Sociologists
Research Associate, Research Scientist, Research Specialist, Social Scientist
What they do:
Study human society and social behavior by examining the groups and social institutions that people form, as well as various social, religious, political, and business organizations. May study the behavior and interaction of groups, trace their origin and growth, and analyze the influence of group activities on individual members.
On the job, you would:
- Analyze and interpret data to increase the understanding of human social behavior.
- Collect data about the attitudes, values, and behaviors of people in groups, using observation, interviews, and review of documents.
- Prepare publications and reports containing research findings.
Knowledge
Math and Science
- sociology and anthropology
- arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Arts and Humanities
- English language
- history and archeology
Education and Training
- teaching and course design
Engineering and Technology
- computers and electronics
Skills
Basic Skills
- reading work related information
- listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Problem Solving
- noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Social
- understanding people's reactions
- teaching people how to do something
Abilities
Verbal
- communicate by speaking
- read and understand what is written
Ideas and Logic
- use rules to solve problems
- make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
Personality
People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
- Analytical Thinking
- Achievement/Effort
- Persistence
- Integrity
- Initiative
- Independence
Technology
You might use software like this on the job:
Analytical or scientific software
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- SAS
Presentation software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Data base user interface and query software
- Microsoft Access
- QSR International NVivo
Education
Education: (rated 5 of 5)
doctoral degree or
master's degree
usually needed
master's degree
usually needed
Get started on your career:
Find Training
Find Licenses
Apprenticeship.gov
Job Outlook
Average
New job opportunities are likely in the future.
Explore More
- Anthropologists & Archeologists
- Political Scientists
- Social Science Research Assistants
- Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary
- Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary
You might like a career in one of these industries:
See more details at O*NET OnLine about sociologists.