Any data scientists on HN? I just ask because I wonder if it would be a good career move for me. Spent 10 years as a programmer and systems analyst. Got real tired of that.
For example, many CS grads don't have strong stats/maths backgrounds. However there are still many "data science" jobs open to them. For example, you can work on the tooling that goes into storing and processing data (e.g. Hadoop), or you can build visualisations. If you want to work on, say, data analysis you need to have a stronger background in stats.
Where I did my PhD (the top ranked CS department in the UK by a recent survey) the undergrad students did one maths courses in their entire degree, with most of it being discrete maths (IIRC). This really limited the ability of students to undertake research in machine learning or theoretical CS.
Nice to see brummies on hacker news. Since your start up guy, I guess you hang around faraday wharf?
The systems are archaic. By that I mean both the implementation platform, and the people who you will sell your solution to. To most of the senior stuff this is new and mysterious - they would rather "play safe", and may ask you instead to use traditional methods, put "intuitive" variables, and keep the solution "simple" (simple being anything that they already know of, from their past 10-20 years of experience).
But things are changing. In my farm too. And if you interview now as a data scientist, you will probably be given the right respect - and put into a team where the leaders may want people like you.
And you will be one of very few in the company who knows what this stuff is, rather than myriads who know how to model using the company's already setup platform - which you will prove to be inferior. You may have to push the boundaries of the company for it, and you will pave the way. But you will also be welcome - as the realization now dawns upon corporates that there may be better ways of doing what they have been doing.
Also you will not be alone. You will find some smart people in the company you join soon. They will challenge you, be your friends. You will learn and think about things that you have not before... as will you intrigue others to think of things that they haven't before.
So go for it. Try it out. It's easy money.