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Data and computation

Data Scientist

Turns large, messy datasets into answers, using programming, statistics and machine learning to find patterns and build predictive models.

Data scientists work for the NHS, drug companies, research institutes, technology firms and government, usually in an office or from home. In life science it suits someone who enjoys biology but finds they like the analysis and the code more than the bench.

Also called Health data scientist or Machine learning scientist.

At a glance

Way in
Bachelor's degree, often in statistics, mathematics, computer science, data science and bioinformatics
Pay in the US
$120,230 a year, the medianFor data scientists, 2025
Pay in the UK
£32,000 starting to £83,000 with experience
US outlook
Much faster than average, 2025-2035
Suits you if
You enjoy coding and statistics and like answering questions with evidence.

Pay is a guide: it moves with the country, the employer, the sector and the years in the job. Figures from O*NET OnLine (US) and the National Careers Service (UK); see the sources below.

The work

What does a data scientist do?

  • Gather and clean data from health records, experiments, sensors or databases
  • Explore data for patterns and test ideas with statistical methods
  • Build and check machine learning models that predict outcomes
  • Turn results into charts, dashboards and short reports for non-specialists
  • Set up automated data pipelines and keep data secure and accurate

Where they work

  • NHS and health data teams
  • Pharmaceutical and biotech companies
  • Research institutes and universities
  • Government departments
  • Technology companies

Skills

The skills a data scientist needs

  • ProgrammingPython or R, plus SQL for databases
  • Statisticsstudy design, modelling, uncertainty and bias
  • Machine learningchoosing, training and testing models
  • Data visualisationclear charts and dashboards
  • Communicationexplaining results to people who are not analysts
  • Domain knowledgeenough biology or medicine to ask good questions

Route in

How to become a data scientist

  1. Study a numerate degree, or a science degree with plenty of statistics and coding
  2. Build skills in Python, R and SQL through coursework, projects or short courses
  3. Take an internship or start as a data analyst to gain experience with real data
  4. Consider a master's or conversion course in data science to move into the role

Degrees people take

  • Statistics
  • Mathematics
  • Computer science
  • Data science
  • Bioinformatics

In the UK, data science degree apprenticeships and master's conversion courses offer routes in for people without a maths or computing degree.

Practise for it

The quizzes and tools that fit

Also on biofideX

Next to it

Careers to weigh against it

Sources

Where the facts come from

Written for biofideX from these public sources. The pay figures are theirs, copied as published, last read 2026-10-25.

Requirements differ by country and change over time; check with the body that registers the profession where you will work. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll correct it.

Career Paths

55 careers, side by side

Each with what it asks, how people get in, what it pays and the quizzes that fit it.

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