From your average nerd to the awkward wallflower, we have all at some point in our childhood dreamt of becoming a scientist. 

But being a scientist - whether you are studying social science, physical science, or medicine - is quite a toilsome business. 

Most of it has to do with tireless, rigorous research that requires a thorough understanding of the subject you are investigating, as well as a deductive mindset and persistent passion to unravel the mysteries of the world.

All that struggle, coupled with often disproportionate materialistic returns - juxtaposed against that of any other commercial sectors - may not sound too convincing for today's youngsters. You may ask:

Why should I pursue a career in research?
Well, a research career is quite exciting as you get to face new real-life challenges every day ranging from developing a model of supply and demand to determine the optimal price for your products, to finding out the genome sequence of a virulent bacteria. 

Far away from the monotony of any nine to five job, the intense brainstorming alone will keep you constantly engaged. 

Being a researcher is also a far more rewarding and fulfilling career choice. 

As a researcher, you get to contribute to the realm of knowledge; contributions that may be used to change the lives of hundreds of fellow human beings.

When asked about reasons for choosing research as a career, Mohsin Bhuiyan, a research assistant working for a Dhaka-based English daily's research wing, said, "I always had a nag for policymaking and research felt like the way to make sound policies. I loved to study and learn about how economies work and how the different forces of an economy interact with each other and that is how I fell in love with research."

But having a passion is not all there is to choose a career in research. 

Are there enough opportunities in the field of research? 
Contrary to what some may think, research is a financially viable profession as well. 

It may not be your key to becoming a billionaire, however, you should have more than enough to lead an affluent life. Research jobs usually pay more than any other job that does not involve multinational corporations. 

For instance, a mere research intern at any reputable organisation can earn about Tk10,000-15,000 per month working only 20-25 hours a week. Salary for entry-level positions like research assistant or research associate can range from Tk40,000-60,000 per month along with admissible benefits. 

According to Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem, research director at Bangladesh's prominent think tank - Centre for Policy Dialogue, every industry is gradually realising the significance of research and analytics in this data-driven global market. 

Opportunities in Bangladesh are flourishing as well and are expected to expand in the future with the further development of diverse industries in the post-LDC era. 

"Research positions used to be confined to research organisations, academic institutions, and development organisations only. Now, private organisations are also looking to hire research professionals for their research departments," said Dr Moazzem.

He also mentioned that different streams of research professionals are currently being hired by private as well as government organisations while business-oriented studies are taking the place of academic-oriented studies. 

"Private organisations are hiring researchers from different backgrounds like science, medicine, social science, business, and so on, depending on what suits their purpose. Tech-oriented companies are hiring researchers with a CSE background while many private companies are hiring researchers to improve their products, management, to measure their performance in the market as well as for forecasting purposes."

"Every government organisation has a planning wing which also requires researchers to aid in data-driven policy making. So, there are lots of opportunities for a researcher in today's job market," he added.

What skills do you need to become a researcher?
Dr Moazzem thinks the most important quality of a researcher is an inquisitive mentality and the ability to relate academic knowledge to real-life phenomena. 

Prospective researchers should also stay up-to-date with recent literature and developments in their field. At the same time, a researcher should also have a respectable academic qualification accompanied by a strong understanding of mathematics and statistics.