Political Scientists
On the Job
Political Scientists study political systems. They research things like public opinion, the way political decisions get made, and the way people vote. They may specialize in studying different branches of government, including the legal system.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Forecast economic, political, or social trends.
- Interpret research or operational data.
- Conduct research on social issues.
- Instruct college students in social sciences or humanities disciplines.
- Review professional literature to maintain professional knowledge.
- Develop theories or models of physical phenomena.
- Prepare information or documentation related to legal or regulatory matters.
- Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
- Advise others on matters of public policy.
- Evaluate civic projects or public policies.
Typical Working Conditions
- Using e-mail.
- The freedom to determine tasks, priorities, and goals.
- Freedom to make decisions without supervision.
- Working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions.
- Sitting.
- High levels of competition.
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.
