Hello! I work as a Data Scientist at Gore Mutual. I'm here to tell you about the role so you can decide if it's the right career for you.

What makes a good Data Scientist?

Good Data Scientists are not only technically strong. They also understand and care about their product.

They collaborate closely with cross-functional partners and other Data Scientists, communicate their work, and proactively tell stories to drive the business forward.

Check out the infographic below for some basics on what a data science career looks like (or click the play button on the audio player below for an audio description):

Image source: elearninginfographics.com

Coding

• SQL is a must

• Python or R will likely be a must or at least preferred

Statistics

• Familiarity with foundational statistical terms like hypothesis testing, regression, bayesian, p-value, etc.

Machine Learning Modeling

• Understanding the fundamentals of machine learning is usually preferred

• Building machine learning models might be optional

Build Data Pipelines

• Build data pipelines to simplify the querying process and schedule regular data processing activities

Create Dashboards

• Present data and insights to business and executive leaders as well as stakeholders in a visual format (can be charts/diagrams/plots)

Drive Business

• Influence the roadmap of a product

Operational Excellence

• Produce reliable and actionable insights, not just create predictive models

Communication and Collaboration

• Work with cross-functional teams by clearly communicating insights and recommendations

• Undergraduate degree in Computer Engineering

• Masters in Management Sciences focusing on Data Science

• Started working as a Data Analyst at Gore Mutual

• Promoted to Data Scientist

To prepare for a role as a Data Scientist: