Where a data scientist can go next
12 destinations recorded, ranked by how much of the target role a data scientist already meets. The closer to the top of Table 1, the less there is to learn.
Data scientists find and interpret rich data sources, manage large amounts of data, merge data sources, ensure consistency of data-sets, and create visualisations to aid in understanding data. They build mathematical models using data, present and communicate data insights and findings to specialists and scientists in their team and if required, to a non-expert audience, and recommend ways to apply the data.
Also known as data expert, research data scientist, data research scientist, electromobility data scientist.
Professionals 97 skills on file 12 career moves 12 above 60% overlap Closest: data analyst, 80%
- 70% and above · short step
- 50 to 70% · real move
- Below 50% · substantial retraining
Table 1 · Within reach
- data analyst 80% covered · difficulty 32.3
- demographer 72% covered · difficulty 41.2
- biometrician 69% covered · difficulty 45
- religion scientific researcher 69% covered · difficulty 40.7
- statistician 68% covered · difficulty 47.8
- astronomer 67% covered · difficulty 45.4
- data quality specialist 66% covered · difficulty 39.3
- seismologist 66% covered · difficulty 48.3
- philosopher 65% covered · difficulty 46.2
- meteorologist 65% covered · difficulty 47.6
- communication scientist 65% covered · difficulty 47.7
- computer scientist 64% covered · difficulty 52.3
Table 2 · What the job itself asks for
A data scientist needs 63 required skills and areas of knowledge. These 10 are the ones fewest other jobs share, so they say the most about the work.
- build recommender systems working with computers
- collect ICT data information skills
- develop data processing applications working with computers
- handle data samples information skills
- data ethics arts and humanities
- normalise data working with computers
- statistical modeling techniques natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- implement data quality processes working with computers
- online analytical processing information and communication technologies (icts)
- data visualisation software information and communication technologies (icts)
Table 3 · Jobs that lead here
The reverse view: occupations whose skills already cover much of what a data scientist does. The figure is how much of this job each one brings.
Look up another occupation
Data scientist is filed under Professionals, ISCO major group 2. The full index lists all ten groups.
How these figures were compiled
Overlap is how much of the target role is already part of a data scientist’s work. It is directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. Every entry above opens the full comparison for that move: what carries over, what is missing, and where to start. The full method.