Data Scientist Resume: Examples & Guide for 2023

Data scientists are in high demand today. It means that getting a job will be easy for you. But you don’t want just any job. You want one with exciting projects, amazing benefits, and a sky-high salary.

To land a job like that, your data science resume needs to show that you’re a true data wizard, able to interrogate dark data hard enough to get all the precious answers.

Give us 7 minutes and you’ll learn how to write a data scientist resume like that.

This guide will show you: 

• A data scientist resume better than most.
• How to ace your data science resume.
• How to write a resume for data scientist that gets the interview.
• Why picking the right data science skills for resumes is the #1 key to get hired.

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Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our professional resume examples.

To begin with, see this example of a good data science resume:

Data Scientist Resume Example You Can Copy, Adjust, and Use

Let’s see a breakdown of what makes this data science resume so great! Plus, you’ll see actionable, step-by-step tips to write an equally stunning one yourself.

1. Use a Professional Data Science Resume Format

As a data scientist, you extract meaning and value from vast sets of complex data.

Think about your resume the same way: extract value for your employers.

The first step? Use a clear, legible data scientist resume format.

Pick a visually appealing resume template, a free Google Docs resume template or a free MS Word Resume Template.

Divide your resume into following sections:

Data Science Resume Template

1. Contact Information
2. Summary or Objective
3. Experience
4. Education
5. Skills
6. Additional Sections

And keep in mind some basic resume formatting rules:

Data Science Resume Format

• Use an elegant resume font.
• Go for single or 1.15 line spacing.
• Set single-inch margins on all sides.
• Make section headings larger and in bold.
• List your experience in reverse-chronological order.
• Be generous on white space to avoid that feel of “drowning in data.”
• Make your resume as long as it needs to be. Having a more-than-one-page resume is okay. Skipping important bits about your career isn’t.

Expert Hint: Save your data scientist resume in PDF to keep the formatting intact. But before you send it—double-check with the job ad if PDFs are accepted. Some employers use oldschool ATSs and will allow DOC/DOCX files only.

2. Write a Sparkling Data Scientist Resume Summary or Objective

At the top of your resume, put a carefully crafted resume profile: summary or objective. This is a paragraph of 40–60 words explaining why you’re the perfect candidate for this job.

Think of it as an elevator pitch—a trailer for the rest of your job application.

Got years of relevant data science experience? Pick a resume summary. Showcase your most spectacular accomplishments.

Starting out on your data science career? On an entry-level resume, go for a entry-level data scientist resume objective. Outline what you’ve learned so far and show how well you’d fit in.

Whichever one is right for you, remember about the key thing—

Make it about them, not you. Show how your experience and knowledge can translate into their success.

Make an offer.

See what I mean:

Data Scientist Resume Example: Summary

The difference is clear, right?

Good example is specific, detailed, and focused on how the candidate will help the employer.

Bad example, in turn? All about “me, myself, and I.”

Expert Hint: Although this section comes at the top of your resume, write it last. First, outline your experience, skills, education, and achievements. Then, pick the most impressive bits and fit them into a short-and-sweet summary.

Now, have a look at these two very different data engineer resume objectives for entry-level data science jobs.

Entry-Level Data Scientist Resume Sample: Objective

See this? “I’ve learned so much already and I know what you need.”

This one’s actually not awful. But it gives too little proof the candidate can actually do the job.

3. Create Data Science Job Descriptions That Stand Out

Remember Chandler Bing from Friends?

He was an IT procurements manager specializing in “statistical analysis and data reconfiguration”—in a way, a nineties’ equivalent of a data scientist.

The problem? His job was so complex and incomprehensible that even his closest friends didn’t know what he did exactly for a living. (Honestly—how many of your friends really understand your job title?)

There’s a lesson to be learned from Chandler. And it applies to your data scientist resume, too.

If you’re applying directly via email to the company you want to join, your resume will most likely reach someone familiar with your niche. But—

If you’re submitting your job application via job boards or online forms, before the hiring manager sees your resume, external recruiters will scan it. Some of them are not tech-savvy enough to understand highly technical descriptions of sophisticated data science projects.

So—

Don’t outline every task you handled.

To make it easier for them, in your data scientist resume job descriptions focus on the impact your actions had.

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How to List Experience on a Data Science Resume

1. Read the job ad carefully.
2. Jot down resume keywords related to the most important responsibilities and duties.
3. Use those keywords: tailor your resume to the job description.
4. Focus on your achievements instead of listing responsibilities.
5. Enhance each sentence with active verbs: “developed” not “responsible for development.”
6. Add numbers whenever you can.

See what I mean:

Data Scientist Resume Sample: Job Description

See that? The bottom line is: “I know how to make processess smoother and save company money.”

Cool. So you dig data. But that’s already in your job title. What about the actual outcome of your work, huh?

And what if you’ve done a lot of freelancing and have had little full-time contracted experience? Add the “Projects” section below your regular Work Experience.

How to List Projects on a Data Science Resume?

• Describe what you’ve done for a client, what technology you used, and what results you produced.
• If you’re at the beginning of your career and have few projects to choose from, you can include academic projects you had to do for class.
• If you’ve posted your code on Github, add a link to your Github profile in the contact information section.

Expert Hint: If you’re struggling for ideas for good python projects for a resume, browse data science reddit threads. You’ll find tons of inspiration there!

How to Plug Data Scientist Skills to Your Resume?

First of all, do not use generic skills lists. Instead:

• Start with a master list of your data science skill set. Enter all your professional skills, both technical and “soft.”
• Read the job ad carefully and look for skill-related keywords. Mark them.
• How many of the skills expected match those on your master list? Quite a few, right? Presto, that’s your list of skills to put on a resume for data science jobs.

For reference, see the table below:

Data Scientist Skills for a Resume

Hard skills:

• Programming and Software Engineering (include languages you're proficient in)
• Machine Learning, Deep Learning, AI
• Data Visualization
• Linear Algebra
• Data Wrangling
• Data Intuition
• Statistics
• Probability
• Modelling
• Quantitative Analysis

Soft skills:

• Communication (Translating the Tech Language)
• Active Learning
• Problem-Solving
• Critical Thinking
• Judgement
• Perceptiveness
• Risk Analysis
• Inquisitiveness
• Business Intuition
• Collaboration

Here you can find even more technical skills. 

4. Turn Boring Education into a Reason to Hire You

Good news:

For experienced data science professionals, putting education on a resume is easy. Include only the highest level of your education.

How to Put Education on a Data Science Resume

List:

• Degree type
• Major
• Minors (if applicable)
• School name
• Graduation date

And that’ll do.

That said—

On entry level data science resumes, education should make up for the lack of work experience.

If you’re writing an entry-level data scientist resume, elaborate bit more on your college years. Consider including:

• Relevant coursework
• Favorite fields of study
• Academic achievements
• Extracurricular activities

Expert Hint: Don’t include your GPA unless it’s higher than 3.5. Also, if you have more than a year of work experience in your field, skip the GPA altogether.

Entry-Level Data Scientist Resume Sample: Education

Wow, who is this? The future Marissa Mayer?!

That won’t be enough to grab recruiters’ attention. Next please.

5. Spice Up Your Data Scientist Resume With These Extra Sections

Nightmare time.

The hiring manager is reading your resume for data scientist. She starts to think you’re worth a shot. Whoops. She just changed her mind.

Your resume is in the trash.

What happened?!

She didn’t quite believe the qualifications on your data scientist resume. There was not enough verifiable proof.

Want to avoid that bad dream? Include extra resume sections that showcase your unquestionable wins. Provide tangible evidence for your expertise. Check out some ideas:

Extra Sections to Add to a Data Science Resume

• Conferences
• Certifications
• Publications
• Industry awards
• Blogging
• Hackathons participation

Expert Hint: If you have an official certification, add it to your contact details, next to your job title, e.g. Data Scientist, Microsoft Certified.

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Key Points

For a data scientist resume that gets the best jobs:

• Put a summary of your data science qualifications at the top of your resume.
• When describing your data science experience, focus on the results of your actions, don’t get overly technical.
• Focus on showcasing skills relevant to the specific position you’re targeting.
• List your certifications, conferences, awards, and other accomplishments that put you in front of other candidates.

Questions? Concerns? Doubts? Drop me a line in the comments, I’ll do my best to help!