The Best SQL Jobs for a Data Scientist
Data science professionals have a difficult, yet rewarding job: analyzing multiple databases of structured and unstructured data to help create a product. If you’ve ever worked at an organization with multiple shared folders for collaboration, you have an idea of how messy data can become. Now multiply your internal database by a factor of 1,000, and you have an idea of what data science professionals need to ingest, reorganize, and package to build a product or improve a service. One of the most important tools in the arsenal of a data science professional in dealing with large datasets is SQL.
What’s SQL? SQL stands for “structured query language.” It’s an easy-to-learn scripting language used in conjunction with dynamic database management systems, web-based applications, and specialized software for managing and organizing large amounts of data.
The widespread adoption of SQL as a business intelligence tool by corporations is a significant reason for its success. SQL is one of the most popular programming languages by professionals working in data science for designing and developing any number of sophisticated relational database management systems.
Dealing with large datasets isn’t an easy task. The primary focus of SQL is to ease the workload of database designers, developers, managers, and IT professionals. It was purpose-built for use by programmers who worked with large quantities of data and who required an easier method for retrieving queries involving hundreds of thousands of records.
Because of the extensive scope of SQL and its widespread adoption, SQL professionals enter a market with some of the most in-demand career opportunities available in today’s data science field. This article will discuss the numerous SQL career paths and the job opportunities it offers to people who become fluent in the programming language.
Introduction to careers in SQL
SQL is a highly versatile database language that can be used for many different types of applications and businesses. Because SQL is so widely used, many companies and institutions offer job opportunities for individuals who are knowledgeable in SQL databases and related technologies.
The data science industry is growing rapidly and the demand for qualified SQL professionals reflects that demand, with job growth estimated at a staggering 31%. As the tech leaders begin to set a standard for retail, healthcare, networking, and hospitality businesses, the world is waking up to a consumer expectation that everything arrives at the speed of Amazon. Both established players and upstart competitors are hunting for experienced data science professionals with knowledge in Oracle, MySQL, and Microsoft SQL Server databases in their respective data centers.
Some of the top SQL related positions can also be found with companies that are traditionally slower to digitize: manufacturing, government, healthcare, and education industries. SQL professionals play an integral role in their transition from manual updates or legacy databases to streamlined digital processes and products within these organizations. Considering the rapid innovation of VC-backed competitors, these skills are critical to creating and maintaining database-driven websites that deliver experiences in an entirely new way.
More and more companies are realizing the benefit of faster execution (query processing) and portability the language allows to manage and maintain their databases. When considering careers in SQL, the marketplace offers many choices. Each of these choices offers different benefits and challenges, depending on which career path you decide to take.
There are many SQL-related positions available today due to SQL’s adoption across seemingly every major company’s database. Three of the most in-demand titles have some key differences between them, so you may find yourself gravitating toward some and not others.
SQL Server Developers
SQL server developers manage the day-to-day task of creating and maintaining databases. More skilled developers understand how to optimize the queries to create a faster and more natural performance, and are familiar with different SQL servers even if they only specialize in one.
A SQL developer also has an important information security role: securing the organization’s data. This is a primary reason why SQL developers need to know how to install, configure, and maintain SQL server software applications.
Being a database developer—as opposed to the database administrator—requires a high proficiency with SQL programming, skills that can be attainable with a relevant master’s degree. Someone with an online M.S. in Data Science, for example, would be a candidate that not only understands the basics of SQL, but may also be fluent in one of the most common procedural extensions of SQL such as Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, or PostgreSQL.
Database Administrators (DBAs)
Database administrators are in charge of making sure that the SQL server and its applications are functional and up to date. Their average salary is commensurate with the crucial role they fulfill in an organization: ensuring an organization’s database is properly backed up and maintained.
As of May 2018, the role has evolved to include even more responsibility. The rollout of GDPR meant that database administrators had to scrutinize their data flow even more, guaranteeing data is properly analyzed to ensure that it meets rigorous privacy standards, and check that their process not only adheres to the requirements of their client, but also of an entire continent. The less visible but perhaps equally important role of a database administrator includes installing, repairing, and maintaining SQL servers and their applications.
Database administrators also play an important role in supporting SQL database maintenance by addressing issues related to the overall health of the SQL server. Considering the speed at which database administrators need to keep products and services working, these professionals must be prepared to solve immediate problems involving both users and servers.
Business Data Analysts
SQL data analysts work together with SQL developers to help companies use their own data to make informed decisions about the business. Their role is important, albeit less technical: They ingest the data from programs written by a developer and deliver key insights to stakeholders looking to identify problems, find a competitive edge, report on the speed and efficiency of delivery, repair and design scripts and programs that perform specific database functions, and carry out proper data analytics and maintenance.
While not as deep into programming as a DBA or SQL developer, this position requires that you possess a complete understanding of SQL logic so instructions based on the database’s capabilities can be delivered to the programmer. The role still requires a detailed understanding of SQL databases, and the most popular interview questions for this role certainly test that knowledge. Data visualization and statistical analysis determines where improvements can be made in how their product or service functions.
For example, if a company does a lot of retail or ecommerce, it may require you to analyze the purchase data to determine whether the price of particular items are too high or too low in order to price adequately. Data analysts also need to have excellent math skills, contextual understanding of how data is being used, and the ability to deliver business insights that reveal patterns and behaviors.
Knowing the importance of analysts and programmers fluent in SQL, companies like Facebook put particular emphasis on these questions in an initial interview. The importance of becoming highly proficient in SQL is more and more of a differentiator for both analysts and DBAs who are applying to competitive startups and mature companies alike.
Database Designers
Another set of individuals involved in SQL are the database designers. Database designers are digital architects. They have knowledge of SQL server designs and are often involved in the conceptualization and designing of SQL databases with the potential for making the end user experience of a software product significantly easier.
A database designer understands the design patterns needed to access data quickly and efficiently. These patterns are essential because the database should carry out a large number of complex transactions and complex logic. Think about the way people conceptualize and structure a home (kitchen appliances in the kitchen, bedroom linens in a hallway closet). Database designers conceptualize a database in such a way that a user can quickly find and retrieve a query from the database. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that the database is designed and programmed in such a way that it naturally delivers exceptional performance and uses logic and behavior as its building blocks.
A good database designer should be able to develop solutions that will improve database performance and will meet the business requirements. Let’s stick with conceptualizing home design. It doesn’t make conventional sense to keep every item out at arm’s reach in your kitchen—you only need it when it’s necessary. Closets and cupboards store all the tools you need until the time comes that you require them.
Design patterns that database designers create aren’t that different. For example, if you’ve used a social media site like Instagram or Twitter, the software loads a certain amount of data until you reach the bottom of a feed. It wouldn’t make sense to load the entire fire hose of data if a database analyst identifies that most users only read a certain amount of tweets or stories. This type of design pattern—known as the “lazy load”—defers the delivery of data to the end user until they are ready to retrieve more.
Scaling these types of architectural principles to an entire website takes a team. Database designers often partner with ETL (Extract, Transformation, and Load) Developers, Database Engineers, and Data Architects. These experts are involved in recommending, building, and designing software solutions for companies building industry-leading software solutions.
Data Scientists
Industries are looking to data science professionals well-versed in SQL to store and analyze customer and industry-related data. For instance, SQL developer positions in these companies comprise tasks that include creating custom web solutions (e.g. eCommerce web portals with lots of products and related information) and developing database-driven websites.
This means the role of a developer is shifting from maintaining the database to actually concepting how they can help businesses improve customer service. Other responsibilities include implementing data quality programs and ensuring strict compliance with SQL regulations. The developer is also responsible for the creation and maintenance of the company’s technical infrastructure including network, servers, and storage systems.
This is a big part of why SQL is the most in-demand skill among all data-related jobs and is a core software skill in data science. The importance of the database’s increased use in customer service and the need to modernize antiquated or messy data sets elevates the data scientist role considerably from where it was ten years ago.
Perhaps no data set is messier than in healthcare. In the healthcare field, data scientists with SQL expertise analyze and provide advice to physicians on the best use of patient health records. In other industries like finance that are heavily concentrated with legacy and maturing companies, data analysts may be involved in analyzing historical accounting data and market performance to improve decision-making in both internal (employee retention) and external (trading) operations. The individual could even work as an actual financial advisor who consults the financial reporting departments of client companies to improve business analysis and data management.
That’s a wide gamut of SQL job opportunities and they’re only growing.
Getting started as a SQL professional
One of the best ways to master foundational knowledge in SQL or database management is by completing a master’s degree program. The technical expertise and business acumen students gain as part of The University of Virginia’s online M.S. in Data Science (MSDS) helps working professionals either advance in their career or pivot into a different industry. The program’s coursework touches on all aspects of data science, including quantitative methodology, and even has a humanist component to ensure that students approach data science holistically.
Employers feel confident hiring candidates with hands-on course work from a reputable institution. UVA’s online M.S. in Data Science is a perfect choice as the program to prepare you for an enriching career. Each course offers extensive training in a structured curriculum so that you can enrich your existing knowledge in the field, right from the basics to more complex tasks. Click here to learn more about becoming a data scientist with a strong foundation in SQL database management.