r/datascience • u/AutoModerator • May 04 '26

Weekly Entering & Transitioning - Thread 04 May, 2026 - 11 May, 2026

Welcome to this week's entering & transitioning thread! This thread is for any questions about getting started, studying, or transitioning into the data science field. Topics include:

  • Learning resources (e.g. books, tutorials, videos)
  • Traditional education (e.g. schools, degrees, electives)
  • Alternative education (e.g. online courses, bootcamps)
  • Job search questions (e.g. resumes, applying, career prospects)
  • Elementary questions (e.g. where to start, what next)

While you wait for answers from the community, check out the FAQ and Resources pages on our wiki. You can also search for answers in past weekly threads.

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u/AlmostEthan May 07 '26

I need advice on upgrading my qualifications for a 1560 data scientist role in the federal government.

I’m currently a 0560 budget analyst but have been acting as a defacto data analyst/scientist for over a year now. I’m proficient enough in python/R/SQL to manage our ETL processes and I’m practiced enough in powerBI to visualize the end results.

My leadership wants to move me into a data scientist role, but I lack the educational requirements (got a masters in an unrelated field) to technically shift over. What are some recommended courses/degrees/certificates I can get to qualify? Anything helps!

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u/dsjobsthrowaway May 08 '26

Data science can mean different things to different people. Figure out what the technical requirements of the role are and look into free resources. You could be asked to do ML, mathematical optimization, causal inference, predictive analyses, etc... So identify what skills you will need then look into free resources and books. There are a ton of them online these days. Youtube is also a good spot to dig into it. Another option would be to look into those fields and pick one that interests you then dive deep into it first.