Earlier, due to limited use of the internet, data was also limited and structured too but today entire world is using internet services and currently, we have a variety of structured, unstructured and semi-structured data. Therefore, data science also known as data-driven science, it is the combination of methods of mathematics, statistics, and computer science like designing and programming to study and evaluate data. The main role of Data Science is to find out valuable information which can be used in strategic decision making, product development, trend analysis and forecasting. The goal is to discover hidden patterns from the raw data in order to successfully manage digital data collection. The main three components of data science are organizing, packaging and delivering data. All in one, it is the mixture of data inference, algorithm development and technology in order to solve analytically complex difficulties.
A specialist who deals with the data science is known as a data scientist. The data scientist has various duties. He performs research and analyses data and helps organizations in development by predicting growth, trends and business insights based on huge data. They clean and organize the data by using their skills in mathematics, statistics and programming. With the passage of time, the amount of data generated by the business companies also increases, so organizations hired the data scientists to help them in turning the raw data into valuable business information.
How to Start Career in Data Science
For pursuing your career in the data science you have to choose the following study path.
- 12th Study: You have to take Computer Science/ Math’s/ Physics/ Statistics/ Econometrics/ Business/ Economics as your main subjects if you want to be a data scientist.
- After 12th Courses: Once you completed your 12th study with science then you have to choose one course from Bachelors of Science/ Bachelors of Engineering/ Bachelors of Technology/ Bachelors of Economics/ Bachelors of Commerce.
- After Graduation Courses: If you want to do higher studies then you have to do Masters in Business Administration/ Masters in Technology/ Masters in Science in the relevant field.
- Other Requisite Knowledge: Data scientists should know about the Perl, Python, SQL and R/SAS. Also, capable of interacting with various types of systems including the Hadoop Base, Cassandra, MongoDB, CouchDB, etc. After this, you are eligible to start your career as a data scientist.
Career Options in Data Science
There are various career options in the data science field; you can choose any according to your interest and abilities. Some of the career options in the Data Science field are discussed below.
- Data Scientists: The specialists who make adjustments to the statistical and mathematical models that are applied to data are known as Data Scientists. The role of data scientist is applying his/her theoretical knowledge of statistics and algorithms to find the best way to solve a data science problem. Research is an integral part of a data scientist’s job. Data scientists are like the connectors between the programming and implementation of data science, the theory of data science and the business implications of data. Responsibilities of a typical data scientist are Predictive Modeling, Data Visualization, Distributed Computing, Reporting and Analysis. Earn a bachelor's degree in IT, computer science, math, physics, or another related field if you want to become a data scientist. The average annual salary that the Data Scientist earns amounts to a total of Rs.6,00,000. Some special skills are needed in this field of a career as listed below:
- Knowledge of programming languages like R, SAS, Python, SQL, Hive, Spark etc.
- Expertise in distributed computing and statistical modelling.
- High degree of skills in database architecture, process management, data modelling, data mining and data analysis.
- Good knowledge of various data analytics, visualization and reporting tools.
- Good in mathematics and statistics.
- Research-oriented mindset.
- Mentoring skills to provide guidance to junior team members (data engineers, analysts and statisticians).
- Data Engineers: They are the building blocks of any data science project. They play important role in the design, construction, implementation and maintenance of highly scalable data management systems for data science projects. Data engineers build high-performance algorithms, prototypes, and conceptual models according to the blueprint designed by data architects. The main responsibility of data engineers is to provide valid, clean and usable data to statisticians and data analysts for the purpose of data analysis. They are mostly depending on their software engineering experience to handle large amounts of data at scale. They use their computer science skills and knowledge to process the large datasets. Their general focus is on coding, cleaning up data sets, and implementing requests that come from data scientists. They usually know the variety of programming languages, from Python to Java. The key role of a data engineer is to take the predictive model from the data scientist and implements it in code. You will need a bachelor's degree in computer science, software/computer engineering, applied math, physics, statistics or a related field for most entry-level positions. The average annual pay for a Data Engineer is Rs.5,00,000. Skills needed for this:
- Knowledge of data storage.
- Knowledge of warehousing solutions (SQL and NoSQL).
- Programming frameworks such as Hadoop and Spark that can help you source data and process it.
- Data Analysts: The data analysts are those who look through the data and provide reports to explain what insights the data is hiding. This role is precise of a detective who will look into the data to extract meaningful insights. They help people in the organization understand about specific queries with the help of charts and presentations. They expected to collect numerical information and present the result in a meaningful way usually in the form of graphs, charts, reports or dashboards. The key responsibilities of a data analyst are to identifying trends and creating predictive models. To become a data analyst, you have to earn a degree in a subject such as mathematics, statistics, economics, marketing, finance, or computer science. A Data Analyst earns an average annual salary of Rs 3,50,000. Skills required for the data analyst are:
- Deep understanding of machine learning with several programming languages like R and Python.
- Practical knowledge of database systems and spreadsheets.
- Knowledge of mathematical and statistical models and algorithms.
- Analytical skills.
- Capable of work with various data visualization, business intelligence and reporting tools.
- Statistician: The statistician is responsible to collect, analyze and interpret quantitative data with the support of statistical theories and methodologies. They focus on implementing statistical approaches to data. They determine methods for collecting data and decide what data are needed to answer specific questions or problems. The key qualities of a statistician are a strong background in statistical methodologies along with logical and stats-oriented mindset. Statisticians typically need a master's degree in statistics, mathematics, or survey methodology. However, a bachelor's degree is sufficient for some entry-level jobs. The average yearly salary for a Statistician is Rs 4,00,000. Skills requisite for the statistician are:
- Good background in statistical theories and methodologies.
- Knowledge about distributed systems like Hadoop and MapReduce.
- Proficiency in data mining and machine learning.
- Database Administrator: They oversee and ensure that functions of an organization’s system are running effectively and available to all stakeholders. They use particular software to store and organize data. The primary responsibility of a database administrator is to ensure the performance, integrity and security of a database system. They ensure that the database is always available to all the concerned users, performing well and being handled securely at all the time. They are also responsible for the capacity planning, database design, security configuration, recovery and backup solution, performance monitoring, and troubleshooting. Many employers prefer database administrators with at least a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field. A Senior Database Administrator (DBA) earns an average salary of Rs.9,50,000 per year. Requisite skills for the same are:
- Deep knowledge of database management systems.
- Good in data modelling and design.
- Experience in security hardening and performance optimization.
- Technical knowledge to troubleshoot and resolve potential issues.
- Expertise in backup and recovery methods.
- Data Architect: Data architects create the underlying architecture to analyze and process the data according to the needs of the organization. They create the blueprints of the data science projects by integrating, centralizing, protecting and maintaining the source of data from a wide range of data management systems and technologies. The main objective of data architects is to make sure that the entire data environment is always available, stable and secure. They are capable to create the data in new ways for new insights. A bachelor's degree program in computer science, computer engineering, information technology, or a related field can help prepare students for future careers as data architects. A Data Architect earns an average salary of Rs 15,00,000 per year. Skills needed for this are:
- Knowledge of data-driven programming languages like SQL, Hive, XML, Spark etc.
- Practical knowledge in data warehousing and data mining solutions.
- Deep knowledge of database architecture.
- Practical experience with ETL, spreadsheet and BI tools.
The areas of expertise mentioned above are just a few of the lucrative options available in the data science industry today. As data is increasing day by day, with this the need of men power in the data science field is increased. We hope that the information given in this article will help you and you will understand the data science industry so that you can figure out the right career path according to your interest, ambitions and abilities.
