Case Study - Statistician

Name: Oonagh O’Shea
Job: Statistician

I’m working for a pharmaceutical manufacturing company as a statistician. The great thing about statistics and mathematics is they may be applied in everyday work and in a wide range of industries, e.g. financial and pharmaceutical.  Statistics and mathematics are universal and you are not tied to one location or one industry in your career.

I hold a BSc Mathematical Sciences and Computing and an MSc by Research and Thesis. In my line of work I think an interest in continuous learning is necessary to build knowledge of the areas in which you are applying statistical and mathematical techniques.  Also, the ability to speak and write in a technical manner is an advantage.

Advantages would definitely include the wide range of options open to you within the field of mathematics. Exposure to different disciplines is possible throughout your career; for example, I am currently involved in a process robustness exercise for the introduction of a pipeline product.

Rapidly changing priorities, in an industry such as the pharmaceutical industry, means that the ability to forward plan within a specific role may be limited; i.e. it can be difficult to ascertain a future career path in definite terms.

To anyone considering this area of education and employment I would say to be open to continuous learning outside of formal education.  Be aware that, in order to progress within an industry, knowledge of the environment in which you are applying mathematical and statistical techniques is a distinct advantage.