What does an operations research analyst do?
Operations research analysts are responsible for assisting organizations in making better decisions. These professionals work to develop solutions that will aid businesses to operate more efficiently using advanced techniques such as data mining, optimization, and mathematical modeling. They work closely with key organizational stakeholders to stay up-to-date on short-term and long-term business goals. They also conduct research that will give them insights they need to guide decision-makers and develop solutions using predictive modeling, simulations, and statistical analysis.
Operations research analyst responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real operations research analyst resumes:
- Manage strategic development initiatives in the branch banking area, using COBOL, TSO, and SAS.
- Manage timely (business/technology) requirements gathering, project documentation, approvals from governance, QA testing and post-production validation.
- Redesign the software architecture and develop the system with Java, CPLEX and SQL.
- Establish price to win in compliance with DoD small business concerns.
- Use of statistical software and SQL to analyze very large databases.
- Prepare clear and concise PowerPoint project updates and presentations for high level executives.
- Create a SAS coding structure which can be easily maintain and expand by other co-workers.
- Create and modify diagrams in the database using Microsoft Visio and integrate them into Java code.
- Work line-by-line through VBA code to fix enough errors to deliver a workable product for the basing team.
- Develop code for automating the transfer of information between data warehouses and local databases, using Java and JDBC.
- Project lead of DoD sponsor completed computer simulation projects.
- Research and implement solutions for better visualization of data deliver to managers.
- Design and present PowerPoint on FDA regulations and next generation materials to senior management.
- Conduct investigative research and provide quantitative and qualitative operations, logistics, and intelligence products.
- Participate in work stream value mapping using Visio to reduce resource waste and identify efficiency opportunities.
Operations research analyst skills and personality traits
We calculated that 20% of Operations Research Analysts are proficient in Operations Research, DOD, and Python. They’re also known for soft skills such as Math skills, Writing skills, and Interpersonal skills.
We break down the percentage of Operations Research Analysts that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Operations Research, 20%
Provided economic risk and operations research analyses supporting decision-making on major new initiatives, strategic planning and investment and spending priorities.
- DOD, 9%
Project lead of DoD sponsored completed computer simulation projects.
- Python, 5%
Developed an online user profiling system in Python
- Statistical Analysis, 4%
Completed statistical analysis of the initial design verification process to further the development of an advanced energy surgical product.
- C++, 4%
Developed software using Visual Studio Net in Visual Basic, C#, and C++.
- Data Analysis, 3%
Design and implement the data analysis processors for all simulation-based studies in air & missile and chemical-biological defense analyses.
Most operations research analysts use their skills in "operations research," "dod," and "python" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential operations research analyst responsibilities here:
Math skills. The most essential soft skill for an operations research analyst to carry out their responsibilities is math skills. This skill is important for the role because "the models and methods used by operations research analysts are rooted in statistics, calculus, linear algebra, and other mathematics disciplines." Additionally, an operations research analyst resume shows how their duties depend on math skills: "designed the underlying mathematical model and algorithm, and managed the data collection and hardware requirements. "
Interpersonal skills. This is an important skill for operations research analysts to perform their duties. For an example of how operations research analyst responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "operations research analysts typically work on teams." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of an operations research analyst: "conducted phone surveys for nationwide clients customer service skills& interpersonal skills focus group data analysis".
Problem-solving skills. A big part of what operations research analysts do relies on "problem-solving skills." You can see how essential it is to operations research analyst responsibilities because "operations research analysts need to be able to diagnose problems and study relevant information to solve them." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical operations research analyst tasks: "research and implement solutions for better visualization of data delivered to managers. "
Analytical skills. Another common skill required for operations research analyst responsibilities is "analytical skills." This skill comes up in the duties of operations research analysts all the time, as "operations research analysts use a range of methods, including forecasting and data mining, to examine and interpret data." An excerpt from a real operations research analyst resume shows how this skill is central to what an operations research analyst does: "used scientific methods and techniques to assess data collected during the experiment to evaluate the experiment's hypothesis and objectives. "
Communication skills. Lastly, "communication skills" is an important element of what an operations research analyst does. Operations research analyst responsibilities require this skill because "operations research analysts write memos, reports, and other documents and often present their data and conclusions to managers and other executives." This resume example highlights how operations research analyst duties rely on this skill: "leveraged leadership, communications (written and oral), statistical analysis, and army/tradoc knowledge to execute program goals. "
The three companies that hire the most operations research analysts are:
- Peraton27 operations research analysts jobs
- First Cash Financial Services10 operations research analysts jobs
- ManTech10 operations research analysts jobs
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Compare different operations research analysts
Operations research analyst vs. Statistician
A statistician is an individual who gathers data and uses mathematical techniques to analyze and interpret data and draw conclusions. Statisticians are required to develop survey questionnaires or reporting forms so that they can collect the data they needed. Once the data are available, statisticians must analyze those data by calculating averages, reliabilities, and other specifics to identify trends and relationships. Statisticians must also write reports to explain their findings and recommend how to improve the design of future surveys or experiments.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between operations research analysts and statistician. For instance, operations research analyst responsibilities require skills such as "operations research," "dod," "c++," and "math." Whereas a statistician is skilled in "statistical techniques," "statistical data," "logistic regression," and "research projects." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Statisticians tend to make the most money working in the pharmaceutical industry, where they earn an average salary of $109,963. In contrast, operations research analysts make the biggest average salary, $115,452, in the professional industry.On average, statisticians reach similar levels of education than operations research analysts. Statisticians are 1.9% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 1.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Operations research analyst vs. Data scientist
A Data Scientist analyzes information from multiple sources in order to gain maximum insight that can give the company a competitive advantage. They work in different domains, including manufacturing, healthcare, education, and finance.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, operations research analyst responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "operations research," "dod," "c++," and "data analysis." Meanwhile, a data scientist has duties that require skills in areas such as "data science," "hadoop," "tableau," and "data analytics." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
On average, data scientists earn a higher salary than operations research analysts. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, data scientists earn the most pay in the start-up industry with an average salary of $123,913. Whereas operations research analysts have higher pay in the professional industry, with an average salary of $115,452.In general, data scientists achieve higher levels of education than operations research analysts. They're 12.5% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 1.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Operations research analyst vs. Business analyst/quality analyst
A business analyst/quality analyst is responsible for evaluating business outputs and operational processes to ensure that everything adheres to the quality standards and business regulations. Business analysts/quality analysts support senior management in determining solutions to improve the company's services and provide the highest satisfaction for the customers and clients. They also conduct data and statistical analysis by assessing the market trends to identify opportunities that would generate more revenue resources and increase profitability for the business.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from operations research analyst resumes include skills like "operations research," "dod," "python," and "statistical analysis," whereas a business analyst/quality analyst is more likely to list skills in "test cases," "qa," "sql server," and "uat. "
Business analysts/quality analysts make a very good living in the finance industry with an average annual salary of $94,836. On the other hand, operations research analysts are paid the highest salary in the professional industry, with average annual pay of $115,452.Most business analysts/quality analysts achieve a similar degree level compared to operations research analysts. For example, they're 2.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 3.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Operations research analyst vs. Analyst
Analysts are employees or individual contributors with a vast experience in a particular field that help the organization address challenges. They help the organization improve processes, policies, and other operations protocol by studying the current processes in place and determining the effectiveness of those processes. They also research industry trends and data to make sound inferences and recommendations on what the company should do to improve their numbers. Analysts recommend business solutions and often help the organization roll out these solutions. They ensure that the proposed action plans are effective and produce the desired results.
Types of operations research analyst
Updated January 8, 2025
