Data Scientist

Virginia Tech • Blacksburg, VA

11d • $65,000 - $75,000

About The Position

Reporting to the Assistant Vice Provost for Analytics & AI and collaborating closely with the Director of Assessment, Evaluation, and Data Strategy in Student Affairs, this role drives data-informed decision-making to enhance the student experience. The Data Scientist will design and maintain an open-source analytics application within the University DataCommons, develop predictive models, and create dashboards and visualizations that turn complex data into actionable insights. This position requires both technical expertise and a passion for Student Affairs’ mission of service and student success. We are looking for professionals who are: Passionate about improving the student experience Curious and adaptable, eager to learn and innovate Collaborative team players who thrive in dynamic environments Committed to Ut Prosim (That I May Serve)

Requirements

• Experience applying analytic techniques to answer questions and solve problems.
• Demonstrated experience in data collection, integration, processing, and analysis.
• Strong programming skills (e.g., Python,SQL, JavaScript).
• Solid understanding of statistical methods and machine learning algorithms.
• Familiarity with data visualization tools or libraries (open-source or commercial).
• Experience sharing (and ability to communicate) complex findings clearly to diverse audiences.
• Collaborative mindset and ability to work in a dynamic environment.
• Experience in a higher education environment.
• Experience working with IT applications to understand existing data collection practices and identify new data needs.
• Demonstrated ability to support the development and validation of scales for learning and development outcomes or psychological constructs (e.g., belonging, wellbeing).
• Master’s degree in a quantitative discipline or equivalent experience.

Nice To Haves

• Experience leveraging Python with relational databases and analytic pipelines.
• Familiarity with open-source visualization libraries (e.g., Highcharts.js, Plotly).
• Experience with student information systems and/or cloud platforms (AWS preferred).
• Experience in a student affairs setting within higher education.
• Experience working with IT applications that are specific to Student Affairs (e.g., Engage, Maxient, StarRez) to understand existing data collection practices and identify new data needs.

Responsibilities

• Develop, operationalize, and maintain quantitative and visual analytics solutions within the University DataCommons.
• Build and maintain data pipelines, dashboards, and reports to support Student Affairs initiatives.
• Apply statistical and machine learning techniques to identify trends and predict outcomes.
• Ensure data integrity, security, and compliance with privacy regulations (FERPA, GDPR).
• Engage with stakeholders to understand needs and translate them into actionable insights.
• Contribute to documentation and community engagement for the open-source analytics platform.
• Collaborate with Student Affairs professionals and application administrators to understand current data collection practices, identify data gaps, and implement business process changes that capture additional data needed for the division’s data strategy.
• Support the development and validation of scales measuring learning and development outcomes (e.g., belonging, wellbeing) in partnership with Student Affairs and institutional partners.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees