Research Analyst

Youngstown State University•Youngstown, OH

About The Position

The Research Analyst collects, analyzes, and reports data across academic and administrative areas. The position develops regular and ad hoc reports to meet external reporting requirements and internal data needs, and designs interactive dashboards to support institutional planning, decision-making, and process improvement. The role prepares, validates, and submits institutional reports such as IPEDS, Ohio Higher Education Information (HEI), Student Right-to-Know, and the Common Data Set (CDS). It uses SQL, including PL/SQL and Oracle, to query large datasets and produce reporting insights; develops Power BI dashboards and reports; and automates recurring workflows such as ETL processes, report generation, and dashboard updates. The Research Analyst also establishes data governance and collection methods, validates and integrates data from multiple sources, supports continuous quality improvement, interprets trends relevant to academic planning and enrollment, and documents procedures and reporting standards. The position may assist with training new hires and may supervise student employees. It reports to the Director of Institutional Research, Institutional Research and Analytics. The position is not eligible for sponsorship. Work is typically Monday through Friday and is sedentary, involving mostly sitting with occasional walking or standing and limited lifting or movement of objects.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a related field such as data analytics, data science, statistics, mathematics, or computer science.
At least two years of experience in data analysis, reporting, or another related field.
Demonstrated experience with Power BI or a similar business intelligence tool.
Experience with Ellucian Banner or a similar ERP system.
Demonstrated proficiency in SQL for data extraction, analysis, and reporting.
Experience working in a higher education environment.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to data integrity.
Ability to manage multiple projects, collect and analyze data, draw valid conclusions, and compile and prepare reports.
Ability to communicate and explain data effectively to internal and external audiences.
Ability to work collaboratively and independently, train or instruct others, and maintain effective working relationships.
Ability to use office equipment and relevant computer software; maintain records according to established procedures.
Ability to work within data enterprise systems and organizational structures requiring collaboration.
Ability to understand written and verbal communications and interact effectively with personnel and the public.
Ability to perform sedentary work, including mostly sitting, occasional walking or standing, and exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally or negligible force frequently.
Required certifications, training, and/or licensures: None.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a related field.
Experience with state and federal higher education reporting requirements, including IPEDS, HEI, the Common Data Set, and similar reporting systems.
Experience in institutional research or enrollment management.
Strong knowledge of data analysis and business intelligence tools, including Microsoft Excel and Power BI.
Familiarity with predictive analytics and statistical modeling techniques for enrollment and retention forecasting.
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills, including the ability to interpret complex data and communicate actionable insights to diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

Prepare, validate, and submit institutional reports, including IPEDS, Ohio HEI, Student Right-to-Know, the Common Data Set, and other federal, state, and institutional reports.
Design, develop, and maintain interactive Power BI dashboards and reports for internal and external stakeholders.
Use SQL, including PL/SQL and Oracle, to query large datasets, join relational tables, develop efficient queries, and extract insights.
Build and maintain workflow automation for repetitive tasks such as ETL processes, report generation, and dashboard updates.
Establish data governance and collection methodologies; validate, clean, and integrate data from multiple sources to ensure accuracy, consistency, and security.
Support continuous quality improvement for reporting, analytics, and data integrity.
Develop, implement, maintain, and execute routine standardized and ad hoc reports and common data sets.
Interpret data to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities affecting academic planning, program performance, and enrollment strategies.
Provide actionable insights for decisions concerning program viability, student success, faculty workload, and resource allocation.
Collaborate with the department to implement data governance best practices.
Document data procedures, reporting protocols, and process standards.
Assist with training new hires.
Perform other duties as assigned or required within the classification's level of responsibility.
May supervise student employees.