Individuals with strong mathematical skills, efficient organizational habits, and an eye for detail may find success as data specialists. The transfer of information from traditional paper files to electronic databases has created a demand for data specialists. The work environment for this position can be diverse, but research facilities and laboratories are common. A person in this position’s typical responsibilities include conducting data research, conducting research testing, creating and editing databases, giving presentations, and keeping track of inventory.
Data research is an important part of this job that must be completed before moving on to the next step. A data specialist working for a healthcare facility, for example, may be required to obtain medical data from a large number of patients. He could look at patient records or conduct surveys to get this information.
In some cases, his research may necessitate testing and data collection from individuals. Individuals are usually interviewed and screened as part of the initial recruiting process. Once research participants have been approved, a data specialist must create a schedule that allows each participant to be tested efficiently. In some cases, he will conduct the tests himself, while in others, he will supervise subordinates.
Another important aspect of this job is designing and populating databases. A data specialist must design the database and populate it with data to effectively analyze and store information. This practice necessitates absolute precision, or the statistical results will be skewed. He will need to make edits to the data as he enters it. This part of the job can be extremely tedious at times, requiring a specialist to spend hours upon hours working on a computer.
Making presentations is another common task for a data specialist. He’ll need to effectively communicate his findings to either managers or a client as he builds a database. To make the information more digestible, he may use slide shows or graphs to present statistical findings. A data specialist must have excellent communication skills and the ability to translate complex information into simple terms in order to perform this job function.
A data specialist must also keep an eye on inventory at all times. This can include things like testing materials and laboratory equipment. He will frequently be in charge of keeping track of payments to test participants as well as overseeing the overall budget. As a result, this job requires someone who is both organized and fiscally responsible.