Can Agents Work?

Jobs / Data and analytics / 15-2031.00

Operations Research Analysts

Formulate and apply mathematical modeling and other optimizing methods to develop and interpret information that assists management with decisionmaking, policy formulation, or other managerial functions. May collect and analyze data and develop decision support software, services, or products. May develop and supply optimal time, cost, or logistics networks for program evaluation, review, or implementation.

US jobs
108,510
Median wage
$88,940 a year
Job family
Data and analytics

Can agents do the work of operations research analysts?

We read the evidence at the level of the job family, Data and analytics:

  • Task levelPartialOne direct benchmark, near its ceiling. On Spider 2.0-Snow, which asks for multi-step SQL against large business databases, the top agent reaches 96.7% execution accuracy, but the entry names no model. Adjacent spreadsheet tasks agree (83.1% on SpreadsheetBench). No benchmark in our collection tests open-ended analysis, where the right question is itself unclear.
  • Project levelPartialMixed, adjacent evidence. On MLE-bench, 75 offline Kaggle competitions, the best agent wins a medal in 64.4% of competitions. The Remote Labor Index includes data analysis projects; across all its projects, the best agent completed 15.8% to a standard a client would accept.

Benchmarks for the job family

These cover work in data and analytics, not always this occupation's tasks.

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • Present the results of mathematical modeling and data analysis to management or other end users.
  • Define data requirements, and gather and validate information, applying judgment and statistical tests.
  • Perform validation and testing of models to ensure adequacy, and reformulate models, as necessary.
  • Prepare management reports defining and evaluating problems and recommending solutions.
  • Collaborate with others in the organization to ensure successful implementation of chosen problem solutions.
  • Formulate mathematical or simulation models of problems, relating constants and variables, restrictions, alternatives, conflicting objectives, and their numerical parameters.
  • Observe the current system in operation, and gather and analyze information about each of the component problems, using a variety of sources.
  • Analyze information obtained from management to conceptualize and define operational problems.
  • Study and analyze information about alternative courses of action to determine which plan will offer the best outcomes.
  • Collaborate with senior managers and decision makers to identify and solve a variety of problems and to clarify management objectives.
  • Specify manipulative or computational methods to be applied to models.
  • Design, conduct, and evaluate experimental operational models in cases where models cannot be developed from existing data.
Other job titles for this occupation (41)

Advanced Analytics Associate · Analytical Strategist · Decision Analyst · Operations Research Analyst (Ops Research Analyst) · Operations Research Scientist (Ops Research Scientist) · Optimization Analyst · Researcher · Analytics Consultant · Business Analyst · Business Operations Analyst · Business Process Analyst · Continuous Improvement Specialist · Decision Support Analyst · File System Installer · Forms Analyst · Liaison Planner · Material Liaison · Methods Analyst · Methods Consultant · Methods Specialist · Office System Analyst · Operations Analyst (Ops Analyst) · Operations Specialist (Ops Specialist) · Operations Support Specialist (Ops Support Specialist) · Policy Advisor · Policy Officer · Procedure Analyst · Procedure Writer · Process Analyst · Research Analyst · Research Assistant · Research Associate · Research Scientist · Research Specialist · Research Technician (Research Tech) · Risk Analyst · Sales Operations Analyst (Sales Ops Analyst) · Standards Analyst · Systems Analyst · Systems Consultant · Technical Analyst