A statistician assists in the design of research experiments, the organization of numerical data from censuses and clinical trials, and the analysis of data using various mathematical functions. He or she creates probability ratios and extrapolates sample data to larger populations using expert statistics knowledge. Careers as a statistician can be found in a variety of industries, businesses, research facilities, government agencies, environmental organizations, health care institutions, and universities, to name a few.
Insurance, automobile manufacturing, and sales are just a few of the industries where statisticians work. Experts in the field of insurance assist in the creation of policies based on population statistics and risk analysis. Automobile industry professionals frequently assist in the creation and analysis of safety and fuel efficiency tests. Many statisticians work in sales and other areas of business, using surveys and statistics to determine supply and demand ratios, suggest advertising strategies, and set prices.
Professional statisticians who work for research organizations assist scientists and medical researchers in the design and implementation of various experiments and clinical tests. An appropriate sample size for a study on a new drug or therapy technique might be determined by a statistician in a clinical laboratory. He or she converts data from a study into numerical data, then standardizes the results to gain a scientific perspective on the drug’s or treatment strategy’s effectiveness.
Many statistician jobs are available in government agencies such as national census bureaus, environmental protection agencies, and aeronautics and space programs. Census bureau statisticians determine the appropriate survey range and extrapolate collected data to describe a large population of people. Environmental statisticians might create parameters for testing pollution levels or use math to forecast temperature and climate changes over time. Tests are set up by highly skilled experts in aeronautics programs to determine the safety and efficiency ratings for various types of aircraft, satellites, and spaceships.
Individuals with master’s or doctoral degrees are required for most statistician jobs in private research institutions, universities, and businesses. Bachelor’s degrees are frequently sufficient for statistician jobs in government agencies, such as census bureaus. A new statistician will typically receive on-the-job training from experienced professionals to learn the specific job requirements and become familiar with the facility.
There is a high demand for statisticians who can conduct research and analysis using computer programs. Many industries and research institutions are incorporating the use of computer data analysis software to tabulate information and solve problems as technology advances. Professionals who can set up computerized experiments quickly and accurately and manipulate the resulting data have the best chances of becoming respected statisticians.