30 Data Analytics Careers That Aren't Data Scientists

Aspiring data scientists may have unrealistic career expectations. [Image: Shutterstock]

People ask me for career advice almost every day. They write from all over the world. The messages usually boil down to “I want to be a data scientist. How do I do it?”

One striking thing about these questions is that everybody is asking me, a person who has never, ever said, “I’m a data scientist,” how to be a data scientist. Another is that almost nobody asks how to become a statistician, data miner, engineer or any other profession that also uses analytical skills. This one relatively new title for people who analyze data has all but swallowed interest in many other analytical roles.

Fooey on that.

Dozens, maybe hundreds, of professions call for skill in statistics, analytical thinking and practical problem solving. If you’re in the market for a career, you should get to know these professions. You might find one that’s a great match for your own interests.

You can find twenty ideas in my first list of ten analytics careers that aren’t data scientists, and my second list with ten more analytics careers.

And here are ten new ones:

Derivatives analysts predict prices of indirect financial instruments, such as futures. [Image: Shutterstock]

Derivatives Analyst

Derivatives analysts forecast prices of indirect financial instruments, known as “derivatives.” Major types of derivatives include:

Future – agreement, listed on a public exchange, to sell/buy an asset on a specified future date.

Forward – private agreement to sell/buy an asset on a specified future date.

Option – agreement which gives one party the choice to buy or sell an asset at a specified future date, while the second party is obliged to sell or buy according to the wishes of the first.

Swap – agreements which allow parties to exchange cash flows, such as exchanging a variable interest rate for a fixed rate, or one currency for another. Swaps are often used for management of foreign exchange risk.

Computer Security Analyst

Computer security analysts (also called information security analysts, cyber security analysts or just security analysts) protect computers, networks, software and related systems from online attacks and other threats.

Rocket Engineer

Rocket engineering is a specialty of aerospace engineering that is devoted to design, manufacturing and operation of spacecraft.

The popular term for rocket engineer is “rocket scientist,” but that’s not an actual job title for these much-admired professionals. (I did find a couple of job postings with “rocket scientist” titles. All of them were for west-coast based companies that had nothing to do with actual rockets, and a lot to do with the ego of a certain kind of geek.) Real titles vary; sometimes they are as simple and descriptive as rocket engineer or propulsion engineer, but often they are so general (Associate Engineer, Specialist Engineer, Sr. Engineer), that you have to know more to understand the meaning.

Security Trader

Securities traders buy and sell stocks, or other financial instruments such as bonds or derivatives (see the section on derivatives analysts for more about derivatives), for themselves or their employers.

A related role is the commodities trader, who buys and sells products. Often, these are agricultural products such a wheat, soybeans, cattle or pork bellies. Other widely traded commodities include oil, gold, silver and other precious metals. Commodities are often traded through derivatives such as futures.


Climatologists research, explain and make predictions about the condition of Earth’s atmosphere, including metrics such as temperature, precipitation and wind, among others. This information helps us to understand risks of events such as drought or floods, predict impact of climate on crops, and plan human activity with climate in mind.

Climate is not the day’s weather, but the prevailing conditions that can be expected over the long term. The University of Nevada’s Drought Mitigation Center uses this quote to explain the difference: “Climate is what you expect. Weather is what you get.”


Criminology is the social science devoted to understanding crime, criminals and law enforcement. Criminologists focus on the psychology and sociology of crime, and the interpretation of criminal behavior, rather than physical evidence.


Cartographers develop, disseminate and study information about geography. They include map makers, and also map researchers, creators of geographic information systems and other related professions.


Psychometricians develop psychological measurements, such as those aimed at measuring skills, intelligence or personality traits. Those who administer psychological tests may also be known as psychometricians.

Real Estate Appraiser

Real estate appraisers estimate the value of land, buildings and other structures.  These estimates are used to inform parties involved in real estate transactions, financial activity such as mortgage loan applications, and tax assessment.

Hydrologist/ Hydrographer

Hydrologists investigate water – its properties, where it’s found, how it’s distributed, and ways that it moves around the earth. They use this information to help us ensure that we have water where and when it is needed, and protect the quality of that water.

For more professions, see my earlier posts on this topic:

20 Data Analytics Careers That Aren't Data Scientists

  1. Biostatistician
  2. Cryptographer
  3. Data journalist
  4. Genetic counselor
  5. Geneticist
  6. Plant breeder
  7. Population ecologist
  8. Sociologist
  9. Political scientist
  10. Survey Researcher

10 Data Analytics Careers That Aren't Data Scientists:

  1. Actuary
  2. Economist
  3. Epidemiologist
  4. Forensic Accountant
  5. Market Researcher
  6. Meteorologist
  7. Nurse
  8. Operations Research Analyst
  9. Quality Engineer
  10. Quantitative Analyst


