Careers in Data Science and Data Mining

The world we’ve known before will never be the same. Technology is penetrating all the spheres of our lives, reshaping the way we communicate, access information, and work. Surely enough, the advent of technology has also led to the creation of many new career opportunities. 

Data scientists, business analysts, architects, and statisticians are just some of the professions that have become immensely popular in recent years, only slightly outpaced by software developers. As technology continues to evolve, these roles open up exciting opportunities for the future – from impressive pay to limitless career growth. 

No wonder so many graduates are looking for ways to immerse themselves in the world of data science (DS). If you would like to follow this path too, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we will tell you all about the available roles in this field and the skills that are required for careers in data science and data mining. Ready to dive in? If so, let’s begin.

Also Read: Data Scientist Salary in India: City-Wise and Experience-Wise

Who are Data Scientists?

Before we dive into the roles, it’d be right to first briefly go over the definition of the field of data science (DS) and data mining (DM) and what tasks data scientists are expected to perform. 

If you’re interested in this topic, most likely, you’ve already done your own research. You may have noticed that the terms “data science” and “data mining” are often used interchangeably. However, they are not the same thing. 

Data science, as the name suggests, is the study of data. Created in response to the growing need to extract insights from the vast amount of data generated in today’s digital age, it uses a wide range of methods to analyze and read it. 

Data mining, on the other hand, is a DS subset that focuses on structured data processing using statistical analysis and ML algorithms. 

Despite the subtle differences in techniques, both disciplines are being actively used in tasks involving data exploration and analysis, which are inherent in almost any business.  

Take healthcare, for example. Every day the number of health records grows, bombarding healthcare systems with terabytes of information such as contact details, demographics, locations, diagnoses, and many more. 

This is where data mining comes into play. Using data from a variety of sources, data scientists can help extract valuable insights and drive decision-making. 

The same goes for financial services, chain supply, e-commerce, and any other industry that deals with a lot of information and wants to make sense of it. In all of this, data scientists act as intermediaries, bridging the gap between businesses and IT by excelling in both disciplines. 

Also Read: Data Science Course

Skills Required to Become Data Scientists

By and large, a data scientist is the type of role that doesn’t necessarily require a degree. Knowledge and hands-on experience often play a pivotal role. However, if you want to secure a job and stand out from the pool of other candidates, it’s best to get qualifications in a relevant field, such as math, statistics, internet technology, or computer engineering.

Aside from that, data scientists need to stay on top of the current trends and be proactive in learning new concepts and technologies. In the competitive world of DS, it’s not enough just to have one degree. To harness the power of data and understand what’s hidden behind the scenes, undergoing additional training can set you head and shoulders from the rest. 

In general, DS encompasses a multidisciplinary approach, combining the best principles and practices from the following studies:

• Statistical analysis,
• Mathematics,
• Machine learning,
• Domain expertise, 
• Computer engineering,
• Artificial intelligence.

These are the disciplines that DS specialists need to be proficient in. Like software engineers, they must have strong “hard” skills. However, unlike developers, they also need to have “soft” skills, demonstrating excellent communication and active listening, which are necessary to understand clients’ requirements and complex concepts. 

Jobs and Careers in Data Science and Data Mining

Now that we’ve covered what data science and data mining is and what skill set is required from DS specialists, it’s time to explore the job titles and career opportunities available in the field. In no particular order, we’ve listed the most popular jobs below.

1. Data Analyst

Data analysts are responsible for a wide range of responsibilities. From culling and processing information to visualizing it, they play a crucial role in extracting insights and providing actionable recommendations. Moreover, data analysts can create and modify algorithms, which is an important skill necessary for retrieving valuable information from large datasets. 

Duties of data analysts:

• Gathering data from various sources, including databases, spreadsheets, surveys, and APIs, and ensuring integrity by cleaning and transforming info into a usable format. 
• Performing exploratory data analysis (EDA) to gain a primary understanding of the dataset.
• Using statistical methods to analyze data and draw meaningful insights from it.
• Visualizing info in a presentable manner that can be easily understood by stakeholders.
• Preparing reports and presentations.
• Ensuring the quality and accuracy of data by monitoring and evaluating different sources and processes. 
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams, including data scientists, business analysts, designers, and stakeholders. 

How to Become a Data Analyst

If you want to make a career in data analysis, look for schools and training institutes that offer courses in technologies like SAS, R, SQL, and Python. These are technologies that are widely used in data analysis. 

Alternatively, you can opt for specialized data analytics or DS programs offered by online platforms. Most of them cover all major topics and provide a solid academic base. 

It goes without saying that you also need to have outstanding problem-solving skills. While these are said to be the skills people are usually born with, they can be developed with the right approach. 

2. Data Engineer

Data engineers, as the title implies, perform engineering work. They create and test big data (BD) ecosystems, which are then used by data scientists to run their algorithms. In addition, data engineers are responsible for updating existing versions with the latest advances to keep databases running efficiently and smoothly. 

Duties of data engineers:

• Designing and developing data pipelines to extract, transform, and load (ETL) data using various ETL tools is essential for managing data efficiently.
• Designing and implementing data warehousing solutions.
• Integrating data from multiple sources, such as databases, APIs, streaming platforms, or third-party applications.
• Managing and maintaining the infrastructure required for data processing and storage. 
• Monitoring data pipelines, databases, and other data processing systems to identify and resolve performance issues. 
• Ensuring data security and compliance with privacy regulations.
• Researching and exploring innovative solutions to improve data processing capabilities and optimize workflows.
• Collaborating with the rest of the team.

How to become a Data Engineer?

To become a data engineer, you will need to get a strong knowledge of technologies such as Ruby, Java, Hive, C++, Matlab, R, Scala, and NoSQL. On top of that, practical experience with data tools such as Kafka, ETL, Spark, Hadoop, and APIs, as well as AWS cloud services is necessary.

3. Database Administrator

Another job that’s in high demand in the DS sector is database administrator. As you can guess from the name, the key duty of the role is to ensure the proper functionality of databases within an organization. However, they can also run backups and database recoveries, and do whatever else is necessary to keep company data secure and available. 

Duties of data administrators

• Installing and configuring database management systems (DBMS) such as Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, and others.
• Setting up database instances, defining storage structures, and configuring parameters to optimize performance.
• Collaborating with application developers and system analysts to design and model databases.
• Implementing security measures to protect sensitive data within the database.
• Implementing backup and recovery strategies to ensure data availability and minimize downtime in the event of system failures
• Analyzing query execution plans, optimizing database indexes, and fine-tuning database configurations to improve response times and overall system performance. 
• Generating reports on database performance, availability, and security for management and stakeholders. 
• Investigating and troubleshooting database errors, performance issues, and data inconsistencies. 

How to become a database administrator

To set yourself on the path of a database administrator career, it’s essential to have several hard skills. These include strong knowledge of SQL, multitasking operating systems, database frameworks, information management tools, and standard coding language. If you can also prove yourself a problem solver, this would most certainly give you a competitive edge.

3. Machine Learning Engineer

Being a machine learning engineer is an attractive prospect for those who want to pursue a career in data science, but it also comes with challenges. 

First off, you need to be proficient in technologies such as REST APIs, SQL, and others that are quite demanding in the field of machine learning. And second, you must have deep knowledge in the field of testing, building pipelines, and understanding ML algorithms, including all related operations. 

Duties of ML engineers:

• Working with large datasets, exploring and understanding the data they will use to develop ML models.
• Performing feature engineering, which involves selecting relevant features, creating new features, or transforming existing features to improve model performance. 
• Evaluating the performance of trained models using appropriate evaluation metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, or F1-score.
• Deploying machine learning models into production environments and ensuring that these models are scalable, efficient, and reliable. 
• Working closely with data scientists, data engineers, and software engineers to understand project requirements, develop efficient data pipelines, and integrate ML solutions into larger software architectures.

How to become a machine learning engineer

For an ML engineer, it’s important to be proficient in several programming languages, such as Java, JS, and Python. Furthermore, they must have either a degree in statistics or mathematics or a certificate confirming that they’ve mastered the necessary foundations and concepts. 

4. Data Scientist

Another vacancy with a telling title is a data scientist. As you’d expect from a scientist, this role implies a deep understanding of the data and the meaning behind it. Not only that, but they also need to have a keen ability to extract valuable insights and make accurate predictions with regard to anticipated patterns and trends. 

Duties of data scientists

• Identifying relevant variables, handling missing or erroneous data, and performing cleaning and preprocessing tasks.
• Using statistical analysis techniques to extract meaningful insights from the data.
• Developing and implementing predictive models using techniques such as regression analysis, time series analysis, clustering, or classification algorithms.
• Utilizing ML algorithms to develop models that can make predictions or identify patterns within the data.
• Performing feature engineering, which involves creating new features or transforming existing ones to improve the performance of predictive models. 
• Using visualization tools and techniques to present their findings in a visually appealing and understandable manner.
• Working together with the team to define project objectives, generate relevant data, and integrate number-driven solutions into existing systems or workflows. 

How to become a Data Scientist

Data scientists need to be well-versed in advanced technologies such as SQL, MatLab, Python, Java, and others. Although a degree in fields like computer engineering, internet technology, or mathematics isn’t necessary, candidates that have a better chance to nail a job interview. 

3. Data Architect

Another job title that may pique the interest of someone looking to make a career in the field of DS is data architect. This role involves creating blueprints and designing the overall structure of data within an organization. 

Aside from that, data architects are responsible for developing and implementing data management strategies that ensure data is stored, integrated, and accessible in a secure and efficient manner. 

Duties of Data Architects

• Designing the logical and physical models that define how data will be stored, organized, and accessed within an organization.
• Implementing integration processes, including ETL procedures.
• Selecting and implementing appropriate DBMS to store and manage info.
• Establishing governance policies and procedures to ensure data quality, integrity, and security. 
• Designing and developing data warehouses and lakes to support advanced analytics and reporting.
• Collaborating with various stakeholders, including business analysts, scientists, software engineers, and system administrators. 
• Contributing to the development of data strategies and roadmaps of organizations.
• Establishing quality standards, defining validation rules, and implementing data cleansing processes.
• Monitoring system performance, identifying bottlenecks, and optimizing data access and retrieval processes. 
• Documenting the data architecture, models, and management processes. 

How to become a data architect?

Becoming a data architect requires a combination of education, experience, and specific skills. First, you need to have extensive expertise in ETL, data modelling, and data warehousing. An understanding of open-source tools such as Pig, Spark, and Hive is also required. If you also have a degree, you can favourably set yourself apart from the rest of the candidates. 

Also Read: Masters in Data Science in Germany

FAQs

To bring it to an end, careers in data science and data mining offer exciting opportunities in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. The demand for skilled professionals in these fields continues to grow as businesses across various fields recognize the immense value of number-driven insights and decision-making. 

As the field of DS evolves and demands skilled professionals, we can definitely see even more new careers emerge, making it a lucrative career path. 

This is all the information about careers in data science and data mining, if you want to read more articles on internships follow Leverage Edu.