Statistician : Job Prospects & Career Options

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A qualified statistician will find job opportunities in public sector organisations, financial institutions and major corporate conglomerates. They may also find employment in private companies. One can also appear for the Indian Statistical Services, Indian Economic Services as well as Civil Services exams. Colleges and Universities employ statisticians for teaching, statistical research, and consulting Because statistical specialists are employed in so many work areas, specialists who use statistics often have different professional designations like econometrician, biostatistician, research analyst, biometrician, epidemiologist etc.

The various fields in which statisticians work are:

Surveys: Survey statisticians collect information from a carefully specified sample and extend the results to an entire population. Surveys may be conducted on a range of issues like most popular political candidate during elections, or issues related to the general public etc.

Government Operations : Statisticians working with the government departments conduct experiments on consumer prices, fluctuations in the economy, employment patterns, population trends etc and aid in the development of public policy and legislations.

Scientific Research : Statisticians work in tandem with other scientists to gauge the feasibility of various experiments. Those working as Wildlife statisticians help to collect data on the various animal populations and try to design strategies to protect endangered species. While others may work with environmental engineers and scientists to work out problems and device solutions to deal with the earth's environmental problems.

Colleges and Universities need statisticians for teaching, statistical research, and consulting. Academic and research statisticians are concerned with the training of students and statistical research in a chosen specialized field.

Business : Statisticians predict the demand for products and services. They may also manage assets and liabilities, determining the risks and returns of certain investments.

Industry : Statisticians are involved in checking the quality of items manufactured in a facility, in product development and improvement and marketing. In addition to product development and testing, they are also involved in deciding the products to manufacture, how much to charge for them, and to whom the products should be marketed.

Sports statisticians- Sports statisticians collect and analyse sports data like cricket scores, hockey scores, tennis scores etc along with other historical information that commentators refer to when reporting games. Such statisticians work for sports teams, associations, private sports statistic bureaus, sports channels, media etc. Statistical skills along with a skill set involving sports studies, communications and journalism or public relations equip an aspirant to succeed in this field.

Medical Statistician- Statistics is central to most medical research. Medical statisticians help doctors and other medical professionals with their work. The job involves monitoring and surveillance of diseases and health pattern of the sample under study. It involves establishing the cause of disease or the factors associated with disease and death and thereby its prevention. It also involves evaluation of treatment methods and effectiveness of medicines.

Indian Statistical Service (ISS)- This is for those who are interested in having a career with the government. Every year the UPSC conducts an All India Level Competitive Examination to fill vacancies in the Indian Statistical Service (ISS). For ISS, Masters degree with Statistics or Mathematical Statistics or Applied Statistics from a recognised university is essential

The other reputed organizations employing statisticians include Planning Commission, the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), Institute Of Applied Manpower Research (IAMR), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), statistical and economic bureaus, institutions associated with soci-economic research, banks and public-sector undertakings.