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Statistician
UCI Series Concepts
Class Specifications - F.15
Principal Statistician - 7211
Senior Statistician - 7212
Statistician - 7213
Assistant Statistician - 7214
May, 1978
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SERIES CONCEPT
Statisticians perform professional statistical work Using a variety of
standard statistical methods and programming techniques in order to complete
assignments; and perform other related duties as required.
Incumbents typically select appropriate test formulas and perform standard
computations such as multiple and partial correlation coefficients, t-tests,
Chi-square, nonparametic tests, and analysis of variance working from written
or verbal instructions; prepare control cards to adopt particular computer
programs for selected research problems, which may include such factors as
n-way analysis of variance, analysis for unbalanced design, discriminant
analysis and step-wise regression; perform complicated computations
independently on research problems such as regression analysis, analysis of
covariance where the design is not complex and the mathematical model is
relatively simple; participate in meetings with departmental representatives
for the purpose of modifying codes, designing and changing forms, and making
reports during selected long-term projects; and are assigned responsibility
for the processing of precoded data and the preparation of related reports.
Incumbents may supervise the work of lower level statisticians and related
clerical personnel in the performance of coding and data collecting duties;
may be assigned responsibility for recommending specific revisions in
statistical codes, requiring library research and consultation with subject-
matter specialists; may set up specifications for computer programming
problems as required; may develop data screening programs for computer
application using FORTRAN, PL/l, ALGOL or other compatible programming
languages; may instruct lower level statisticians and related clerical
personnel on the techniques of coding, statistical computations and
utilization of equipment; may do computations involving new techniques which
have been pretested; and may develop cost estimates as required.
The Statistician series consists of four levels with the distinction between
levels based on the scope and complexity of statistical functions, the degree
of involvement in program planning and the degree of supervision exercised.
CLASS CONCEPTS
Principal Statistician
Under direction incumbents are assigned responsibility for planning and
directing the day-to-day activities of a statistical unit employing several
professional statisticians and related computer programming personnel or for
consultation and analysis requiring advanced knowledge and significant
methodological innovation; and perform other related duties as required.
Incumbents may direct the activities of a statistical unit which typically
involve performance of functions such as determination of staff and budget
needs, making of staff work assignments, and development of effective
evaluation procedures, and training and supervision of unit employees; assist
principal investigators in planning research designs on complicated problems
or large-scale studies which may result in contracts or grants, and make job
cost estimates; determine from discussions the purposes and objectives of
various studies, the previous research done on problems, the scope, methods of
approach to problems, and the restrictions inherent in experiments; make
recommendations regarding Possible alternative approaches or modifications
of scope or objectives in order to develop effective research plans;
meet with investigators to discuss possible statistical analyses of their
research data; interpret results to investigators after completion of staff
analysis; and meet with principal investigators, consultants, representatives
from granting agencies as necessary to establish overall policies and
procedures relating to selected projects.
Incumbents may perform statistical consultation and analysis requiring
advanced and current knowledge of statistical theory and the ability to
develop new methodology to meet novel requirements. Examples of such activity
include development of statistical models in new areas of application and
derivation of inference procedures using maximum likelihood, Bayesian or other
principles; and specification of usage of new statistical methods with
appropriate attention to tests of assumptions, numerical accuracy and correct
interpretation of results.
Senior Statistician
Under direction, incumbents perform complex professional statistical work and in
addition may supervise lower level statisticians and related personnel; and
perform other related duties as required.
Incumbents typically spend a majority of time working on one or more of the
following tasks, such as adaptation of mathematical statistical models for
novel analyses of technical data, independent consultation with department
representatives and principal investigators, and planning and implementation
of major study projects; advise principal investigators on appropriate
experimental designs and statistical tests in order that valid conclusions
can be obtained; plan statistical analysis for research projects where designs
are made complex by the numbers and kinds of variable number of levels of
variables and/or interactions or relationships between variables
consult with researchers to derive understanding of the hypotheses and
experimental approaches; decide appropriate statistical analyses for balanced
and unbalanced designs; develop mathematical models; determine feasibility of
using electronic computers for computations; and select or write appropriate
computer programs as necessary.
Incumbents may participate in planning meetings with representatives of
cooperating institutions for purposes of relating medical and statistical
aspects to resolve problems; may make job cost estimates on statistical
analyses which require consultation with principal investigators; and may try
out new statistical tests which are adaptations of accepted theories and/or
principles of inference.
Statistician
Under general supervision incumbents perform professional statistical work as
outlined in the Series Concept. This is the operational level of the series.
Assistant Statistician
Under supervision incumbents perform professional statistical work on a
variety of problems typically restricted in difficulty and scope. Incumbents
perform the majority of duties described in the Series Concept within
established procedural guidelines. As examples of duties assigned to this
level, incumbents perform routine statistical computations such as multiple
and partial Correlation coefficients, t-tests, Chi-square and one-way analysis
of variance; perform complex computations when formulas are set
up and when specific instructions are given in their use; code raw data and
design simple codes for machine processing; recode data combining and
modifying categories; and plot curves from computer output and prepare final
graphs for reports. This is the entry level in the professional series,
however, positions may be assigned to this level on a continuing basis.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Principal Statistician
Graduation from college with a major in statistics or a related field and six
years of professional statistical experience including at least one year of
pertinent supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education
and experience; and knowledges and abilities essential to the successful
performance of the duties assigned to the position.
Senior Statistician
Graduation from college with a major in statistics or a related field and four
years of professional statistical experience; or an equivalent combination of
education and experience; and knowledges and abilities essential to the
successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.
Statistician
Graduation from college with a major in statistics or a related field and two
years of professional statistical experience; or an equivalent combination of
education and experience; and knowledges and abilities essential to the
successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.
Assistant Statistician
Graduation from college with a major in statistics or a related field; or an
equivalent combination of education and experience; and knowledges and
abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to
the position.
Note: A Master's degree in statistics or a related field may be substituted
for one year of the required experience.
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