How to become Operations Research Analyst in 2024

Operations Research Analyst Formulate and apply mathematical modeling and other optimizing methods to develop and interpret information that assists management with decisionmaking, policy formulation, or other managerial functions. May collect and analyze data and develop decision support software, services, or products. May develop and supply optimal time, cost, or logistics networks for program evaluation, review, or implementation.

Operations Research Analyst is Also Know as

In different settings, Operations Research Analyst is titled as

  • Advanced Analytics Associate
  • Analytical Strategist
  • Decision Analyst
  • Operations Research Analyst
  • Optimization Analyst

Education and Training of Operations Research Analyst

Operations Research Analyst is categorized in Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

Experience Required for Operations Research Analyst

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Education Required for Operations Research Analyst

Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Degrees Related to Operations Research Analyst

Training Required for Operations Research Analyst

Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Related Ocuupations

Some Ocuupations related to Operations Research Analyst in different industries are

What Do Operations Research Analyst do?

  • Formulate mathematical or simulation models of problems, relating constants and variables, restrictions, alternatives, conflicting objectives, and their numerical parameters.
  • Collaborate with others in the organization to ensure successful implementation of chosen problem solutions.
  • Analyze information obtained from management to conceptualize and define operational problems.
  • Perform validation and testing of models to ensure adequacy, and reformulate models, as necessary.
  • Collaborate with senior managers and decision makers to identify and solve a variety of problems and to clarify management objectives.
  • Define data requirements, and gather and validate information, applying judgment and statistical tests.
  • Study and analyze information about alternative courses of action to determine which plan will offer the best outcomes.
  • Prepare management reports defining and evaluating problems and recommending solutions.
  • Break systems into their components, assign numerical values to each component, and examine the mathematical relationships between them.
  • Specify manipulative or computational methods to be applied to models.
  • Observe the current system in operation, and gather and analyze information about each of the component problems, using a variety of sources.
  • Design, conduct, and evaluate experimental operational models in cases where models cannot be developed from existing data.
  • Develop and apply time and cost networks to plan, control, and review large projects.
  • Develop business methods and procedures, including accounting systems, file systems, office systems, logistics systems, and production schedules.
  • Present the results of mathematical modeling and data analysis to management or other end users.
  • Educate staff in the use of mathematical models.

Qualities of Good Operations Research Analyst

  • Mathematical Reasoning: The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Number Facility: The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Fluency of Ideas: The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Originality: The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Memorization: The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
  • Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
  • Speed of Closure: The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
  • Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Time Sharing: The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
  • Visual Color Discrimination: The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
  • Finger Dexterity: The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Auditory Attention: The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
  • Trunk Strength: The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
  • Hearing Sensitivity: The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
  • Depth Perception: The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
  • Wrist-Finger Speed: The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.
  • Dynamic Strength: The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.
  • Gross Body Equilibrium: The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
  • Stamina: The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
  • Night Vision: The ability to see under low-light conditions.
  • Peripheral Vision: The ability to see objects or movement of objects to one's side when the eyes are looking ahead.
  • Glare Sensitivity: The ability to see objects in the presence of a glare or bright lighting.
  • Sound Localization: The ability to tell the direction from which a sound originated.
  • Gross Body Coordination: The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.
  • Dynamic Flexibility: The ability to quickly and repeatedly bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  • Extent Flexibility: The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  • Explosive Strength: The ability to use short bursts of muscle force to propel oneself (as in jumping or sprinting), or to throw an object.
  • Static Strength: The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
  • Speed of Limb Movement: The ability to quickly move the arms and legs.
  • Reaction Time: The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
  • Rate Control: The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
  • Response Orientation: The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
  • Multilimb Coordination: The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Manual Dexterity: The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness: The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Spatial Orientation: The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.

Tools Used by Operations Research Analyst

  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Mainframe computers
  • Personal computers

Technology Skills required for Operations Research Analyst

  • A mathematical programming language AMPL
  • Amazon Redshift
  • Apache Hadoop
  • Apache Hive
  • Apache Pig
  • Apple macOS
  • Bash
  • Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge
  • Business Forecast Systems Forecast Pro
  • C
  • C++
  • Cisco IOS
  • Citrix cloud computing software
  • Claritas PRIZM NE
  • Dassault Systemes CATIA
  • Data entry software
  • Database software
  • Eko
  • ESRI ArcExplorer
  • ESRI ArcGIS software
  • Extensible markup language XML
  • FileMaker Pro
  • Fund accounting software
  • General algebraic modeling system GAMS
  • Geographic information system GIS software
  • GitHub
  • Google Docs
  • Google Drive
  • Google Slides
  • Hewlett Packard HP-UX
  • Human resource management software HRMS
  • Hyperion Solutions Hyperion Intelligence
  • IBM Cognos Impromptu
  • IBM Domino
  • IBM Notes
  • IBM Power Systems software
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
  • iGrafx
  • ILOG OPL-CPLEX Development System
  • Imagine That Extend OR
  • Insightful S-PLUS
  • Job control language JCL
  • Jupyter Notebook
  • LexisNexis
  • LINDO Systems LINGO
  • Linux
  • Marketo Marketing Automation
  • Mathsoft Mathcad
  • MathWorks Simulink
  • McAfee
  • Mesquite Software CSIM
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Exchange
  • Microsoft MapPoint
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Project
  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services SSRS
  • Microsoft Visio
  • Microsoft Visual Basic
  • Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition VBScript
  • Microsoft Word
  • MicroStrategy
  • Minitab
  • Mixed integer optimizer MINTO
  • MySQL
  • National Instruments LabVIEW
  • NetSuite ERP
  • Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition
  • Oracle E-Business Suite Financials
  • Oracle Eloqua
  • Oracle Hyperion
  • Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
  • Oracle PeopleSoft
  • Oracle Solaris
  • Oracle Taleo
  • Perl
  • ProModel
  • Python
  • Qlik Tech QlikView
  • R
  • Rockwell Automation Arena
  • Salesforce software
  • SAP Business Objects
  • SAP Crystal Reports
  • SAP PowerBuilder
  • SAP software
  • SAS
  • Scala
  • Shell script
  • Splunk Enterprise
  • Stanford Business Software MINOS
  • Stanford Business Software SNOPT
  • StataCorp Stata
  • Strategic Reporting Systems ReportSmith
  • Structured query language SQL
  • Sun Microsystems Java
  • Swift
  • Tableau
  • Telelogic System Architect
  • Teradata Database
  • The MathWorks MATLAB
  • UNIX
  • UNIX Shell
  • Veritas NetBackup
  • Wireshark
  • Wolfram Research Mathematica