Statistical Consulting Center Internship (Registration deadline: April 30, 2023)

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

http://hillaryaugustine.com/alfacgiapi 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

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)

Why be a Statistical Consultant?

A statistical consultant provides a range of services to clients including statistical advice, analysis and training. Clients can come from a wide variety of subject areas including business, medicine, environment and government, but they all have one thing in common; they wish to collect and analyse data to make evidence-based decisions. There are three possible ways in which you can be employed as a statistical consultant. You can work in a commercial statistical consultancy company, as part of a university statistical unit or as a freelancer. The key difference for a freelance consultant is that they are self-employed.

Can non-quantitative candidates apply?

This programme is highly competitive. Ideal candidate either has a bachelor or master degree in a quantitative-related field. However, non-quantitative candidates with strong interest and passion for data analysis and machine learning may apply to this programme.

What is the mode of this programme?

This programme will pair you with a Senior and Associate Statistician who will both guide your activities. Participants will be admitted on a rolling basis and assigned to instructor-led virtual classes. We have found that the programme makes online learning easy that it is not necessary to have a formal, instructional data lab; you should be able to learn how to use a significant number of analytical tools on your own in this programme. Access to these packages which include but not limited to IBM SPSS Statistics, Stata, R and some familiarity with Windows is all that is required.

What are the important dates in this programme?

April 1, 2023:
Application opens

April 30, 2023:
Application closes

May 1, 2023:
Notification of successful applicants

May 1, 2023 – May 15, 2023:
• Batch enrollment of statistical interns on Microsoft Teams
• Creation of LinkedIn profile
• Familiarity tour of co-interns

May 16, 2023:
Commencement of remote internship activities

June 16, 2023:
End of programme and issuance of certificate of statistical internship/affiliation

What is the cost and duration of this programme?

This programme does not receive any external funding for any of its activities. Hence, as a matter of policy, selected participants will be required to pay a one-time fee of NGN 5000 or 20 USD as part of the operating costs. After a minimum period of 3 months of interaction, and after having made concrete inputs to programme’s objectives, participants are eligible to receive a “Certificate of Internship in Statistical Consulting”.

Further enquiries?

For further enquiries, please send a mail to training@datavillegroup.com. Our Support Team typically respond within 1-3 hours.