Survey Researchers
Data Analyst, Field Interviewer, Research Associate, Research Fellow
What they do:
Plan, develop, or conduct surveys. May analyze and interpret the meaning of survey data, determine survey objectives, or suggest or test question wording. Includes social scientists who primarily design questionnaires or supervise survey teams.
On the job, you would:
- Review, classify, and record survey data in preparation for computer analysis.
- Monitor and evaluate survey progress and performance, using sample disposition reports and response rate calculations.
- Produce documentation of the questionnaire development process, data collection methods, sampling designs, and decisions related to sample statistical weighting.
Knowledge
Arts and Humanities
- English language
Math and Science
- arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
- sociology and anthropology
Business
- customer service
- management
Engineering and Technology
- computers and electronics
Skills
Basic Skills
- thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
- listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Problem Solving
- noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
People and Technology Systems
- thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
- figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Abilities
Verbal
- communicate by writing
- read and understand what is written
Math
- choose the right type of math to solve a problem
- add, subtract, multiply, or divide
Ideas and Logic
- make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
- use rules to solve problems
Personality
People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Analytical Thinking
- Dependability
- Cooperation
- Initiative
Technology
You might use software like this on the job:
Analytical or scientific software
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- The MathWorks MATLAB
Presentation software
- COMCON DataFriend
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Data base user interface and query software
- Database software
- Microsoft Access
Education
Education: (rated 5 of 5)
bachelor's degree or
master's degree
usually needed
master's degree
usually needed
Job Outlook
Below Average
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
Explore More
- Data Scientists
- Management Analysts
- Social Science Research Assistants
- Statistical Assistants
- Statisticians
You might like a career in one of these industries:
See more details at O*NET OnLine about survey researchers.
