Data scientist job description

Your guide to finding and hiring the right person for your organization

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Job description

What does a data scientist do?

A data scientist knows how to extract meaning from and interpret data. This unique skill set requires the aid of statistical methods and machinery, but largely relies on analytical brain power. Data scientist jobs exist in a variety of industries. Because raw data can rarely be used reliably, businesses look to these technical experts to collect, clean, and validate their data. This meticulous process requires persistence and software engineering skills. A data scientist’s expertise is integral to understanding data, finding patterns, and using their knowledge to help build and improve a company’s products or services.

To write a strong job description for a data scientist, start with the template below and tailor it to your individual needs.

How to write a data scientist job description

Finding the best data scientist depends on having a well-written job description, so begin with a compelling summary of the role within your company. While much of the job description will be lists of objectives, responsibilities, and qualifications, a good portion should also convey what it’s like to work for your company and how the candidate will make an impact. Keep the writing brief and jargon-free so that quality candidates will click, read, and respond.

Data scientist job description template

This sample job post will introduce your organization’s culture and values, while helping potential candidates understand how they’ll contribute from Day 1.

Sample data scientist job description

At [Company X], we rely on insightful data to power our systems and solutions. We’re seeking an experienced data scientist to deliver insights on a daily basis. The ideal candidate will have mathematical and statistical expertise, along with natural curiosity and a creative mind. While mining, interpreting, and cleaning our data, this person will be relied on to ask questions, connect the dots, and uncover hidden opportunities for realizing the data’s full potential. As part of a team of specialists, the data scientist will “slice and dice” data using various methods and create new visions for the future.

Objectives of this role

Collaborate with product design and engineering teams to develop an understanding of needs
Research and devise innovative statistical models for data analysis
Communicate findings to all stakeholders
Enable smarter business processes by using analytics for meaningful insights
Keep current with technical and industry developments

Responsibilities

Serve as lead data strategist to identify and integrate new datasets that can be leveraged through our product capabilities, and work closely with the engineering team in the development of data products
Execute analytical experiments to help solve problems across various domains and industries
Identify relevant data sources and sets to mine for client business needs, and collect large structured and unstructured datasets and variables
Devise and utilize algorithms and models to mine big-data stores; perform data and error analysis to improve models; clean and validate data for uniformity and accuracy
Analyze data for trends and patterns, and interpret data with clear objectives in mind
Implement analytical models in production by collaborating with software developers and machine-learning engineers

Required skills and qualifications

Seven or more years of experience in data science
Proficiency with data mining, mathematics, and statistical analysis
Advanced experience in pattern recognition and predictive modeling
Experience with Excel, PowerPoint, Tableau, SQL, and programming languages (ex: Java/Python, SAS)
Ability to work effectively in a dynamic, research-oriented group that has several concurrent projects

Preferred skills and qualifications

Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in statistics, applied mathematics, or related discipline
Two or more years of project management experience
Professional certification