Statistical Consulting Internship
Statistical consulting is the most challenging and most rewarding part of statistics. A consultant uses the art and science of statistics to solve a practical problem. Problems come from many different fields – community development, marketing, manufacturing, public health, agriculture, or education, but many of us specialize in just a few application areas. Some consultants work at universities or public health agencies, some work in the industry, and many run their own businesses.
Good consulting requires a strong technical background in statistics, good people skills, and for many, a good business sense. In addition, modern statistical consulting often involves distance relationships with clients and distance technology.
This remote statistical internship program will help you develop skills that cover the whole range of the steps in the statistical consulting process: communication and managing client sessions, applying appropriate statistical techniques, interpreting results, and communicating the findings in clear, non-mathematical terms. The hands-on exercises consist of real-life datasets from industry, healthcare, and government. Therefore, it serves as a model for your analysis in this program.
This program is jointly delivered by our Statistical Consulting Center and the Institute for Development Research. We are an equal opportunity and affirmative organization so women are strongly encouraged to apply to this program.
Eligibility Requirements
- Bachelor’s or graduate degree in a field related to statistics, economics, computer science, epidemiology, public health, or mathematics with good academic standing. Degrees in theoretical physics, engineering, and other fields that deliver high-level training in mathematical modeling and other advanced quantitative techniques may also be eligible.
- Non-quantitative candidates with a strong interest and passion for data analysis and machine learning may apply to this program.
- Must have good written and oral communication skills in English.
- Must have good organizational skills, problem-solving abilities, time management skills, initiative, flexibility, and ability to work on several assignments simultaneously.
- Must have a solid working knowledge of Microsoft tools and software.
- Programming and data analysis skills are desirable.
Internship Objectives
- Interns will work on broad statistical areas focused on industry, government, and academia, and a number of themes in international development.
- Conduct research design, instrument development, data analysis, interpretation, and reporting of results.
- Review and summarize statistical methods in academic and industry journals.
- Contribute to our Statistical Consulting Center’s activities and IDR research fellowship.
- Apply statistical thinking and methods to public policy issues.
Training Module
Getting Started with Consulting
- Descriptive and Inferential Statistics
- Statistical Software Packages
- Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Statistical Consulting
- Managing a Session
- Dealing with Difficult Clients
Hands-on Labs
- Research Methodology
- Mobile Data Collection with ODK and Kobotoolbox
- Data Visualization with Excel and Tableau
- Quantitative Data Management and Analysis using SPSS, EViews, Stata, Epi Info, CSPro, R and Python
- Qualitative Data Management and Analysis With NVIVO
Communication in Consulting
- Responsibilities of Client and Consultant
- Ethics in Statistical Consulting
- Writing Technical Reports
- Project Troubleshooting
- Interaction with Industry Peers
