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Pradip mohapatra
Pradip mohapatra

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A Step-By-Step Guide to Becoming a Data Scientist in the US

Data science offers several of the most lucrative and fast-growing jobs in the tech world. Students and experienced professionals are eyeing data science jobs in the US for incredible growth opportunities and the fulfilling career they offer. Based on salaries, job satisfaction, and job availability, the data science jobs sit at the top, as per Glassdoor.

One of the most popular job roles in the data science industry is that of a Data Scientist. The annual average salary of these mid-level data science professionals in the US is around $127,419, as reported by Indeed.
So, if you are looking to make a career in data science in the US, then in this article, we will tell you everything about the job of a data scientist and how to become one.

Data Science Jobs in the US

Data Science in the USA offers the most in-demand jobs, and as per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, these jobs are expected to grow by 33% by 2030. For global students and professionals, the first thing is sorting out their Visa. If you do not hold the proper visa, then becoming a data scientist in the US can become quite a troublesome process.

Popular Data Science Job Boards in the US

Once the initial process is cleared, you may proceed to job hunt. Junior professionals and students can get plenty of opportunities through popular job portals and job boards such as CareerBuilder, Glassdoor, Indeed, US.jobs, Ziprecruiter, LinkedIn, etc.

Along with these leading job portals, it is advised to keep an eye on industry-leading data science websites such as KDnuggets, DataScienceWeekly, GeeksForGeeks, etc., to stay updated and relevant in the industry.

Preparing Well Enough for The Role

Data science jobs in the US demand a high level of technical data science skills and interpersonal skills. Along with the relevant educational qualification required for the role, you will also need to have mastery over data science concepts, including data wrangling, data analysis, data visualization, machine learning, etc. You also need to be proficient in data science tools, including programming languages like Python and R, machine learning libraries, data science frameworks, and more.

On top of these technical skills, you need to be good at communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills to crack the job interviews and land a data science job in the US.

Roadmap to a Career in Data Science in the US

So, here is a simple roadmap to a data science career in the US that you can follow to get into a data scientist job pretty easily.

• Education

Just like any other career path, a relevant educational qualification is needed for a data science career as well. It is recommended to have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, mathematics and statistics, data science, IT, or a related field.

Having a master’s or PhD can further enhance career prospects.

• Technical Skills

Education sets the foundation upon which you can build the necessary skills required to succeed in this career path. So, the next step is mastering data science skills like TensorFlow, programming languages, data visualization, data analysis, etc.

It is recommended to get certified with the best data science certification programs to gain the latest, in-demand, and industry-relevant skills and enhance your credibility in the industry.

• Practical Experience and Portfolio

Employers give higher preference to candidates with practical experience and a demonstrated portfolio. Therefore, work on practical projects, participate in competitions, contribute to open-source data science projects, and learn data science concepts practically. Several data science courses and certification programs also cover a wide range of data science projects to enhance your practical knowledge

• Data Science Certifications

These are not mandatory but highly recommended. With a credible data science certification under your belt, such as Certified Data Science Professional (CDSP™), professional data science certificates from Harvard, MIT, and Stanford, or a machine learning or data science certificate from Google, IBM, or Microsoft.

These certifications not only validate your skills, knowledge, and practical experience but also demonstrate your commitment to lifelong learning and help you stay relevant in the industry.

• Networking and Job-hunt

Finally, start your hunt for data science jobs in the US. You can grow your network, reach out to industry professionals through LinkedIn, attend data science events to grow your network, and participate in data science blog discussions and forums.

Also, regularly applying for jobs through popular job portals will increase your chances of getting hired and starting a data science career in the US.

Conclusion

The USA is a great nation when it comes to data science jobs. The job opportunities in this country are growing exponentially, and with the right skills and knowledge, you can easily land the best data science jobs for a fulfilling career.

However, the opportunities for foreign students and professionals are quite limited and even difficult to grab. Therefore, the candidates from other nations looking to enter the US for data science jobs must check out the required formalities, including immigration documents, visas, and more.

With the right educational qualification, technical and interpersonal skills, practical knowledge, and a credible data science certification under your belt, you can easily ace data science jobs in the US as well as across the globe. So, start your learning journey now.

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