Statistician

Working as statistician means dealing with data and helping to find practical solutions to problems. If you're keen on numbers, skilled in IT and like compiling information, this could be the role for you

Statisticians are concerned with the collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation of quantitative information. They work in a range of sectors, including:

• education
• the environment
• finance
• forensics
• government
• health
• market research
• sport
• transportation.

As a statistician, you will design and manage experiments and surveys and deal with the initial collection of data. You'll process and analyse the data in context, looking for patterns to help make decisions. You will then advise on findings and recommend strategy.

Statisticians often work in teams, usually including professionals from other disciplines. Strong analytical and IT skills are essential, as are interpersonal and communication skills in order to share findings with your colleagues and clients.

Responsibilities

Statisticians interpret data, often with the aid of mathematical techniques and software, and communicate results to their clients. In this role you'll ensure that complex statistical concepts are explained in a way the client can understand, and advise on strategy. Some studies take only a few months to complete, while others require years of work.

As a statistician, you'll need to:

• consult with clients and agree what data to collect and how it should be gathered - taking into account any ethical and legislative considerations
• design experiments, trials or surveys to produce the required data
• collect and analyse the data using suitable statistical methodologies and techniques
• interpret the data and make sure that the right decisions are made based on the results
• monitor data collected throughout its shelf life
• ensure the data collected is robust, accurate and trustworthy
• present results to others, such as senior managers, regulatory authorities and clients
• advise policymakers on key decisions based on results
• carry out research, often as part of a team
• write reports and articles for publication
• present findings at conferences both in the UK and abroad.

Examples of specific activities you could be involved in, depending on the sector you work in, include:

• providing projections of future student numbers, allowing for changes in the birth rate, and assessing how many teachers will be needed in the sector
• designing experiments to assess the associated side effects of drugs
• designing, implementing and analysing clinical studies
• monitoring, reporting and modelling disease outbreaks
• collecting data to monitor levels of air pollution
• collecting data to measure the toxicity of food additives
• recommending whether certain items should be included in food production, such as folic acid in bread making
• checking quality control standards in industry
• designing experiments to improve the quality of new products
• predicting demand for products and services
• analysing data to forecast trends for pension providers
• teaching statistical methods and the theory of statistics.

Salary

• Median salaries for government staff working at statistical officer grade are £29,500. With experience this can rise to a median salary of £39,940.
• At a senior level (Grades 7 and 6), median salaries are £60,670. At Senior Civil Service (SCS) level, median salaries are £88,970. Salaries vary depending on the department you're working in and your grade. Salaries in London are higher.

Salaries for medical statisticians are broadly comparable with those of government statisticians. Salaries in the pharmaceutical industry are generally higher with good financial rewards for those with the right combination of skills and experience.

Salaries vary depending upon the sector you work in, the size and type of employer, area of work and location. Salaries for government statisticians also vary between departments.

Other factors affecting salaries include your professional and academic qualifications, experience and level of responsibility or grade.

Income data from the Civil Service Statistical Bulletin. Figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

Flexible working hours are common. Paid overtime is occasionally available.

Part-time work, home working and career breaks are also possible. There may be opportunities for hybrid or remote working.

What to expect

• Statisticians are mainly office based, although you'll travel to attend meetings with stakeholders and to attend regional, national and international conferences.
• You'll usually work as part of a multidisciplinary project team.
• Self-employment is possible, often in a consultancy role, for example as a forensic statistician.
• Opportunities are available in London and other major UK cities. Many jobs in the pharmaceutical industry are in the South East of England.
• The pharmaceutical industry provides opportunities for travel abroad to discuss the design of trials, collect information, discuss results and meet with regulatory authorities. Medical statisticians may travel abroad to present findings at conferences. Some international secondments are open to government statisticians.

Qualifications

Employers typically look for graduates with a degree that has a statistical or quantitative component. Examples include:

• economics
• geography
• mathematics
• psychology
• statistics.

The Royal Statistical Society (RSS) accredits a number of undergraduate and Masters degrees in statistics and related disciplines. See the list of RSS accredited courses.

If you have an RSS accredited degree and meet all their conditions, you can apply for Graduate Statistician (GradStat) membership of the RSS. It is also open to those with a non-accredited degree, who can show that they meet the RSS GradStat criteria.

Graduates from other disciplines can apply to work in medical statistics, usually after having taken a Masters degree in a related subject such as:

• epidemiology
• medical statistics
• public health.

Anyone who works with official statistics in the government is automatically a part of the Government Statistical Service. This means that the service includes a variety of job roles, including statistician, that are available in lots of different government departments.

However, to become an actual government statistician and part of the Government Statistician Group (GSG), the professional community for civil servants who are recognised members of the statistics profession, you'll need particular qualifications or experience.

This includes a first or second class honours degree in a numerate subject (2:1 minimum for assistant statistician and 2:2 minimum for statistical officer) containing at least 25% taught statistical content or a higher degree such as a Masters or PhD that includes formal statistical training.

Entry is also possible without a degree, if you have at least two years' experience of working in statistics and can work at a Level 5 standard (equal to a foundation degree or HND).

You may also be eligible to apply if you have a Level 4 Data Analytics apprenticeship, which includes at least two years in a statistical or data analysis field in government. Alternatively, you could take a Level 6 Data Analytics apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships combine paid work with part-time study, meaning that you can train on the job.

You will also need to pass a badging exercise, which involves taking a GSS online test and GSG technical assessment.

Find out more about qualifications for the GSS and GSG.

You can also enter the civil service via the Civil Service Fast Stream: Government Statistical Service scheme. This accelerated training and development programme is aimed at those who have the potential to be future leaders of the civil service. You will start your career between the higher and senior statistical officer grades.

Employers in the pharmaceutical industry look for graduates with an MSc or PhD in statistics or with a postgraduate degree that contains a significant statistical element. Holding a Masters or PhD is becoming increasingly common for entry into the profession and can help further your career. It may be possible to work part time while you are studying.

The choice of final year dissertation can be significant. These projects can provide a way of making useful contacts within the profession, as well as developing skills and knowledge. Access to events, training and newsletters featuring job listings can be gained by joining the RSS or Statisticians in the Pharmaceutical Industry (PSI).

Search for postgraduate courses in statistics.

Skills

You will need to have:

• mathematical ability and computer literacy
• a clear understanding of statistical terms and concepts
• analytical skills
• written and oral communication skills
• problem-solving skills
• presentation skills and the ability to communicate results and findings to non-statisticians
• the ability to influence others
• a practical and strategic approach to work
• a high level of accuracy and attention to detail
• planning and time management skills to meet deadlines
• teamworking skills but also the ability to work alone and use your initiative.

Work experience

Work experience in the form of a work placement or a year out in professional training can provide the opportunity to see how statistical methods work in real life. These are available in areas such as industry, business or commerce.

Placement years are also offered by some government departments and provide students with the opportunity to work for 12 months in a statistical officer level role.

Find out more about the different kinds ofÌýwork experience and internshipsÌýthat are available.

Employers

The UK's largest producer of statistics is the government and there are opportunities in both central and local government, as well as government agencies in many areas, including performance data and resourcing.

Other employers of statisticians include:

• pharmaceutical companies - ranging from small local firms to large national and international companies
• higher education institutions
• operational and scientific research establishments
• contract research organisations (CROs)
• public sector research organisations
• regulatory authorities
• market research companies
• manufacturing and service companies
• investment companies and banks
• insurance companies
• the National Health Service.

Look for job vacancies at:

• Civil Service Jobs
• Government Analysis FunctionÌý
• Jobs.ac.uk - for roles in HE institutions.
• Researchjobfinder

Look for health and pharmaceutical statistician job vacancies at:

• New Scientist Jobs
• NHS Jobs
• PharmiWeb
• Statisticians in the Pharmaceutical Industry (PSI)

Vacancies are also handled by specialist recruitment agencies, such as Datatech Analytics.

Professional development

In many cases, your training will take place on the job. New recruits gain experience by working under the supervision of experienced staff until they're ready to work alone.

Statisticians are expected to keep their knowledge up to date by reading current literature and attending conferences and training. Many employers will support part-time study for an MSc in statistics.

Staff development programmes are available to statisticians working in universities, and it's possible to take short courses in computing software, presentation skills, management and teaching.

Short courses in specific areas of statistical work can be useful and are run by organisations such as the:

• Market Research Society (MRS)
• Royal Statistical Society (RSS)
• Statisticians in the Pharmaceutical Industry (PSI)

Short courses are also available from various organisations in statistics and statistical software packages, e.g. SAS, SPSS, Stata and Minitab.

You can also become a Chartered Statistician (CStat), the highest professional qualification of the RSS.

Career prospects

Promotion within the GSS depends on performance and merit. Recent graduates and apprentices will typically start their career in the government as a statistical officer. In this role, you'll get experience working with statistics with the support of more senior statisticians.

There are opportunities with experience to move into a higher statistical officer role, with responsibility for aspects of statistical production and some line management responsibility for junior roles. You will need to keep developing your technical skills as you progress.

Senior statistical officers have responsibility for many areas of statistical production and will manage teams. Through further training, you'll develop your technical expertise. At principal statistician level (Grades 7 and 6), you will be a subject expert and the head of multiple statistics teams.

Graduates of the GSS Fast Stream will typically start between the higher and senior statistical officer grades and will progress straight to a Grade 7 Principal Statistician role.

In senior leadership roles, you will provide strategic leadership and broad analytical understanding and will lead multidisciplinary teams.

To progress through the grades, you'll need keep learning, training and developing your skills. This could include taking advantage of secondment opportunities to learn specific skills. You could also consider moving laterally to another role at the same grade in another department to get a broader experience and different perspective.

Within the pharmaceutical industry, statisticians generally begin their careers working as part of a team under more experienced statisticians. You can develop your career in various ways, for example through taking on management responsibilities for junior staff or by becoming a technical expert. Those able to demonstrate the right combination of skills and qualities can rise rapidly, taking on higher levels of responsibility. As many companies are international, there are opportunities for employment abroad.

Many organisations employ statisticians in small numbers, which means that opportunities for internal promotion may be limited. Promotion may be easier to find by changing employers. It's usually possible to switch between the different sectors after gaining a few years' experience. Larger companies usually have a promotion structure that allows for advancement into more senior management positions.

There are many career options and opportunities for diversification or specialisation at a later stage. With a PhD, prospects exist in research and teaching. Some statisticians move into related areas such as project management, regulatory work or work as a freelance consultant.