Big Data and Data Science: What are the Big Opportunities for Engineers?
With the growth of the Internet, connected objects, e-commerce and social networks, the volume of data available to businesses has literally exploded. It is now possible for both large companies and SMEs to aggregate data about their customers, the market, or even the competition to guide their strategy and development.
Data Science is currently booming in all sectors. Discover the variety of new professions related to this discipline, very promising in terms of outlets for engineers in startups, large groups or web professionals.
What is data science?
Data Science is the science of data, and it relies on mathematical tools, statistics, computer and data visualization. It is a disciplinary mix between three major areas: mathematical expertise, technology and business.
In concrete terms, it allows you to explore and analyze raw data to transform it into valuable information that can solve complex analytical problems or generate value for businesses and organizations.
To be able to exploit this massive data – “Big Data” companies must rely on the skills and know-how of qualified engineers who can use analytics technologies.
Data Architect, Data Analyst, Data Scientist: new and varied professions
Thus, Big Data has given birth to many new businesses: Data Miner, Data Analyst, Chief Data Officer, Data Architect, Data Scientist, Big Data Engineer…These experts are able to collect data, organize them, analyze them process and turn them into actionable information by all departments of the company.
Large companies first need computer scientists and engineers to design the architecture of these databases (Data Architect). IT security specialists must also be careful to protect them, especially if they are personal data.
But the real novelty is to “talk” these data for commercial use. For example, on the thousands of buyers of a product, we will look for those who have chosen this or that option by classifying them by age, home, standard of living, etc.
This is what the Data Analyst (or Data Miner), a business at the crossroads of computing, statistics, but also marketing. The Data Analyst supports a specific data type, via a defined template.
Even more expert in data, the Data Scientist will analyze multiple sources and extract major trends to guide the strategy of a company.
The expert must master the computer environment, the statistical tools and the challenges of the business sector of the company. By digging into the data, he/she turns into a detective to lead the investigation of a complex issue and can thus advise the company as a consultant, through a transverse vision.
Big Data, Big Opportunities
As these trades are relatively new, demand far exceeds the number of qualified experts. Unknown a few years ago, they have just emerged and are expected to explode in some time due to growing needs.
According to the Robert Half 2018 Salary Guide for Technology Professionals, Big Data jobs will be the most popular in the years to come. 67% of corporate executives say that Big Data is one of the biggest hiring factors, along with digital marketing and the cloud.
Data Science specialists can work in large groups, for example in the banking, insurance and finance sector, in audit consulting, through large conventional industrial groups or the defense sector, to predict, for example, the behaviour of terrorists.
Unless they are driven out by marketing startups or new data processing software, they can also work for web professionals who store and process data: data centers, Internet service providers, hosting providers, industrial infrastructure, etc.
The scarcity of profiles currently formed, combined with the strategic nature of these new businesses for businesses are driving up wages.
