Senior Research Analyst

About the position

We are seeking an experienced Senior Research Analyst to join the Office of Institutional Research, dedicated to providing data, analysis, and research that supports strategic and operational decision-making for the University. The Sr. Research Analyst will have primary responsibility for the design, development and implementation of research projects and reporting tools focused on tracking student engagement and persistence from admissions through graduation as well as post-graduation outcomes. The ideal candidate will have advanced knowledge of statistical analysis, expertise in developing interactive data reporting dashboards, and experience working in the field of institutional research.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement and report on research and statistical analysis pertaining to issues of importance to the University (e.g., enrollment forecasting, student recruitment and enrollment, persistence and graduation, course completions, student success factors, and post-graduation outcomes).
• Leverage statistical analysis (e.g., data mining, predictive analytics) to reveal trends related to student success, identify equity gaps in student achievement, and detect potential barriers to student progression towards a credential.
• Respond to specific research questions and data requests from within and outside the institution.
• Utilize external databases (e.g., National Student Clearinghouse, IPEDS database tools, Alumni Pathways, etc.) to address issues related to students as well as to obtain peer comparison data.
• Prepare user-friendly data visualizations for use in presentations (PowerPoint), reports (MS Excel and Word) and interactive dashboards (Power BI). Provide narrative summaries of research findings.
• Produce information needed to complete external compliance surveys and reports (e.g., federal (IPEDS), regional, state, partnerships, etc.).
• Assist with the design, development, and implementation of a University Fact Book.
• Assist with the development and maintenance of a data glossary and documented standard operating procedures.
• Assist with the development and maintenance of IR Office databases and data files.
• Identify, documents, and resolve data integrity and coding issues. Establish and maintain procedures for proofreading, editing, and checking accuracy of work.
• Maintain confidentiality of student information. Follow protocols for securing data files.
• Assist the Director with producing data reports, developing papers and/or presentations for internal and external audiences.
• Establish liaisons and coordinate activities with other University staff and/or organizations that relate to and/or impact assigned responsibilities.
• Participate in University-wide committees, workshops, and activities.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited college with a Bachelor's degree supplemented by a Master's degree in a field related to the position to be filled or an equivalency as determined by the appointing authority.
• Two years professional experience in a field in a higher education institution that is directly related to the functions of the position to be filled (e.g., Institutional Research, academic data analysis, student success, etc.), or equivalency as determined by the appointing authority.
• Experience with statistical analysis, report writing, research design, oral presentations, and assessment validation.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and statistical software applications (SPSS preferred).
• Proficient with interactive data visualization tools (Power BI preferred).
• Ability to extract, edit, compile, and evaluate data. Knowledge of SQL a plus.
• Strong analytical reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, excellent writing skills, and understanding of descriptive and inferential statistics, including data mining, multivariate and predictive analytics.

Nice-to-haves

• Three or more years of Institutional Research experience.
• Experience conducting extensive and technical statistical analysis.
• Experience working with career outcome tools.
• Experience with academic program reviews, accreditation, and compliance reporting.
• Experience with interactive data reporting tools (PowerBI).
• Strong knowledge about issues related to adult college students' motivation and factors that predict their success in college.