INFORMS Career FAQ: Question 3

Q. What kinds of problems do operations researchers work on?

A. Every day, operations researchers help make critically important decisions that affect the success of major corporations and the policies of local, state, and national governments around the globe. The problems they tackle usually involve designing systems to operate in the most effective way or deciding how to allocate scarce human resources, money, equipment, or facilities.

Suppose, for example, your manufacturing firm has come up with a remarkable new widget. When and were should you market it to make widget-users everywhere sit up and take notice?

Suppose you're a fire chief in a medium-sized city. Will relocating some of your present stations reduce your response time? And how much will that save in terms of lives and property?

As an operations researcher, your job would be to determine the various alternatives that are available - and then carry out an analysis that would enable you to assess them objectively and recommend the most suitable one. Depending on your area of specialization - in industry, government, or international relations - you might also be asked to help answer complex questions like...

• What new sanitary facilities will be needed to serve the population of Sun Valley, Idaho, in the year 2000?

• How can a dress manufacturer lay out its patterns to minimize wasted material?

• How often should the sales force of a frozen yogurt company call on its customers?

• How many elevators should be installed in a new office building to cut waiting time?

• What are the most cost-effective precautions to reduce the occurrence and environmental impact of oil spills?

• What's the most efficient method for routing a long-distance telephone call?

• How often should check-ups be scheduled for members of a group health plan, and what should be included?

• Or how long should the warranty on an automobile or appliance run, what should it cover, and what will it cost the manufacturer?