How to become a big data consultant: the guide

What is a big data consultant?

A big data consultant is an analyst, commissioned by customers to deliver functional software that implements analytical models based on data collection. The aim is to make projections.

Let's illustrate his role with a concrete model: a company is looking to personalize its advertising. The big data consultant will be hired to set up the algorithmic models needed to compile and interpret the data collected on user preferences.

Companies such as Google and Facebook are using big data consultants to provide users with the advertising they need to buy goods and services that match their interests. Their algorithms aim to target them with ads based on their online interactions.

Big data consultants are in high demand, as the impact of big data on corporate revenues is revolutionizing existing business models.

The role of a big data consultant is not just commercial

A big data consultant can also lead projects for institutions or non-governmental organizations. For example, in the healthcare field, he or she may develop software to predict which children will not have access to healthcare, based on :

• Their social background,
• Their geographical origin,
• Their parents' level of education,
• Household composition,
• Etc.

His area of expertise is therefore particularly broad, and by no means limited to making production systems profitable or optimizing advertising campaigns.

What qualifications does a big data consultant need?

The big data consultant is a mathematician versed in computer science. Their training is based on a university degree in one of the following fields:

• Master's degree in computer science,
• Master's degree in economics, specializing in statistics,
• Master's degree in big data.

The country's leading universities offer these courses:

• Paris Tech,
• Supelec (Ecole Supérieure d'Électricité),
• Paris Dauphine,
• Etc.

What are the missions of a big data consultant?

Positively impacting a company's income

The big data consultant must know how to use the data collected and exploit it to achieve three objectives:

• Increase company revenues,
• Keep costs down,
• Offer competitive advantages.

These three objectives are linked, but the first is put into action by the use of data for marketing purposes.

The second is put into action by the use of data intended, for example, for the production line, with the aim of rationalizing manufacturing processes.

The third can be put into action by providing data on the optimal pricing of a product or service.

All these changes can only be implemented if the big data consultant is able to guide management in its decision-making.

Rallying teams around a project

The big data consultant acts as a link between marketers, technicians and those responsible for evaluating the budget allocated to the automation project.

The latter often have data, such as the size of the target market, to assess the expected return on investment of the changes requested of the big data consultant.

Participate in meetings with management

The big data consultant attends all meetings with management, aimed at developing the algorithm to make it more efficient.

At these meetings, the company's management presents the big data consultant with the features that its members would like to see implemented in the software.

Ensuring software ownership by the customer

The big data consultant's mission is to deliver a functional solution to the company employing him/her. He or she is therefore responsible for helping the human resources department to draft job advertisements aimed at hiring :

• Engineers,
• Machine-learning specialists,
• UX (user experience) developers.

As a result, the big data consultant has to deliver functional, easily deployable software, and ensure that a team can manage it.

What skills does a big data consultant need?

• Autonomy
• Creativity
• Enthusiasm
• Keep abreast of technical and technological developments
• Master coding in R and Python
• Understanding mathematics to understand models
• Ability to work as part of a team with developers to operationalize models
• A thirst for learning
• A passion for data
• Getting specialists to work together as a team

How do you interview a big data consultant?

The profession is looking for big data consultants who are genuinely passionate about researching and exploiting data.

Candidates who have carried out data mining as part of a personal project are particularly welcome. In this case, the data analysis is based on a real-life situation that has enabled projections to be made (sports, finance, etc.)?

How much does a big data consultant earn?

• Beginner: €36,000 gross per year
• Senior: €45,000 gross per year
• Expert: €66,000 gross per year

What are the career prospects for a big data consultant?

After a few years' experience and a number of major projects, big data consultants may be eligible for positions as :

• IT department manager
• Project owner
• Director of Studies
• Information Systems Director
• Etc