Operations Research Analyst

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Work Tasks

• Help businesses to run as well as possible
• Research operating problems and find ways to deal with them
• Interview people, look at job records and money records to learn about problems
• Make a written report of their suggestions and present it to management
• Work for computer and data processing services, banks, insurance firms, telecommunication companies, engineering and management services, manufacturers of transportation equipment, the government, management firms, research firms, and public relations agencies
• Work with computers and different types of models, including simulation, linear programming, and game theory models

Salary, Size & Growth

• $69,500 average per year ($33.50 per hour)
• A medium occupation (62,200 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow rapidly (2.2% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: A 4-year degree in computer science, quantitative management, or economics
• Employers Prefer: A master's degree in operations research analysis
• Skills/Courses: College courses include management, statistics, information science, computer programming, data analysis, and operations research.