6 free templates by type, biostatistician, business, research, and sports, with FLSA guidance and an honest take on when a smaller team should hire one. Download as DOCX.
Statistician is a precise title that hides a lot of variety. A biostatistician at a research lab, a business statistician running experiments at a tech company, and a sports statistician tracking game data do very different work under the same word. And for most smaller organizations, the more useful question is not how to write the posting but whether you need a dedicated statistician at all, or whether a data analyst or a consultant fits better. This page covers both: templates for each type, and an honest guide to the decision.
At FirstHR, we build for small businesses hiring without an HR department, so these templates are written to be honest about who actually needs this role. The six versions below cover the standard statistician, a biostatistician, a business or applied statistician, a research statistician, a sports statistician, and an entry-level analyst. Each is ready to use. Fill in the brackets and post, and the guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
TL;DR
Six free statistician job description templates by type: Standard, Biostatistician, Business/Applied, Research, Sports, and an entry-level Statistical Analyst. The role usually needs a master's degree and is almost always exempt (learned professional). Closest pay anchor: about $103,300/year (BLS, statisticians, May 2024). Most smaller organizations are better served by a data analyst or a consultant than a dedicated statistician. Download as DOCX.
What Is a Statistician?
A statistician designs studies, analyzes data, and turns numbers into decisions. The role pairs deep knowledge of statistical methods and study design with the ability to communicate findings clearly to people who are not statisticians. It is rigorous, technical work focused on inference and quantifying uncertainty, distinct from general reporting or dashboard-building.
The federal occupation is statisticians (SOC 15-2041), which typically requires a master's degree. For the employer writing the posting, two things matter most: deciding which type of statistician you mean, since the methods and standards differ sharply, and being honest about whether your organization needs a dedicated statistician or would be better served by a data analyst or consultant. The six templates split by type, so the document matches the real role.
Types of Statistician
The first step is identifying which kind of statistician you are hiring, because the subtypes differ in methods, tools, standards, and typical employers. This table shows the main types so you pick the right template.
Type
Focus
Typical setting
Biostatistician
Clinical trials, health and life-sciences studies
Pharma, CROs, hospitals, public health
Business / Applied
Forecasting, experimentation, pricing, risk
Tech, finance, consulting
Research
Methodology and analysis for studies and grants
Universities, research institutions
Government
Official statistics and public data
Federal and state agencies
Sports
Game and player data and analysis
Media, teams, leagues
Most of these subtypes sit at larger or institutional employers. The two that most often fit a smaller team are the sports statistician and an entry-level statistical analyst, which is why this page includes templates for both alongside the more specialized versions.
Statistician Duties and Responsibilities
Statistician duties cluster into four areas: study design, analysis, data and tools, and communication. A strong job description picks the specific responsibilities from each area that match the type and setting rather than listing every possible task.
Study design
Design studies, surveys, and experiments
Determine sampling and sample size
Advise on methodology and data quality
Analysis
Apply statistical methods and modeling
Interpret results and quantify uncertainty
Test hypotheses and validate findings
Data and tools
Collect, clean, and validate data
Work in R, Python, or SAS
Build dashboards and visualizations
Communication
Explain findings to non-technical audiences
Document methods for reproducibility
Advise teams on data decisions
The emphasis shifts by type: a biostatistician leans into study design and regulatory standards, a business statistician into experimentation, and a sports statistician into data recording and real-time reporting. For a structured way to scope any role before posting, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by the type of statistician and the level you need. Use this guide to choose the closest fit, then adjust the duties, tools, and standards to your work.
Standard Statistician
The core template
The universal baseline: design studies, analyze data, quantify uncertainty, and communicate findings. Start here for a general statistician role.
Biostatistician
Healthcare / life sciences
For clinical research, public health, or life sciences: statistical analysis plans, trial data, SAS, and scientific or regulatory standards.
Business / Applied
Tech, finance, operations
For business questions: A/B testing, forecasting, pricing, and risk, translating analysis into decisions leadership can act on.
Research Statistician
Academia / institutions
For research studies and grants: methodology, analysis, and statistical contributions to papers and proposals.
Sports Statistician
Media / teams
For sports data: tracking and analyzing game stats for broadcasts, coaching, or editorial. The most small-team-friendly version.
Junior / Statistical Analyst
Entry-level
For a junior hire growing into the role: data prep, analysis under guidance, and reporting. Fundamentals over years of experience.
Match the Template to the Role
A general analytical hire: Standard. Clinical or health research: Biostatistician. Forecasting and experimentation in business: Business / Applied. Academic or institutional research: Research. Sports data for a media outlet or team: Sports. A junior hire growing into analytics: Junior / Statistical Analyst. Most versions are exempt and salaried; hourly or game-day sports work can be non-exempt.
6 Free Statistician Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: organization summary, job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, the FLSA classification, compensation, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
Standard, biostatistician, business, research, sports, and entry-level analyst. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Statistician (Standard)
The universal baseline: design studies, analyze data, quantify uncertainty, and communicate findings. Use this for a general statistician role.
Statistician Job Description (Standard)
STATISTICIAN JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State] / Remote)
Reports to: __ (Analytics Lead / Director of Data)
Employment type: Full-time, W-2 employee
FLSA status: Exempt (learned professional exemption)
Compensation: $_____ base [+ bonus]
ABOUT [COMPANY NAME]
[One or two sentences about your organization, your data, and the questions this
person will help answer.]
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Statistician to design studies, analyze data, and
turn numbers into decisions. You will choose the right methods, run the
analysis, and communicate findings clearly to non-technical stakeholders. This
role suits a rigorous analytical thinker who can connect statistics to real
decisions.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Design studies, surveys, and experiments with sound methodology
FLSA status: [Confirm by duties and salary; often exempt for analytical roles]
Compensation: $_____ base
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Junior Statistician / Statistical Analyst to support
our analytics work and grow into the role. You will clean and prepare data, run
analyses under guidance, build reports, and learn sound statistical practice. We
value strong fundamentals and a willingness to learn.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Collect, clean, and prepare data for analysis
•Run statistical analyses under senior guidance
•Build reports, charts, and dashboards
•Support study design and data quality checks
•Document methods and maintain reproducible work
•Learn the team's tools, methods, and standards
•Apply feedback and grow toward independent analysis
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in statistics, math, data science, or a related field
•Foundation in statistical methods and probability
•Familiarity with R, Python, or SAS, and with spreadsheets
•Detail-oriented, curious, and eager to learn
•Limited experience required; fundamentals matter most
WHAT WE OFFER
•Mentorship from experienced statisticians and analysts
•A path to grow into a full statistician role
•[Exposure to real studies, data, and decisions]
•Compensation: $____________ base [+ benefits]
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, email __ with your resume and a short note.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
What to Include in a Statistician Job Description
Every strong statistician job description includes the same core sections. The templates above are built around them, so you can fill in the blanks, but it helps to know what each one is for.
Section
What it covers
Type
State which kind: biostatistician, business, research, or sports
Organization overview
One or two lines about your organization and your data
Job summary
Two or three sentences on the analytical focus
Key responsibilities
8 to 10 duties across design, analysis, data, and communication
Tools and standards
R, Python, SAS, and any scientific or regulatory standards
Education
Usually a master's; some roles accept a bachelor's plus experience
Classification and pay
Exempt and salaried, with an honest range
Qualifications
Required methods and experience, with specialties preferred
Keep the language neutral and inclusive throughout. The EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on a protected characteristic, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
FLSA: Are Statisticians Exempt or Non-Exempt?
A statistician is almost always exempt and salaried. This is one of the more clear-cut classifications, with one exception on the sports side worth knowing.
Exempt as a Learned Professional
A statistician typically qualifies for the learned professional exemption, which covers work requiring advanced knowledge in a field of science acquired through prolonged specialized instruction. Because the role usually requires a master's degree and pays well above the salary threshold, it is exempt, salaried, and not overtime-eligible. The exception is hourly or game-day sports statistician work, which can be non-exempt and overtime-eligible, since it is closer to data recording than professional statistical analysis. Classify by the actual duties and pay. This is general information, not legal advice.
For the underlying rules behind the exempt classification, the exempt versus non-exempt guide and the Fair Labor Standards Act overview explain the tests. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm with an employment attorney if a role sits near a line.
Statistician Pay
Statisticians are among the higher-paid analytical roles, which is part of why the position concentrates at larger and institutional employers. Anchor your range to the federal occupation, then adjust for specialty, level, and region.
Median $103,300 a Year (BLS)
Statisticians had a median annual wage of $103,300 in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent earning under $60,390 and the highest 10 percent over $170,700. Employment is projected to grow 9 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than average (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Pay runs higher in computer systems design, federal government, and research and development, and lower in academic settings.
National compensation surveys put biostatisticians above the general median, reflecting strong pharmaceutical and clinical demand, while sports statistician pay varies widely by setting and whether the role is full-time or game-day. Set your range using current market data for the specific subtype, level, and region, and remember that as an exempt role, the figure is a salary rather than an hourly wage with overtime.
Do You Need a Statistician? A Small Business Guide
This is the section most templates skip, and for a small organization it is the most important one. A dedicated statistician is usually a hire for large institutions, not small businesses, and there are often better-fitting options. Here is how to think about it honestly.
Most small businesses do not need a dedicated statistician
Here is the honest part: a full-time statistician is usually a role for large organizations, where the federal government is the single largest employer, alongside pharmaceutical companies, research labs, universities, insurers, and big tech and finance firms. The role typically calls for a master's degree, and the work is specialized. Most small businesses with occasional statistical questions are better served another way: a generalist data analyst who can handle reporting and most analysis, or a statistical consultant brought in for a specific study, model, or experiment. If you are a 10 or 40-person company wondering whether to hire a statistician, the answer is usually no, and that is not a gap in your plan. Hire a dedicated statistician when statistical work is central and continuous, not occasional.
If you do need one, know it is an exempt, specialized hire
When the work genuinely requires a statistician, treat it as a senior, specialized, exempt role. A statistician almost always qualifies for the learned professional exemption, since the work requires advanced knowledge in a field of science acquired through prolonged specialized instruction, and the pay sits well above the salary threshold. So the role is salaried and not overtime-eligible. Write the posting for the specific subtype you need, biostatistician, business, research, or sports, since the methods, tools, and standards differ sharply. The most common mistake small organizations make is conflating a statistician with a data analyst: related, but not the same hire, the same pay, or the same candidate pool.
Where a small team can realistically hire: sports and entry-level analytics
Two versions of this role do fit smaller teams. A sports statistician at a small media outlet, a college program, or a sports startup can be a part-time, game-day, or junior hire, and the bar is sport-and-data knowledge rather than a graduate degree. And an entry-level statistical analyst can grow into the role while handling data prep and reporting under guidance. For either, the people side is ordinary onboarding: a signed offer letter, the I-9 and tax forms, confidentiality and data-handling acknowledgments, tool and system access, and a clear first 90 days. FirstHR fits this for a small organization: e-signature for the offer letter and policies, document management for signed agreements, task workflows for onboarding access and equipment, and training assignments for data-handling and confidentiality. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not an analytics tool, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with those providers. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
From Hiring to Onboarding
If you have decided the hire is right, the job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the basis for the offer and onboarding, and for a statistician one part matters more than usual: this person works with sensitive data, so confidentiality, data-handling policies, and scoped access are part of getting started.
Send the offer
Confirm the role, base, and start date in writing. An offer letter template makes this fast for a salaried, exempt analytical hire.
Sign data and confidentiality policies
A statistician handles sensitive data, so confidentiality, data-handling, and any IP agreements should be signed before access is granted.
Provision tools and data access
Scope access to the data, systems, and tools (R, Python, SAS, databases) the role needs, and document who approved it.
Store the records
Keep signed policies, credentials, and access approvals organized and ready for any audit or security review.
Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and an onboarding template gives the new hire a structured start. FirstHR connects the offer, paperwork, e-signatures, policy acknowledgments, and onboarding workflow in one place so a growing organization can manage the full process, including the signed data-handling and confidentiality agreements that sensitive analytical work calls for, from one system. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not an analytics tool, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
A statistician designs studies, analyzes data, and quantifies uncertainty; the title covers biostatistics, business, research, government, and sports types.
Decide which type you mean before writing the posting; the methods, tools, standards, and candidates differ sharply.
Most smaller organizations are better served by a data analyst or a statistical consultant than a dedicated statistician.
The role usually needs a master's degree and is almost always exempt; hourly or game-day sports work can be non-exempt.
The federal occupation had a median of about $103,300 a year in May 2024, with specialties like biostatistics paying higher.
The two most small-team-friendly versions are a sports statistician and an entry-level statistical analyst.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a statistician do?
A statistician designs studies, collects and analyzes data, and turns numbers into decisions. Day to day, that means choosing sound methodology, determining sampling and sample size, applying statistical methods such as regression, hypothesis testing, and modeling, interpreting results and quantifying uncertainty, building reports and visualizations, and communicating findings clearly to non-technical audiences. Statisticians also advise teams on study design and data quality and document their methods so analyses are reproducible. The specific focus varies by type: a biostatistician works on clinical and health research, a business statistician on forecasting and experimentation, a research statistician on academic studies and grants, and a sports statistician on game and player data. Across all of them, the core is rigorous analysis connected to real decisions.
What are the different types of statistician?
The title covers several distinct roles. A biostatistician works in pharmaceuticals, clinical research organizations, hospitals, and public health, designing and analyzing trials and studies to scientific and regulatory standards. A business or applied statistician works in tech, finance, and consulting on forecasting, experimentation, pricing, and risk. A research statistician supports academic and institutional research, contributing methodology and analysis to studies and grants. A government statistician works for agencies like the Census Bureau or health agencies. A sports statistician tracks and analyzes game data for media, teams, or leagues. There is also overlap with data scientists and statistical analysts. The methods, tools, standards, and typical employers differ enough that you should write the job description for the specific type you need rather than using a generic one.
What is the difference between a statistician and a data scientist or data analyst?
They overlap but are not the same. A statistician is grounded in statistical theory and study design, with deep focus on rigorous methodology, inference, and quantifying uncertainty, and the role traditionally calls for a master's degree. A data scientist blends statistics with programming and machine learning, often works with larger and messier data, and typically enters with a bachelor's degree, and it is one of the fastest-growing occupations. A data analyst is usually a more accessible, generalist role focused on reporting, dashboards, and answering business questions from existing data. For a small organization, the practical implication is that you may not need a statistician at all: a data analyst can handle most everyday analysis, and a statistical consultant can be brought in for a specific study or model. Reserve a dedicated statistician for when rigorous statistical work is central and ongoing.
Is a statistician exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
A statistician is almost always exempt, typically under the learned professional exemption. That exemption applies to roles requiring advanced knowledge in a field of science or learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction, and statisticians are a clear example. Because the role usually requires a master's degree and pays well above the federal salary threshold, the classification is straightforward: exempt, salaried, and not entitled to overtime. The main exception worth noting is on the sports side, where hourly or game-day statistician work can be non-exempt and overtime-eligible, since that work is closer to data recording than professional statistical analysis. As always, classify by the actual duties and pay rather than the title, and confirm with an employment attorney if a role sits near a line. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a statistician make?
Statisticians are among the higher-paid analytical roles. The federal occupation for statisticians had a median annual wage of about 103,300 dollars in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent earning under 60,390 dollars and the highest 10 percent over 170,700 dollars (BLS). Pay varies widely by specialty and industry: statisticians in computer systems design, the federal government, and research and development tend to earn more, while academic roles often pay less. National compensation surveys put biostatisticians higher than the general median, reflecting pharmaceutical and clinical demand, and sports statistician pay varies widely by setting and whether the role is full-time or game-day. Set your range using current market data for the specific subtype, level, and region, and remember that as an exempt role, the figure is a salary rather than an hourly wage with overtime.
What education does a statistician need?
Statisticians typically need a master's degree, though some entry-level positions accept a bachelor's degree, and research or academic roles often expect a PhD. The graduate-degree norm is one reason the role concentrates at larger institutions: government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, research labs, universities, and big tech and finance firms. The degree is usually in statistics, biostatistics, mathematics, or a closely related quantitative field, and many statisticians are proficient in R, Python, or SAS. For an entry-level statistical analyst, a bachelor's degree with a strong foundation in statistical methods is often enough, with the expectation of growing into more independent work. When you write the posting, set the education bar to what the role genuinely requires rather than defaulting to the highest credential, since over-specifying can shrink your candidate pool.
Does a small business need a statistician?
Usually not as a dedicated full-time role. A statistician is generally a hire for large organizations with continuous, specialized statistical work, such as pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, government agencies, and large tech, finance, and insurance firms. Most small businesses with occasional statistical needs are better served by a generalist data analyst who handles reporting and everyday analysis, or by a statistical consultant engaged for a specific study, model, or experiment. The realistic small-team exceptions are a sports statistician at a small media outlet or sports program, which can be part-time or game-day, and an entry-level statistical analyst who grows into the work. Hire a dedicated statistician when rigorous statistical work is central to what you do and happens continuously, not occasionally. Scope the hire to the real need rather than the impressive title.
What should a statistician job description include?
A strong statistician job description names the type up front, whether biostatistician, business, research, or sports, since the methods, tools, and standards differ. Include a short organization summary, a job summary that frames the analytical focus, and responsibilities grouped into study design, analysis, data and tools, and communication. Name the specific tools you use, such as R, Python, or SAS, and any standards that matter, like regulatory or scientific requirements for a biostatistician. State the education requirement honestly, usually a master's degree with some roles accepting a bachelor's plus experience, and the exempt classification with an honest salary range, since a growing number of states require a pay range. Close with an equal opportunity statement and clear application instructions, then bridge into onboarding, where data-handling policies and access get handled. This is general information, not legal advice.
