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 industry, and many run their own business.

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 programme 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 programme.

This programme is jointly delivered by our Statistical Consulting Center and Institute for Development Research. We are an equal opportunity and affirmative organization so women are strongly encouraged to apply to this programme.

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 strong interest and passion for data analysis and machine learning may apply to this programme.
• Must have good written and oral communications 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 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 around 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

Bogatynia 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

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)