RESEARCH ANALYST

State of Illinois•Springfield, IL

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Teachers’ Retirement System of the State of Illinois (TRS) is one of the largest public pension systems in the United States. We provide retirement, disability and survivor benefits to teachers, administrators and other public-school personnel employed outside the city of Chicago. TRS serves over 456,000 members and manages a multi-billion-dollar investment portfolio for the exclusive benefit of the membership. TRS is an agency of the State of Illinois governed by a Board of Trustees. Full-and part-time employees are eligible for the State of Illinois comprehensive benefits program which includes medical, dental and vision coverage. All employees hired after August 17, 2001 participate in the TRS retirement pension plan. Employees also have the option to contribute to additional State of Illinois deferred compensation plans. The TRS pension plan is a participating reciprocal system under the Illinois Pension Code Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act. Under the direction of the Director of Research the Research Analyst supports the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) through advanced research, data analysis, and policy evaluation. This position plays a key role in analyzing actuarial, financial, and legislative data to inform decision-making and ensure TRS remains compliant with state and federal regulations. The Research Analyst will work closely with actuaries, TRS legislative consultants, and internal leadership to evaluate the financial and operational impacts of proposed legislation, assist in actuarial and statistical data collection, and develop analytical tools and reports to support strategic initiatives. The ideal candidate possesses a strong foundation in data analytics, public policy, and quantitative research, as well as the ability to clearly communicate findings to technical and non-technical audiences.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Statistics, Mathematics, Data Analytics, Public Policy, or a related field.
Minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in data analysis, research, or policy evaluation, preferably in a pension, actuarial, or government setting.
Proficiency in data analytics tools such as Power BI, SQL, Excel, or Python/R.
Experience preparing and presenting technical information for executive and legislative audiences.
Strong analytical and quantitative skills; ability to interpret and explain complex data clearly.
Demonstrated experience using BI and data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) and working knowledge of SQL or similar data query languages.
Understanding of actuarial, financial, or economic concepts as they relate to pension systems, state funding, or public sector finance.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with legislators, actuaries, and executive leadership.
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively under tight deadlines in a dynamic environment.
Strong organizational, problem-solving, and project management abilities.
High attention to detail and accuracy.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a related field and/or experience working with pension or retirement systems preferred.
Familiarity with legislative processes and the ability to interpret statutes and policy proposals preferred.

Responsibilities

Collect, analyze, and interpret financial, actuarial, and statistical data to support internal reporting, forecasting, and legislative analysis.
Conduct research on proposed legislation and evaluate potential impacts to TRS funding, benefits, and operations; prepare summaries and cost analyses for leadership and legislative audiences.
Serve as a secondary liaison between the Research Department and the TRS actuary, Illinois State Actuary, and other external partners to coordinate data and ensure accuracy of reports and assumptions.
Develop, maintain, and enhance Power BI dashboards, SQL-based reports, and other analytical tools to visualize and communicate key insights to leadership and stakeholders.
Assist in the preparation of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), Actuarial Valuation, and Experience Analysis reports.
Support the development and documentation of business processes, workflows, and data management standards to improve efficiency and data integrity.
Respond to internal and external data requests, including legislative inquiries, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and state or federal agency data calls.
Collaborate cross-functionally with IT, Finance, and Communications teams to ensure alignment and consistency in reporting and analysis.
Assist with presenting research findings and analytical insights to the Board of Trustees, senior management, and other stakeholders.
Stay informed on pension policy trends, economic developments, and emerging data analytics tools and techniques.