Institutional Research Analyst

Position Function:

Provides expertise in data collection, analysis, and reporting concerning faculty and staff data, and university planning and evaluation support for the University's Office of Institutional Research Analysis

Salary Grade : 15

Please see Staff Compensation Structure or Skilled Crafts and Service Maintenance Compensation Schedule for salary ranges. For salary grade UC, these positions are "Unclassified" and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.

Anticipated Appointment Date:

November 16, 2020

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Data Modeling and Forecasting
1. Perform data analysis and predictive modeling using a variety of statistical techniques for admissions forecasting, enrollment projections, and predicting curricular demand and graduation outcomes.
2. Working collaboratively and in consultation with other campus units, design and implement evaluations of policies, programs, and initiatives using appropriate research methods and statistical techniques. Produce written and oral reports with conclusions, implications, and recommendations.

2. Strategic Planning and Decision Support
1. Provide ad hoc reporting and analytic support to principal officers, academic senate committees, and other decision-making bodies.
2. Gather, analyze, and present data and information in support of key strategic planning initiatives, including identifying sources, and appropriate comparative and benchmarking data.
3. Contribute to dashboards for academic planning that display key metrics for campus leadership.

3. Data Management
1. Working closely with the Data Management unit, participate in the development of institutional databases by identifying data needs, requirements, specifications and sources.
2. Assure the validity and quality of campus data submissions to external agencies and systems.
3. Produce historical campus level and program specific reports on a quarterly or annual production schedule; Maintain information on unit’s website; and provide data and information for public information requests, external surveys, and for mandatory compliance reporting.

4. Professional Development and Service
1. Pursue opportunities to enhance expertise in areas of data science, institutional research, higher education, and assessment to keep skills current.
2. Serve on campus-wide committees and workgroups as appropriate; interact with peers across MSU campus.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Data Science, Information Systems, Education Administration, Business, Accounting, Public Administration, Social Sciences, or a closely related field

Experience (yrs): Three years Experience in designing, analyzing, and reporting institutional research, or a closely related field

Substitutions
Indicated education is required; no substitutions allowed.
When a candidate has the required education, but lacks the required experience, they may normally apply additional education toward the experience requirement at a rate of one (1) year of relevant education per year of required experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master's degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Data Science, Information
Systems, Education Administration, Business, Accounting, Public Administration, Social Sciences, or a closely related field

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

•Knowledge of data management, analysis, research design, and reporting for institutional research and higher education processes.
•Ability to identify and apply appropriate statistical techniques based on the research design
•Ability to analyze and logically interpret data.
•Experience organizing data sets into tabular and graphic presentations.
•Proficiency in Microsoft Office with the ability to work in Excel at an advanced level.
•Proficiency in SQL
•Ability to interpret and present complex information in various formats to a diverse audience.
•Capacity to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
•Ability to establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships at all levels of the organization.
•Strong critical thinking and interpretive skills to analyze situations, define problems, and develop/implement solutions.
•Ability to establish goals, priorities, and timelines and to plan work accordingly.
•Ability to complete projects independently and work cooperatively as part of a team.
•Ability to maintain confidentiality and security of information.
•Experience in working with large data sets.
•Ability to follow guidelines and procedures.
•Understanding of databases and data warehouse structures.
•Experience extracting data from large relational databases and merging data from multiple sources.
•Extreme attention to detail and data accuracy while working on multiple projects with competing deadlines.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

No unusual physical requirements. Requires no heavy lifting, and nearly all work is performed in a comfortable indoor facility.
Externally imposed deadlines; set and revised beyond one’s control; interruptions influence priorities; difficult to anticipate nature or volume of work with certainty beyond a few days; meeting of deadlines and coordination of unrelated activities are key to position; may involve conflict-resolution or similar interactions involving emotional issues or stress on a regular basis.
Job frequently requires sitting, talking, hearing, handling objects with hands.
Job occasionally requires standing, walking, reaching, and lifting up to 50 pounds

Instructions for Applying:

Link to apply: http://explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/

Submit application through jobs.msstate.edu with an attached resume, cover letter. If you have any questions about the position, please contact bcarter@ir.msstate.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

MSU is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy, gender identity, status as a U.S. veteran, and/or any other status protected by applicable law. We always welcome nominations and applications from women, members of any minority group, and others who share our passion for building a diverse community that reflects the diversity in our student population.