Data Analyst

Data Analyst executes the role’s key duties laid out here and you’ll find 20 real tasks. The tasks show how performance is measured and where time is best spent in Data & Analytics. Each one shows where we found it, and comes with an AI prompt you can copy and use straight away.

20evidenced tasks
20ready prompts
7tools of the trade
19-3022.00O*NET-SOC code
8,290hold this job (US, BLS 2025)
$69,460median pay/yr (US)
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What it pays

Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.

Half of all Survey Researchers in the U.S. earn more than $69,460 a year — the middle 80% land between $39,260 and $130,860. About 8,290 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Survey Researchers”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$69,460typical pay / year
8,290people in this work
$130,860+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
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The work, task by task

These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.

Analysing2

Collect data through surveys

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Design a ten-question field survey for park users that records visit frequency, activity type, and…
Design a ten-question field survey for park users that records visit frequency, activity type, and satisfaction, export the questionnaire and consent script to a printable packet, and schedule three weekday collection shifts with the surveying crew.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia

Interpret survey results

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Run the completed survey dataset through the standard analysis routine, produce charts of activity by site…
Run the completed survey dataset through the standard analysis routine, produce charts of activity by site and a one-page findings brief highlighting statistically significant differences, and send both to the project manager and planning team.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS Statisticsjob descriptionsWikipedia
Keeping the record4

Plan and develop survey methods

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Draft the sampling plan that balances shoreline and inland transects, specify instrument calibration checks,…
Draft the sampling plan that balances shoreline and inland transects, specify instrument calibration checks, response quotas, and a timeline for pilot testing, then circulate the draft to field leads for comments by Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ProjectMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET

Implement data collection procedures.

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Create the step-by-step field protocol for data collectors including instrument setup, calibration steps,…
Create the step-by-step field protocol for data collectors including instrument setup, calibration steps, daily log templates, and error-handling instructions, print ten copies for training and email the master to the survey team.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordO*NETWikipedia

Adjust survey design for practicality

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Redesign the household survey so interview time drops to 15 minutes: remove redundant topography items,…
Redesign the household survey so interview time drops to 15 minutes: remove redundant topography items, convert open-ended questions to coded choices, ensure electronic form captures GPS readings and timestamps, and run a five-interviewer pilot next Tuesday to verify practicality.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET

Hire and train recruiters and data collectors.

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Recruit three field recruiters and twelve data collectors for the June round: post the job spec describing…
Recruit three field recruiters and twelve data collectors for the June round: post the job spec describing instrument calibration and GPS experience, shortlist by Wednesday, schedule two-day training covering recording survey measurements and topography next Monday and Tuesday, and prepare competency checklists.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Teamsjob descriptionsO*NET
The daily work14
km/h RPM

Surveying methods

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Draft the methods section describing how I calibrated the total station, leveled the benchmarks, recorded…
Draft the methods section describing how I calibrated the total station, leveled the benchmarks, recorded horizontal and vertical survey measurements, processed raw points into finished coordinates, and logged quality checks for the county right-of-way report due Tuesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelESCOsee the evidence ↗

Conduct underwater surveys

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Write the field procedure for the underwater survey: pre-check and calibration of the depth sounder and GPS,…
Write the field procedure for the underwater survey: pre-check and calibration of the depth sounder and GPS, tidal reference setup, transect sampling intervals, data recording format, and safety checks so the dive team can execute and I can import the logs for processing tomorrow morning.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelESCOsee the evidence ↗

Address sampling issues and nonresponse problems

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Diagnose and fix sampling bias and nonresponse in the coastal household survey: compare respondent…
Diagnose and fix sampling bias and nonresponse in the coastal household survey: compare respondent demographics to the frame, weight by inverse selection probability, document any post-stratification adjustments, and produce a short memo with recommended recontact strategy by Thursday.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS Statisticsjob descriptionsWikipedia

Write proposals to win new projects.

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Draft a winning proposal for the county flood-mapping contract: outline survey design, equipment calibration…
Draft a winning proposal for the county flood-mapping contract: outline survey design, equipment calibration procedures, deliverables, a three-month timeline, costing by line item, and two references; produce a client-ready PDF for submission next Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordO*NET

Test surveys for question clarity

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Run a question clarity test on the roadside travel survey: recruit ten pilot respondents, conduct cognitive…
Run a question clarity test on the roadside travel survey: recruit ten pilot respondents, conduct cognitive interviews, record misunderstandings and timings, revise ambiguous items, and send a one-page report with recommended wording by Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions

Summarize survey findings visually

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Create a visual summary of the household energy survey: produce three charts showing consumption by region,…
Create a visual summary of the household energy survey: produce three charts showing consumption by region, response rate by strata, and key correlations, annotate with one-paragraph takeaways, and export a two-slide visual pack for Friday's review.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions

Collaborate with team members

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Coordinate with the field team and analyst group to finalise the next wave: share the updated instrument,…
Coordinate with the field team and analyst group to finalise the next wave: share the updated instrument, assign which technician will calibrate each device, set the data delivery schedule, and confirm daily check-ins starting Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Teamsjob descriptions

Ensure ethical standards in survey research.

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Review the survey protocol for ethics compliance: check consent wording, data minimisation, storage plans,…
Review the survey protocol for ethics compliance: check consent wording, data minimisation, storage plans, anonymisation steps, and compile a one-page compliance checklist and redlines to send to the ethics officer by Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordWikipedia

Map marine environments

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Map the coastal and offshore habitats from the July acoustic transects, georeference each polygon to WGS84,…
Map the coastal and offshore habitats from the July acoustic transects, georeference each polygon to WGS84, classify substrate and vegetation, flag doubtful edges for field review, and deliver one layered map file and a summary table by Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESCO

Collect scientific data

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Compile the hydrophone, CTD and GPS logs from the June cruise, quality-check timestamps and coordinates,…
Compile the hydrophone, CTD and GPS logs from the June cruise, quality-check timestamps and coordinates, merge into one cleaned dataset with units harmonised, produce a sampling metadata sheet and handover file today.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelESCO

Calibrate electronic instruments

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Run the pre-survey electronic calibration routine on the acoustic sounder and magnetometer, log zero-offsets…
Run the pre-survey electronic calibration routine on the acoustic sounder and magnetometer, log zero-offsets and temperature adjustments, generate a calibration report with signatures and attach it to the instrument packet before deployment.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordESCOsee the evidence ↗

Record survey measurements

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Enter the topographic and bathymetric point measurements from the field sheets into a clean table, validate…
Enter the topographic and bathymetric point measurements from the field sheets into a clean table, validate coordinates against GPS baselines, compute residuals, and export the validated survey points as a single coordinate CSV for the GIS team.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESCOsee the evidence ↗

Operate surveying instruments

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Prepare step-by-step instrument checklists and startup parameters for the total station, GNSS rover and echo…
Prepare step-by-step instrument checklists and startup parameters for the total station, GNSS rover and echo sounder, include acceptance criteria and trouble‑shoot notes, then publish one printable checklist for the field crew before tomorrow’s shift.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft TeamsESCOsee the evidence ↗

Document survey operations

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Assemble the survey operations log: import daily activity sheets, attach calibration records and photos,…
Assemble the survey operations log: import daily activity sheets, attach calibration records and photos, write an executive summary of deviations and decisions, then produce a locked PDF handover for the project archive by end of week.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelESCOsee the evidence ↗

Says who?

These are the pages we read to build this. Open any of them and check us.

The logs, files & records this job keeps

Shared with other careers — the same record means something different in each.

Related careers

Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.

The LLOS Work Atlas is the world's largest evidenced task library — a map of human work, with a ready prompt behind every task. 1,774 careers · every task named by the sources that witnessed it — O*NET, ESCO, real job descriptions, Wikipedia — and the deepest tasks by several at once. And it is honest about limits: where AI cannot help, the map says so.

The rest of the map

Same library, five ways in.

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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses