Is becoming an operations research analyst right for me?

The first step to choosing a career is to make sure you are actually willing to commit to pursuing the career. You don’t want to waste your time doing something you don’t want to do. If you’re new here, you should read about:

Overview
What do operations research analysts do?
Career Satisfaction
Are operations research analysts happy with their careers?
Personality
What are operations research analysts like?

Still unsure if becoming an operations research analyst is the right career path? to find out if this career is right for you. Perhaps you are well-suited to become an operations research analyst or another similar career!

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How to become an Operations Research Analyst

Although some employers prefer to hire applicants with a master’s degree or a PhD, many entry-level positions are available for those with a bachelor’s degree. Since few schools offer bachelor’s or advanced degree programs in operations research, analysts typically have degrees in other quantitative fields, such as computer science, industrial engineering, or mathematics.

In planning course work, it's important to realize that operations research is interdisciplinary, often drawing solutions from engineering, logic, psychology, and other social and political sciences. For this reason, a well rounded scientific background can also prove very useful.

Once an individual is established, there are plenty of opportunities for advancement in this profession. Options include becoming a senior analyst or a technical lead for a team of analysts.