Lead Data Analyst

Texas A&M • Dallas, TX

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

About Texas A&M AgriLife Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Texas A&M AgriLife Research College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University Texas A&M Forest Service Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service. Click here to learn more about joining AgriLife! Position Information Job Summary: The Lead Data Analyst, under general direction, serves as a technical lead on complex data projects. Provides technical oversight for the application of and compliance with technical standards. Completes reports and summaries for management and users including project status reports, problem reports, and progress summaries.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., epidemiology, public health, biostatistics, nutrition, statistics, clinical research) or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least 6 years of professional experience in data collection and analysis, including direct experience with statistical modeling and management of research datasets.
• Proficiency in statistical programming languages (e.g., R, SPSS, Stata, SAS), data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI), and database applications.
• Demonstrated experience leading the preparation of research manuscripts and securing grant funding.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with ability to effectively communicate with faculty and staff.
• Detail oriented and ability to organize tasks and prioritize work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in nutrition epidemiology or related field (e.g., public health, nutrition, statistics, or relevant education and experience meeting job expectations).
• At least one year of related experience.
• Experience working with and accessing local, state and national data sets (e.g., Texas health data, NHANES, WHI, Framingham Heart Study, etc.).
• Experience developing valid, reliable composite scoring and screening instruments (e.g., Life’s Simple 7; dietary screeners; etc.).
• Knowledge and understanding of the mission and role of the Land Grant University System, including community-campus partnership and the Extension system.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and strategic direction for data analysis activities across a portfolio of public health and nutrition research projects, ensuring alignment with organizational and research goals.
• Supervise, mentor, and support data analysts and junior statisticians; delegate tasks, facilitate professional development, and provide technical guidance and quality assurance.
• Oversee the design, implementation, and continual optimization of data analysis workflows, ensuring best practices are established and maintained across projects.
• Review and document data structures to support both current and future research objectives at the program and institutional level.
• Lead the development and application of advanced statistical models and methodologies, including but not limited to: multilevel modeling, mixed models for clustered randomized trials, longitudinal data analysis, and other advanced statistical techniques for complex datasets.
• Oversee the design and execution of statistical analysis plans, including power and sample size calculations, for diverse study designs (e.g., randomized controlled trials, community-randomized trials, longitudinal cohorts) and ensure these meet funding requirements and research objectives.
• Supervise the establishment, maintenance, and improvement of data collection systems; direct data collection and quality assurance activities, including programming forms, monitoring data integrity, and developing data cleaning procedures.
• Coordinate acquisition, cleaning, merging, and management of data from multiple secondary sources (local, state, and national databases) and ensure robust data governance and compliance with relevant privacy and security policies.
• Develop quality control assessments to identify and resolve data issues, implement process improvements, and train team members on best practices in data management and cleaning.
• Oversee and ensure the quality of documentation for data workflows, cleaning, and analysis procedures, and ensure reproducibility and transparency across all stages of the analytic process.
• Prepare or review reports, manuscripts, presentations, and visualizations of analytic findings for internal and external use; ensure clarity, accuracy, and suitability for various audiences.
• Collaborate with principal investigators, multidisciplinary research teams, and external partners (including funding agencies and data stewards) to interpret findings, advise on data strategy, and translate results into actionable insights.
• Lead the development of statistical and analytic sections of grant proposals, supporting funding initiatives and program growth.
• Participate in strategic planning for the data analytics function and represent the data analysis team in broader organizational initiatives.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance (AgriLife contributes to premiums)
• 12–15 annual paid holidays
• Up to 8 hours/month sick leave and at least 8 hours/month vacation
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
• Employee Wellness Initiative
• Access to ongoing professional development and training through Aspire, LinkedIn Learning, and internally developed programs

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior