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How to hire mathematicians

A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.

$60.92U.S. median hourly pay
$88,570–$157,020Middle half, yearly
2,030People in this job in the U.S.

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
• Address the relationships of quantities, magnitudes, and forms through the use of numbers and symbols.
• Assemble sets of assumptions, and explore the consequences of each set.
• Conduct research to extend mathematical knowledge in traditional areas, such as algebra, geometry, probability, and logic.
• Develop new principles and new relationships between existing mathematical principles to advance mathematical science.
• Disseminate research by writing reports, publishing papers, or presenting at professional conferences.
• Maintain knowledge in the field by reading professional journals, talking with other mathematicians, and attending professional conferences.
• Mentor others on mathematical techniques.
• Perform computations and apply methods of numerical analysis to data.

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: Master's degree]
• Strong mathematics, critical thinking, active learning, reading comprehension, science and writing skills
• Working knowledge of mathematics, education and training and computers and electronics
• [Anything else you would really turn someone away for]

Pay and benefits
[Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $60.92 an hour ($126,710 a year).
[Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.]

How to apply
[Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]

Check your finished job post

Interview questions for mathematicians

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.

  1. Tell me about a time you had to address the relationships of quantities, magnitudes, and forms through the use of numbers and symbols. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  2. Tell me about a time you had to assemble sets of assumptions, and explore the consequences of each set. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  3. Tell me about a time you had to conduct research to extend mathematical knowledge in traditional areas, such as algebra, geometry, probability, and logic. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  4. Tell me about a time you had to develop new principles and new relationships between existing mathematical principles to advance mathematical science. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  5. Walk me through a calculation you do regularly at work and how you check it.
  6. Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
  7. Tell me about something new you had to learn quickly for work. How did you learn it?
  8. 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 mathematicians do

  • Address the relationships of quantities, magnitudes, and forms through the use of numbers and symbols.
  • Assemble sets of assumptions, and explore the consequences of each set.
  • Conduct research to extend mathematical knowledge in traditional areas, such as algebra, geometry, probability, and logic.
  • Develop new principles and new relationships between existing mathematical principles to advance mathematical science.
  • Disseminate research by writing reports, publishing papers, or presenting at professional conferences.
  • Maintain knowledge in the field by reading professional journals, talking with other mathematicians, and attending professional conferences.
  • Mentor others on mathematical techniques.
  • Perform computations and apply methods of numerical analysis to data.

Skills that matter most

MathematicsCritical ThinkingActive LearningReading ComprehensionScienceWritingMathematicsEducation and TrainingComputers and Electronics

Education, experience and outlook for mathematicians

  • Typical education to start: Master's degree (BLS)
  • Job outlook: +0.6% over ten years, little or no change · about 100 openings a year (BLS)

Related hiring guides

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Job 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.