Research Intelligence & Data Strategy Specialist

Wayne State University•Detroit, MI

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Wayne State University is seeking an experienced Research Intelligence & Data Strategy Specialist for its Detroit campus. This individual will be the primary lead for the university’s Faculty Honorifics and Recognition Program, using tools like Academic Analytics to identify faculty for prestigious awards. They will also serve as the technical lead for large-scale training grants (e.g., NIH T-series, NSF NRT) and manage the data infrastructure supporting proposal development. This role requires a "data storyteller" capable of translating metrics into faculty success, working closely with the Vice President for Digital Strategy and Operational Excellence team, and reporting to the Assistant Vice President, Research and Development.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
Minimum 5 years of job-related experience.
Experience in research development, research administration, data analytics, or library science within higher education.
Familiarity with the data requirements for major federal proposals, specifically the complex data tables required for NIH T32 or NSF NRT training grants.
Deep understanding of bibliometrics (h-index, citations, impact factors) and how to leverage them to benchmark faculty and identify nominees for prestigious awards.
Mastery of tools and strategies to manage, clean, merge, and format large, messy datasets from multiple sources.
Comfort working across university units to collect data and manage combined data sets.
Experience managing the "backend" of institutional research tools (e.g., Academic Analytics, Dimensions, Web of Science), including hierarchy management and user credentialing.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or PhD is strongly preferred.
Degree and/or experience in data analytics, research development, research administration, or library science.
Proficiency with project management/tracking tools like Airtable, Asana, Smatsheet, etc.
Ability to translate raw quantitative data into clear, strategic narratives or visual snapshots for leadership and non-technical audiences.
Direct experience with NIH xTRACT or similar government reporting systems.
A track record of creating user-friendly templates, guides, or "self-service" tools that simplify complex administrative processes for faculty.

Responsibilities

Lead the campus-wide strategy for faculty awards under the direction of the Assistant Vice President for Research Development.
Utilize bibliometric data (citations, h-index, grant history) to proactively identify faculty eligible for prestigious national and international honors.
Create "shortlists" of award nominees for Department Chairs and Deans, providing data snapshots to support nomination packages.
Serve as the primary strategist for the Academic Analytics platform, overseeing faculty roster accuracy and driving campus adoption.
Manage the complex lifecycle of data collection for NIH and NSF training grant data tables.
Maintain a living database of trainee outcomes (pre- and post-doctoral) for grant renewals.
Review faculty data for gaps or inconsistencies prior to submission, ensuring adherence to federal reporting guidelines.
Curate and update a library of "Boilerplate Data" for grant proposals (e.g., institutional facilities, student demographics, ranking metrics).
Build user-friendly templates or dashboards for faculty to access proposal metrics.
Identify and implement workflow optimizations in the proposal data collection process.
Perform other duties as assigned.