Learn about the important requirements, skills, and keywords that should be included in a data scientist resume.
As the field of data science continues to grow, so does the demand for skilled data scientists. However, with increased demand comes more competition for new and existing positions. A well-crafted resume is more important now than ever, especially if you’re looking to get hired quickly. This guide will help you understand the necessities for a data scientist resume and the skills you’ll need to stand out from other applicants.
Need assistance with your resume? You can get help from a professional by using a resume writing service. When your resume is all set, you can start applying for data scientist roles on ZipRecruiter.
Data Scientist Resume Example
Clara Snow
863 Willis Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32256
904-894-5630
EXPERIENCE
Kuhn and Sons
San Francisco, CA // Data Scientist // 03/2020 - Present
- Change and improvement management skills
- Exceptional business background (e.g., managing client relationships on technical projects)
- Assessing effectiveness of the data model
- Using different data gathering techniques
- Keep up-to-date with latest technology trends
- Use modeling to improve customer experience by optimizing work schedules and events
Rice-Klein
San Francisco, CA // Data Scientist // 12/2012 - 10/2019
- Develop processes and/or tools to monitor model performance and accuracy
- Extending company's data with third party sources of information when needed
- Experience with natural language processing and computer vision tasks leveraging deep learning techniques (tensorflow, pytorch)
- Experience with large datasets, distributed computing, and cloud-based environments (Hive/Hadoop, Spark, AWS, SageMaker)
- Strong skills in Python
EDUCATION
Academy of Art University
Bachelor's in Computer Science
SKILLS
- Passion for analyzing big data and an understanding of bibliometrics or scientometrics
- Demonstrates curiosity/determination/iteration/innovation in using data to improve healthcare
- Experience matching/linking multiple datasets to create cohesive, longitudinal analytic datasets
- Highly motivated, organized
- Collaborative in a global and continuously changing environment
- Likes learning and building competencies in new coding tools and statistical techniques
- Enjoys working in a fun, innovative, demanding and dynamic environment
Join The Break Community
- Hands-on experience of working with Python
What Is Unique About A Data Scientist Resume?
Something that sets data scientist resumes apart from other data-related positions is the emphasis on attention to detail. While other resumes must include more team-focused skills, data scientist resumes must showcase a strong programming, statistics, and general computer literacy background.
Additionally, because data science is constantly evolving, your resume should also show your ability to adapt to new technology.
What Should Be Included On A Data Scientist Resume?
Creating the structure of a data scientist resume is easy when you have your work history, education, and other details about your background mapped out. Here are some essential sections to include on a data scientist resume.
Resume Header and Contact Information
Alongside your contact information, like email address, phone number, and professional social media profiles, you can include a summary statement highlighting your expertise in data science and the value you can bring to a potential employer.
Education
To become a data scientist, you must have the proper education. A strong foundation in statistics, computer science, and mathematics is needed to succeed in this position, so you’ll want to list any experience you have with taking these courses.
Start this section by listing your most recent degree and academic credentials, including the name of the university, the type of degree, the dates you attended, and other relevant coursework. It’s optional to list your GPA.
If you have room, you can also include any research experience, class projects, or internship related to data science.
Work Experience
The work experience on a data scientist’s resume should highlight your professional achievements and contributions in the field. Be sure to emphasize your ability to apply your data science skills and knowledge to real-world problems, especially if you’re applying for a client-facing role.
List your most recent job first, including the name of the company you worked (or currently work) for, position title, dates of employment, and a brief description of job duties.
Achievements, Memberships, and Projects
In addition to work experience and education, including achievements, memberships, and projects on a data scientist’s resume can help showcase your skills, knowledge, and dedication to the field. Some things you could include in this section are:
- Awards and publications
- Memberships to professional organizations
- Leadership positions to clubs or organizations
- Projects completed outside of work such as volunteer or freelance work
Professional Skills
Lastly, you want to show off your relevant skills to potential employers. Include details about your proficiency in different programming languages, statistical analysis programs, data visualization, and machine learning. Your resume will stand out if a potential employer can view these skills easily. Although this section usually comes last on a resume, it’s also a great idea to put it near the top if you have an impressive list of skills that would set you apart from other candidates.
Related: How To Get A Job In IT
What Should Be Left Off A Data Scientist Resume?
When preparing your resume for a data scientist position, avoiding irrelevant or unnecessary information is crucial. For example, don’t include overly personal information like marital status or political affiliation. Essentially, anything irrelevant or not directly related to the field of data science should be left off.
Another thing to avoid is mentioning negative information about past employers or degrees, such as termination reasons. These things can be discussed in an interview, if at all.
Important Job Skills For Data Scientists
Before applying for a data scientist position at any company, you should thoroughly review the job description and identify the required job skills. Potential employers will usually explicitly list what they’re looking for in a candidate, so you’ll know what to include on your resume. If they don’t, here are some technical job skills data scientists should be proficient in.
- Programming languages such as Python, R, and SQL
- Machine learning
- Data visualization tools like Power BI or matplotlib
- Statistical concepts and techniques like hypothesis testing, regression analysis, and Bayesian inference
- Big data technologies such as Hadoop or Spark that help with analyzing large data sets
- Data engineering concepts like how to operate data pipelines or warehousing
- Cloud computing technologies and systems like Google Cloud, Azure, or AWS
- Cleaning data sets of varying complexities and sizes
- Creating, running, and testing hypotheses to determine the feasibility of a data set
- Time series analysis, which looks at how data functions over time
In addition to specific requirements for data science-specific skills, soft skills are also essential to succeed in this role. Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills to develop and implement effective solutions to data-related problems. Communicating effectively is also a large part of the job, as you’ll be expected to explain complex technical concepts to someone that might not understand data science.
Wondering what other things to add to your resume? Our best skills for resume guide might help.
The Bottom Line
A data scientist’s resume should be carefully crafted to showcase why they’re the best fit for the job. Data science is a highly competitive field in high demand by many employers, so standing out from other candidates is crucial to land your desired job. By following our guidelines, you can create a compelling resume that will serve you well.
However, if you don’t want to create a resume alone, hiring a resume-writing service to write and format a resume on your behalf is an option. It’s also important to stay updated on what positions are available. Check ZipRecruiter for the latest data scientist jobs!
