Working Abroad Q&A: Stuart Jackson is originally from Navan, Co Meath. He now lives and works as a data scientist in Ann Arbor in Michigan, having trained as a neuroscientist at New York University.
Tell us about your job?
I’ve been working in the US Midwest as a data scientist at IBM, where I’ve been for just under 18 months, specialising in healthcare-related data problems. Previously, I worked in academic research in New York. As a data scientist in industry, I’ve worked on challenges that have much more direct impact on the world than typical research projects. Recently, I’ve been building first-of-a-kind products that have the potential to improve the population’s health and decrease healthcare costs for millions of US Medicaid patients.
Describe the context and importance of your work.
Despite having so much advanced technology and expertise, it’s often said that US healthcare is broken; upwards of $2 trillion is spent each year on medical care here. A key goal of many US medical organisations in recent years has been to move away from a fee-driven medical system, to a system driven more by performance and value.
The modern era has been defined by an explosion in data, whether from finance, social media or healthcare
This is particularly important for managing widespread chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. My work involves building predictive algorithms that help these organisations better understand this cost-quality relationship. I work alongside a team of data scientists, software engineers, and other experts.
What makes a good data scientist in industry?
The modern era has been defined by an explosion in data, whether it’s from finance and commerce, social media, or healthcare; so a good data scientist must be versatile enough to work within a wide variety of domains. He or she must also be lean in their approach to problem-solving, and most importantly, must provide actual value to a company or client. Without the third part, there’s no bread and butter.
What is it like living and working in the US Midwest?
It was great to move here and see a few trees and fields again, having lived in New York without break for six years; the Midwest is certainly more like Ireland than New York. While I work in the technology field in an urban area, I happen to live in a smaller town on the border between “blue” and “red” counties. I’m not sure I put too much emphasis on politics; you could say I try to see the best in people from both sides of the aisle. I’m very excited to have the opportunity to hike in the Rockies later this autumn.
What are the living costs like compared to Ireland? Are there any other differences?
When you take a car, rent, and general living expenses into account, I’d say the cost of living is roughly comparable to Ireland.
The work climate in Dublin, as I remember it at least, is probably a little less intense and competitive. Though for all the fierce competitiveness, it’s amazing how new opportunities are always around the corner in the US.
Tell us about your career plans. What do you think your future holds?
What I do now is very interesting and I’m good at it, although I may seek broader industry experience in future, possibly outside of healthcare. For example, the traditional consulting world is growing as an area where data expertise is in demand. Working face-to-face with clients is important; you need to see how your work impacts a given problem, in order to be able to solve it.
Do you hope to remain in the US long term?
I have a solid personal and professional network here, which is great; though it’s always possible with a technology consulting role to move around the place. So we’ll see. Perhaps Europe or Australia will beckon at some point in the future.
What advice would you give to someone interested in pursuing a career abroad?
Someone once advised me that you shouldn’t be afraid to make such a move, as you will “learn about yourself” in the process. While this phrase sounded a little corny at the time, it is certainly true. As creative and daring as us Irish can be, we have a tendency to box ourselves in to a specific set of circumstances. The only additional advice I would give someone is to plan well ahead, and always pursue sensible immigration options. Immigration systems like those in the US, Canada, and Australia are some of the best and fairest in the world; follow the rules, build up your immigration history, and you will do fine.
If you work in an interesting career overseas and would like to share your experience with Irish Times Abroad, email abroad@irishtimes.co with a little information about you and what you do.
