How to hire data scientists
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Analyze, manipulate, or process large sets of data using statistical software. • Clean and manipulate raw data using statistical software. • Compare models using statistical performance metrics, such as loss functions or proportion of explained variance. • Create graphs, charts, or other visualizations to convey the results of data analysis using specialized software. • Deliver oral or written presentations of the results of mathematical modeling and data analysis to management or other end users. • Identify business problems or management objectives that can be addressed through data analysis. • Recommend data-driven solutions to key stakeholders. • Test, validate, and reformulate models to ensure accurate prediction of outcomes of interest. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Bachelor's degree] • Strong mathematics, critical thinking, reading comprehension, active learning, active listening and speaking skills • Working knowledge of mathematics, computers and electronics, English Language and customer and personal service • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $57.80 an hour ($120,230 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for data scientists
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to analyze, manipulate, or process large sets of data using statistical software. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to clean and manipulate raw data using statistical software. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to compare models using statistical performance metrics, such as loss functions or proportion of explained variance. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to create graphs, charts, or other visualizations to convey the results of data analysis using specialized software. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Walk me through a calculation you do regularly at work and how you check it.
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What data scientists do
- Analyze, manipulate, or process large sets of data using statistical software.
- Clean and manipulate raw data using statistical software.
- Compare models using statistical performance metrics, such as loss functions or proportion of explained variance.
- Create graphs, charts, or other visualizations to convey the results of data analysis using specialized software.
- Deliver oral or written presentations of the results of mathematical modeling and data analysis to management or other end users.
- Identify business problems or management objectives that can be addressed through data analysis.
- Recommend data-driven solutions to key stakeholders.
- Test, validate, and reformulate models to ensure accurate prediction of outcomes of interest.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for data scientists
- Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
- Job outlook: +34.6% over ten years, much faster than average · about 24,800 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay data scientists
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Washington | $163,350 |
| California | $141,590 |
| Maryland | $136,370 |
| New Jersey | $135,280 |
| Massachusetts | $131,750 |
| Idaho | $89,380 |
| Oklahoma | $86,310 |
| Louisiana | $78,760 |
See data scientists pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Actuaries
- Mathematicians
- Operations Research Analysts
- Statisticians
- Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other
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Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.