Sacramento State is a vibrant metropolitan university that is among the largest campuses in the California State University system. We enroll a multicultural student body of 30,000, and graduate about 6,000 students each year. Despite our size, quality teaching in small classes remains a top priority. Students enjoy personalized attention from their professors, as well as extensive research and internship opportunities in Sacramento, the heart of California government.

Position Summary

The Senior Research Analyst serves as a technical expert supporting Institutional Research & University Reporting by designing, developing, managing, and implementing research and analytical projects that inform institutional planning, effectiveness, accreditation, and compliance. The position is responsible for conducting complex analyses, building dashboards, managing institutional datasets, and ensuring the timely submission of reports to internal and external stakeholders.

In addition to reports and dashboards for campus use, the incumbent also contributes to the preparation and dissemination of research findings for professional presentations, conferences, and other scholarly or systemwide venues, representing Sacramento State as a subject matter expert ensuring research efforts are visible and aligned with CSU and national best practices.

This role contributes to advancing a culture of evidence-based decision-making by producing strategic data-informed insights, promoting data literacy, and supporting continuous improvement initiatives across campus.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.

Demonstrated experience designing, developing, and implementing research and analytical projects of significant scope and complexity.

Demonstrated experience generating and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data, including statistical and data science skills.

Demonstrated experience in institutional research, assessment and/or data analytics/business intelligence offices

Experience with compliance and accreditation-related reporting (e.g., ERS, IPEDS, CSU, or equivalent).

Ability to design and apply predictive, inferential, and scenario modeling techniques to support decision-making, enrollment planning, program evaluation, and institutional effectiveness.

Proficiency in data visualization and dashboard development (e.g., Tableau, QuickSight, Cognos).

Experience with database management and query tools (e.g., SQL, PeopleSoft, Campus Data Warehouse).

Proficiency with statistical software (SPSS, SAS, Stata, and/or R) and ability to apply descriptive and inferential methods (e.g., t-tests, ANOVA, regression).

Knowledge of survey and evaluation research methods and ability to design, administer, and analyze surveys to assess institutional and program effectiveness.

Expert written and oral communication skills, including ability to present findings to technical and non-technical audiences.

Ability to document research and analysis processes for replication, troubleshooting, and continuity.

Collaborative approach to projects; ability to provide cross-training and promote data literacy among colleagues and stakeholders.

Strong judgment, critical thinking and collaborative problem-solving skills

Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in data practices.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s degree in social science, education, public policy, statistics, data science/data analytics, or a related field.

Five or more years of professional experience in higher education research, data analysis, or institutional effectiveness.

Experience managing complex datasets and automating tasks through programming/scripting.

Experience supporting accreditation processes, compliance, and mandated reporting.

Knowledge of enrollment management analytics, scheduling, and course demand modeling.

Strong project management skills including planning, scheduling, and coordination.