new job opportunities. 

Over the past decade, there has been a huge paradigm shift in the data science industry that has led to a change in the hiring practices of most organisations. With the need to mine vast troves of data for information and insights, the demand for data science professionals — to capture, process and share this information — has increased by leaps and bounds. As a result, the number of data science jobs has also increased exponentially. 

✅ What are the minimum requirements to get jobs in the field of data science? 

The profession has become a veritable goldmine for the right kind of talent. But before you take the plunge into the world of mining and interpreting data, you need to know if you have these essential skills that will help you get your foot in the door. 

A solid grounding in math and algorithms: Data science uses complex machine learning algorithms to find unseen patterns and extract meaningful information to make business decisions. You need to hold a Bachelor’s degree in computer science, social sciences, physical sciences or statistics, as they would give you the skills required to process big data. Then, to have the edge over others, get a Master’s degree or even a Ph.D. 

• Statistics: One of the key skills needed for data science jobs, statistics enables you to interpret data. 
• Machine learning & AI: Familiarize yourself with machine learning methods if you are looking for a job in an organization that is data-driven. 
• Programming skills & language: You need to have strong programming skills and in-depth knowledge of working with Python, SAS, R Programming, Open Source, etc. Knowledge of big data platforms such as Aster, Apache Spark and Hadoop, is also preferred. This apart, you would also be expected to write and execute queries in SQL. 
• Data visualization: Having good knowledge and experience in data visualization is one of the key requisites of a data science job. These are the main technical skills required for data science jobs. Apart from this, a few analytical skills as well are very critical to your success as a data scientist. As you will be dealing with a lot of raw data, you need to identify areas of concern and find solutions for the organization, putting that analysis into perspective. Let’s take a look at those: 
• Understanding of human behaviour: The behaviour of an individual can be tracked from various sources - smartphones, laptops, televisions, smart speakers, credit and debit cards, fitness trackers, etc. By collating this data and arriving at insights, an organisation can develop stronger policies. 
• Communication skills: Are you curious? Do you ask a lot of whys? One of the many traits of a good data scientist is to ask a lot of questions, at least in the initial stages of a project. You should carefully listen to the stakeholder’s requirement and understand the problem areas to solve them. Once you have arrived at the results, you need to present those to the stakeholders clearly. 
• Analytical skills: These are critical to your success as a data scientist. As you will be dealing with a lot of raw data, you will need to identify areas of concern, put that analysis into perspective and find solutions for the organisation. 

✅ What are various job roles that you can expect in a data science job? 

Data science is a relatively nascent sector. Organisations are not rigid when it comes to offering a designation. However, there are four profiles where you can make a mark: 

• Data scientist: This is the most common designation you’d find while looking for data science jobs because it’s easy to search for and apply. For the same profile, some organisations also use designations such as business intelligence expert or market analyst. 
• Data analyst: This role demands a lot of technical know-how. It involves using the organisation’s data to develop insights to power actions that can be taken. 
• Data engineer: The backbone of a large organisation, a data engineer is expected to work towards software development. 
• Business intelligence developer: This role requires a know-how of the fundamentals of analytics and the IT department. A candidate is expected to have advanced knowledge of all popular machine learning tools. 

✅ What is the kind of salary you can expect as a data scientist? 

• If you are a fresher, your starting salary would be around ₹5 lakh per annum. 
• Those with over a year’s experience can expect a salary of around ₹6-7 lakh per annum. 
• A mid-level data scientist (5 to 9 years’ experience) earns around ₹10 lakh per annum. 
• If you are a senior-level data scientist, your annual package would be over ₹17 lakh. 

✅ What’s the future look like for a career in data science? 

Data science has become an essential part of any business today, given the massive explosion in data and the need to harness that for the success of an organisation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, though there were massive job cuts globally, one sector that remained cushioned from the crisis was data science. 

If a recent study conducted by edtech firm Great Learning is to be believed, job openings for data scientists and analysts have only grown since January 2020. As per the study, India accounted for 9.8% of the world’s analytics job opportunities or 93,500-plus openings in August 2020 as compared to 7.2% about seven months ago. 

A major factor contributing to this huge demand for data scientists and analysts is that more jobs are being outsourced to India-based firms in view of the pandemic. Another reason is the increased funding by captive firms and international IT/ KPO corporations in local analytics startups. The demand for mid and senior-level professionals (7 to 15 years of experience) is also soaring at present. 

With so much happening in this area, there’s never been a better time to pursue a career in data science!