Ok. Serious question here about what do with my life and how to plan for it.
I'm a Data Analyst with a B.Sc in Math, M.Sc in Statistics, Thesis had to do with Ensemble Kalman Filters, otherwise generic course selection. (Theory, Experimental Design, Regression, Bayesian Statistics, Spatial Stats) M.Sc is finally finished.
Married to a wife I'm no longer attracted to. 3 Kids under the age of 6. 1 Minivan. Rent a generous sized (2200 sq ft) place from my parents.
I'm at a point now where I need to consider the direction of my career and life. I'm 30. I make $58k/year in a low COL (for Canada anyway) area as a Data Analyst (staff side) for a University.
Working deeper into the city necessitates a pay increase to something like $90k to cover the cost of a second vehicle, 3h/day commute, and taxes. OR, it pays for the outrageous increases in price of food & rent while living within short distance to the work deeper in the city.
That kind of salary leap from what I understand is not easy.
So. I've got some options of where my career can go:
1.) My line of work is turning into a Business Intelligence Analyst. Not sure how to make the leap to being a "Data Scientist" - pay apparently is good for that line of work.
2.) Helping the above would be getting my position rewritten as a BI Analyst instead of a generic Analyst. Might be able to get a small pay bump for that.
3.) Do some sessional (or adjunct) teaching work in 1st Year stats. Look for a job at a small college as Faculty. Wouldn't mind this - possibly better pay & Benefits and being closer to prime hunting land.
4.) Work with some physics profs (friends of mine) at the institution who want to pick my brain and publish papers with me. Leverage this into ?????
5.) Take some physics courses/read up on electro magnetism. Invent something interesting. (long shot.)
5.) Start consulting - helping other Academics at the Institution get their stats straight. Have made $3500 so far this year doing that already.
6.) Use the data I sit on to publish papers about student outcomes and educational statistics. Could lead to more consulting or a faculty job at a small time college combined with #3. Not sure how else this could be leveraged.
7.) Learn French and use some combination of the above to work for Statistics Canada, Department National Defense, Finance Ministry or something like that. For the DND I've seen Operations Research Analyst positions have a minimum starting pay of $110k.
8.) Sell out and work for Big Pharma.
9.) Use my stats/BI experience work for a hospital.
10.) Some other Stats job, maybe with the Defense Industry. (Personal interest.)
11.) Write Actuarial exams become an Actuary. Pays well but jobs are scarce in Canada. Market is flooded with qualified applicants.
Thoughts? Advice? I'm scattered all over the place.
Life wise, due to 3 kids and possible temporary nature of my wife being "not attractive"... I'm wanting to maximize my income and independence. I want to be able to afford to have a divorce, once you're 3+ kids it's pretty expensive.
*Wife is on psych drugs that kill her sex drive, ability to maintain the house and make food I like. Pretty lethal combination in the worst possible way. She's nice. Kind with the kids. But I really want a new wife unless something changes. It might, she may only have to be on the drug for another year. Long time to wait, but I do care for my kids and want to be responsible.
I'm a Data Analyst with a B.Sc in Math, M.Sc in Statistics, Thesis had to do with Ensemble Kalman Filters, otherwise generic course selection. (Theory, Experimental Design, Regression, Bayesian Statistics, Spatial Stats) M.Sc is finally finished.
Married to a wife I'm no longer attracted to. 3 Kids under the age of 6. 1 Minivan. Rent a generous sized (2200 sq ft) place from my parents.
I'm at a point now where I need to consider the direction of my career and life. I'm 30. I make $58k/year in a low COL (for Canada anyway) area as a Data Analyst (staff side) for a University.
Working deeper into the city necessitates a pay increase to something like $90k to cover the cost of a second vehicle, 3h/day commute, and taxes. OR, it pays for the outrageous increases in price of food & rent while living within short distance to the work deeper in the city.
That kind of salary leap from what I understand is not easy.
So. I've got some options of where my career can go:
1.) My line of work is turning into a Business Intelligence Analyst. Not sure how to make the leap to being a "Data Scientist" - pay apparently is good for that line of work.
2.) Helping the above would be getting my position rewritten as a BI Analyst instead of a generic Analyst. Might be able to get a small pay bump for that.
3.) Do some sessional (or adjunct) teaching work in 1st Year stats. Look for a job at a small college as Faculty. Wouldn't mind this - possibly better pay & Benefits and being closer to prime hunting land.
4.) Work with some physics profs (friends of mine) at the institution who want to pick my brain and publish papers with me. Leverage this into ?????
5.) Take some physics courses/read up on electro magnetism. Invent something interesting. (long shot.)
5.) Start consulting - helping other Academics at the Institution get their stats straight. Have made $3500 so far this year doing that already.
6.) Use the data I sit on to publish papers about student outcomes and educational statistics. Could lead to more consulting or a faculty job at a small time college combined with #3. Not sure how else this could be leveraged.
7.) Learn French and use some combination of the above to work for Statistics Canada, Department National Defense, Finance Ministry or something like that. For the DND I've seen Operations Research Analyst positions have a minimum starting pay of $110k.
8.) Sell out and work for Big Pharma.
9.) Use my stats/BI experience work for a hospital.
10.) Some other Stats job, maybe with the Defense Industry. (Personal interest.)
11.) Write Actuarial exams become an Actuary. Pays well but jobs are scarce in Canada. Market is flooded with qualified applicants.
Thoughts? Advice? I'm scattered all over the place.
Life wise, due to 3 kids and possible temporary nature of my wife being "not attractive"... I'm wanting to maximize my income and independence. I want to be able to afford to have a divorce, once you're 3+ kids it's pretty expensive.
*Wife is on psych drugs that kill her sex drive, ability to maintain the house and make food I like. Pretty lethal combination in the worst possible way. She's nice. Kind with the kids. But I really want a new wife unless something changes. It might, she may only have to be on the drug for another year. Long time to wait, but I do care for my kids and want to be responsible.