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Data Scientist Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

A Data Scientist, or Data Science Professional, is responsible for overseeing the collection, storage and interpretation of data for businesses. Their duties include sifting through data points to create organized categories, comparing data points to current company processes and writing reports outlining business predictions or proposals.

Data Scientist duties and responsibilities

A Data Scientist’s job is to use data to help businesses make decisions. Here are some common duties and responsibilities of a Data Scientist:

  • Collecting data through means such as analyzing business results or by setting up and managing new studies
  • Transferring data into a new format to make it more appropriate for analysis
  • Creating new, experimental frameworks to collect data
  • Building tools to automate data collection
  • Searching through large data sets for usable information
  • Creating reports and presentations for business uses
  • Correlating similar data to find actionable results

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What does a Data Scientist do?

Data Scientists typically work for corporations across industries to provide them with meaningful insights about how to improve their current business operations. They use their knowledge of coding and other computer programming tactics to automate data collection and storage tasks. Their job is to work closely with company departments to pull data following department decisions or initiatives to weigh their success. They may also be responsible for creating a system for collecting and storing data within company databases.

Data Scientist skills and qualifications

Data Scientists must possess skills in a few key areas, such as:

  • Exceptional technical writing skills
  • Ability to communicate complex data in a simple, actionable way
  • Ability to visualize data in the most effective way possible for a given project or study
  • Analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Experience with machine learning and AI
  • Familiarity with data management tools
  • Ability to work independently and with team members from different backgrounds
  • Excellent attention to detail

Data Scientist salary expectations

A Data Scientist makes an average of $124,189 per year. Salary may depend on level of experience, education and the geographical location.

Data Scientist salary expectations

2025-09-0135000.00129608.10282000.00YEARLY
  • Common salary: 129608.10 YEARLY
  • Typical salaries range from 35000.00 - 282000.00 YEARLY
  • Find more information on Indeed Salaries

*Indeed data – 2025-09-01

Data Scientist education and training requirements

Data Scientists need a master’s degree to work. Most applicants will come from backgrounds like computer science, social science, mathematics, statistics or engineering. In some cases, Data Scientists earn a bachelor’s degree in the field they’re interested in, such as marketing or IT, then earn a master’s degree in statistics or a related field. During their master’s programs, students should undergo internships to get practical training and experience.

Data Scientist experience requirements

Data Scientists can find entry-level work once they get a master’s degree. Employers should seek recent graduates who have completed an internship in a similar field. Senior-level Data Scientists usually need at least five to seven years of experience. Experience in data analysis can serve as a substitute in some cases.

Job description samples for similar positions

If you’re looking for candidates for similar roles to the Data Scientist, see our job description templates for related positions:

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