A Day in the Life of a Junior Data Analyst at Kilo.Health

Kilo.Health is a digital business specialising in apps and technologies for the health and wellness industry. Founded more than 7 years ago, its main markets are the USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Mexico and the UK. It is headquartered in Vilnius at the prestigious Vilnius Tech Park, the city’s hub for tech disruptors and innovators.

We chatted with Aistė Valaitė to find out more about the role of a junior data analyst at Kilo.Health. Aistė gave us the lowdown on what the typical day of a junior data analyst looks like at Kilo.health, filling us in on:

• the tasks they perform
• the skills they need

Aistė also told us about some of the benefits that working in an exciting future unicorn like Kilo.Health can provide.

The Role of a Junior Data Analyst at Kilo.Health

Before we jump into what a day might look like Aistė Valaitė gave us some background into what the job entails:

“As a junior data analyst, you work with the entire data pipeline, just like any other analyst: you solve problems, debug codes, monitor and manage data discrepancies, upload new datasets, create new dashboards, generate insights, provide business solutions, and so much more!"

So what sets a junior apart from their more experienced colleagues? According to Aistė, it is pace and support. "The only difference is that a junior analyst can work at their own pace, guided by a senior analyst who also does code reviews.”

But there’s no fear of being inundated with new information all at once. As Aistė explains, the range and intensity of tasks builds as you develop. “You’re also introduced to tasks that increase in complexity over time. Guidance is provided until you can take full ownership of one (or multiple) products."

And what about managing and organising your workflow? Well, weekly sprints for junior data analysts are usually planned on Mondays. Each analyst reports and delivers their work to a product lead/team manager, who then prioritises their work.

At Kilo.Health, data analysts provide support across a number of teams. This is all done under the direction of the Data Team Lead, who takes care of all the training and development of each team member.

A Typical Day of a Junior Data Analyst

So, there's clearly lots of support and structure in place for junior data analysts. Now let's take a detailed look at a typical working day.

Imagine you’ve just entered the office on a weekday morning. Here’s how your day will pan out.

Morning: Staying on Top of Things and Setting Priorities

• 9:00–10:00: So, first things first, you'll need to check through any messages you’ve received overnight, and monitor that no data related issues have popped up. This is also the time to get that much needed first coffee of the day, and catch up with your colleagues.
• 9.30 -10.00 (every Monday): This is the time of the weekly data team catch up. The team goes over what’s happened during the week and talks about the week ahead.
• 10:00–10:30: This 30 minutes is set aside each day for daily product team standups. Here you’ll review with your team what’s been done, what’s being done, and what needs to be done that day, rearranging priorities if need be.
• 10.30-12.30: This is your time, when you can work on your individual tasks and get up to date with everything.

Afternoon: Handling the Harder Work

• 1.30 - 5pm: After you’ve enjoyed some lunch, it’s time to focus on your individual tasks. And there’s always the chance that you’ll need to attend a meeting or two. No two days at Kilo Health are alike though, so you shouldn’t be surprised if you find yourself working with your team on a test day for a potential client. You also might find yourself involved in exciting data team hackathons where the aim is to try and build something special.
• Support and guidance play a big role at Kilo Health, so afternoons are also the time when you might have a 1:1 meeting with your team lead, where you’ll be able to discuss what you’re doing.
• Meanwhile, Friday afternoons are when the weekly data team summary meetings take place. Here, you’ll take stock of the week’s work and start thinking of the week ahead.

Key Skills a Junior Data Analyst at Kilo Health Needs

By now you are probably wondering what kinds of skills you need to join the team at Kilo.Health.

Of course, Kilo Health expects their junior data analysts to have a good working understanding of data analytics. This comes as no surprise, as the importance of data analytics skills is increasing across many industries and roles. On the technical side, they need to know their way round SQL and visualization.

But this is only part of the picture. At Kilo Health, team is everything. So it should come as no surprise that strong communication skills are seen as a huge bonus. Data analysts are also expected to display great attention to detail. And they need to be persistent in the way they approach their tasks.

What Kilo Health can offer newly hired junior data analyst

Kilo Health is looking to build a world busting digital squad of “rebels, weirdos, super socials or ultra silent ninjas.” And they've put together a list of benefits as long as your arm (and that's even if you're a 2 meter tall basketballer).

Aistė Valaitė sent us a breakdown of all the benefits Kilo.Health offers its team. Here's the list in full:

• Join the growth. Outgrow your position in the fastest-growing company. Join initiatives and test your strength in various fields. Let’s build this rocket together.
• Pitch your ideas. Whether it’s a suggestion for the next workation or a best-selling product – we’re all ears. Share your plans, and we’ll make it happen.
• Work from anywhere. If you can’t think of what pants to wear today, are waiting for your cat’s food to be delivered, or are casually chilling in Tenerife – we got it. Zoom party?
• Test for the best. We’re the ultimate focus group of the new products we create, and we practice it before it is cool. What’s ours is yours.
• Self-development. Know any industry professionals you’d like to consult with? Would love to visit international conferences or take paid courses? Sky’s the limit!
• No boredom. If you think that you’ll have a typical 9-to-5 office job, then get ready to get your mind blown. Your position is never set in stone: work on different projects, be an A++ professional, discover your strengths along the way, and enjoy the craziness.
• Employee discounts. Why are we even explaining this? Beauty and wellness products? – Check. You want a taco party at our “San Diego” bar? – Check. VIP for the MVP.
• Start your own company. Yeah, that’s right. A startup within a startup! Got any ideas?

Landing a junior data analyst job at Kilo Health

If everything so far sounds like it’s right up your street, you’re probably keen to find out how you can join Kilo.Health as a junior data analyst.

The company’s hiring process has been set up to check the 3 things.

1. The candidates' technical skills,
2. Their ability to grasp data,
3. Their ability to provide valid insights.

If this sounds a little daunting because you haven’t yet cut your teeth as a data analyst, fear not. There’s a way for you to get the skills you need in under one year with Turing College. As one of our fantastic Hiring Partners, Kilo.Health is actively involved in shaping our curriculum. Like our other HPs, they help us prepare our learners to be ready for the job. Which means you'll walk into that interview with precisely the know-how they are looking for.

Speaking of interviews, Aistė has one last piece of advice: “Just be yourself.”

Is data science for you?

If you're wondering if a data analyst career is for you, we hope that this article has given you a better picture of what it’s like to work as a junior data analyst.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be exploring other aspects of working in data science. If you want to learn more about how you too can become a data scientist, check out our article on the education and experience levels you need to study data science. Hopefully, it will break any misconceptions you might have and help you understand whether this exciting field is for you.

If you’re already keen on taking your first step into data science, we’re happy to guide you.