Why Data Engineer Is Better than Data Scientist Role: Reaction

The podcast discusses four reasons why the data engineer role might be preferable to the data scientist role, based on personal experience. The speaker highlights the tangible nature of data engineering work, the more structured career path, the backend-focused nature of the role, and similar or potentially higher pay compared to data science. Ultimately, the speaker emphasizes that the optimal choice depends on individual preferences and the specific industry.

Tangible vs. Storytelling

• 00:00:53 Data engineers build tangible products like pipelines and tables that are directly usable, in contrast to data scientists who often create models that operate behind the scenes. While data scientists create valuable analyses, the focus on these outputs can sometimes overshadow the engineering work that enables them. This tangible aspect makes it easier for data engineers to demonstrate the value of their work and track their impact.

Career Path Structure

• 00:01:30 The data engineering career path is viewed as more structured and well-defined across different companies compared to the data scientist role. Junior, mid-level, senior, and principal engineer roles are more consistently defined, with a clearer set of skills at each level. In contrast, data scientist roles vary significantly in responsibilities and skill sets across companies, hindering transferability of skills and limiting the visibility of a clear career trajectory, like that of a principal data scientist.

Backend vs. Business Focus

• 00:14:10 Data engineering roles are largely backend-oriented, with less frequent interaction with business stakeholders compared to data scientists. This aligns with individuals who favor technical work and prefer to stay behind the scenes. However, it's acknowledged that data engineers still need to interact with business stakeholders for projects and KPI setting at times. This can be a defining aspect for someone looking for a career with a greater focus on technical work and limited business interactions.

Similar or Higher Pay

• 00:15:42 Data engineers' salaries can be comparable or potentially higher than data scientists, particularly given the increased demand for data engineers and a more structured career progression. However, this depends on the location and company. The speaker suggests that data engineering is more similar to software engineering, but some companies don't value data engineers at the same level as their software engineering counterparts. Therefore, it's suggested that the data engineering community needs to work on enhancing its reputation.