People Scientist Lead - People Analytics

USAA•San Antonio, TX

1d•$143,320 - $273,930•Onsite

About The Position

The People Scientist Lead is part of People Analytics in USAA’s HR Operations department and serves as the team’s research scientist. The role applies industrial-organizational psychology expertise in research design, causal inference, linkage research, and psychometrics to address important workforce and employee experience questions. It uses advanced analytical and employee research methods to investigate complex, cross-functional challenges, identify systemic patterns and root causes, and develop predictive insights. The role translates broad or evolving business challenges into structured analytical frameworks and delivers executive-ready recommendations while establishing standards for rigorous, impactful people analytics. The position leads complex analytics initiatives, partners with HR Centers of Excellence, HR Business Partners, and cross-functional leaders, and mentors colleagues. It also leads exploration and ethical deployment of AI and generative AI across people analytics, including use-case development, responsible-use guidelines, risk assessment, integration of insights into decision-making, and team upskilling. The role requires four days per week in the office and may be based in San Antonio, Texas, or Plano, Texas. Relocation assistance is not available.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, or four years of related experience in addition to the minimum experience requirement may be substituted for the degree.
Eight years of progressive experience in data analytics, HR or people analytics, workforce research, or a related discipline.
At least six years applying I/O psychology and people analytics in a large, complex organization (Fortune 500 or equivalent scale).
Experience conducting linkage research connecting employee survey, sentiment, and talent data to outcomes such as retention, performance, productivity, and customer or member experience.
Experience partnering with survey or employee listening teams as an analytics consultant, including psychometric analysis of survey instruments, linkage studies, and advanced modeling of employee survey data.
Advanced expertise applying quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method approaches to complex, cross-functional challenges.
Demonstrated ability to lead large-scale analyses from problem definition through insight delivery.
Advanced proficiency with SQL, Excel, and business intelligence or visualization tools such as Tableau or Power BI.
Advanced proficiency in at least one data analysis and statistical application or programming language, such as R or Python.
Proven ability to synthesize complex data into executive-ready insights and narratives.
Experience influencing stakeholders across HR and business functions.

Nice To Haves

Designing and leading experimental and quasi-experimental studies, such as propensity score matching, regression discontinuity, interrupted time series, and directed acyclic graphs (DAGs), to estimate the causal impact of HR programs, policies, and interventions.
Leading program evaluations from study design through impact and ROI assessment, and translating results into executive recommendations.
Proactively leading a research agenda by partnering with people analytics consultants and HR Business Partners, identifying opportunities for research, and proposing studies that address emerging needs.
Presenting complex research to senior leaders in clear, decision-focused terms.
Mentoring and developing analysts in research design, statistical modeling, psychometrics, and code quality, and raising a team’s technical standards through coaching, peer review, and shared practices.
Contributions to the field, such as SIOP or academic presentations and peer-reviewed publications.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end execution of complex, cross-functional analyses addressing workforce and employee experience challenges.
Synthesize multi-source people data to identify systemic patterns, predictive indicators, and root causes.
Design diagnostic analyses, segmentation, predictive modeling, and mixed-method research to address organization-level insight needs.
Translate broad or ambiguous business problems into analytical frameworks, hypotheses, and plans.
Deliver clear, executive-ready insights and recommendations to inform strategic talent and workforce decisions.
Partner with HR Centers of Excellence, HR Business Partners, and cross-functional leaders to define analytical needs and ensure insights drive action.
Establish and reinforce analytical standards, methods, and quality controls to ensure rigor, consistency, and reliability.
Identify and lead improvements to analytical tools, data sources, and processes.
Mentor and guide peers and team members in analytical capability and data storytelling.
Lead exploration, implementation, and ethical deployment of AI and generative AI in people analytics, including use cases, responsible-use guidelines, risk assessment, decision-making integration, and team upskilling.
Ensure business risks are identified, measured, monitored, and controlled in accordance with risk and compliance policies and procedures.