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Mathematicians

In the Mathematicians occupation, workers conduct research in fundamental mathematics or in application of mathematical techniques to science, management, and other fields. One core duty is to mentor others on mathematical techniques. Interest ratings put Investigative on top at 7.0 out of 7 and Conventional second, so the code is ICA and the day leans toward research, analysis and working through hard problems. Plan on graduate school and often five years or more of related experience; O*NET labels this extensive preparation. Strength in mathematics, critical thinking, and reading comprehension helps most here. The job can ask you to maintain knowledge in the field by reading professional journals, talking with other mathematicians, and attending professional conferences. People who want research, analysis and working through hard problems usually fit better here than those who need leading, persuading and making business decisions.

What they do

Conduct research in fundamental mathematics or in application of mathematical techniques to science, management, and other fields. Solve problems in various fields using mathematical methods.

Main tasks

  • Mentor others on mathematical techniques.
  • Maintain knowledge in the field by reading professional journals, talking with other mathematicians, and attending professional conferences.
  • Develop new principles and new relationships between existing mathematical principles to advance mathematical science.
  • Disseminate research by writing reports, publishing papers, or presenting at professional conferences.
  • Assemble sets of assumptions, and explore the consequences of each set.
  • Perform computations and apply methods of numerical analysis to data.

Skills

  • Mathematics
  • Critical Thinking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Active Learning
  • Judgment and Decision Making

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You are prepared for graduate-level study and a long training path.
  • You are comfortable relying on mathematics and critical thinking.

May not suit you if

  • You lose interest when a job asks for long stretches of analysis.
  • You want to lead people or run the business side. Enterprising rates 1.1 out of 7 here.
  • You want to be working in the field within the next few years.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ICA takes the three highest, and Investigative comes first here.

Preparation

Extensive preparation. Many jobs here need graduate study, and people often spend five years or more building specialist experience.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Doctoral Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Agent-Based Modeler
  • Computational Mathematician
  • Computational Scientist
  • Cryptographer
  • Cryptographic Vulnerability Analyst

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.