University of Massachusetts Boston Hiring for Assessment & Research Analyst at UMass Boston Full Time

Job no: 521039
Position Type: Staff Full Time
Campus: UMass Boston
Department: Inst Res Assess & Planning
Pay Grade: 31
Date opened: 23 Oct 2023 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: 20 Nov 2023 Eastern Standard Time

Under the direction of the Director of Assessment and Planning, the Assessment and Research Analyst will conduct research focused on learning assessment, institutional effectiveness, and policy evaluation for improving learning outcomes. This work will include supporting institutional effectiveness and other projects.

The Research Analyst will contribute to the planning and implementation of assessment activities that are consistent with best practices in the field and will satisfy expectations for regional accreditation as well as specialized accreditation. They will work with campus constituencies to identify processes, methods, and policies requiring evaluation and/or assessment, including incorporating assessment practices within the Academic Quality and Development (AQUAD) process. They will assist the Provost’s Office and Deans with data required for regional and specialized accreditations; and, as necessary and in conjunction with OIR colleagues, coordinate the preparation of various regular and ad hoc reports.

The Research Analyst will be primarily responsible for developing, administering, and managing the yearly survey cycle of at least three surveys and creating and conducting ad hoc surveys. They will also collaborate with campus constituents (faculty and staff) in the design of appropriate research strategies using a variety of techniques; will advise on best practices for data collection and analysis, including survey methods; and will develop reports and feedback mechanisms that assist departments, programs, policy developers in creating action plans focused on improvement. In doing this, they will conduct assessment and survey platform (Qualtrics) workshops and individual training sessions as necessary.

Institutional effectiveness monitoring conducted in collaboration with OIR includes compiling and reporting for the Performance Management System, Student Profile and Annual Indicators Report for the President’s Office, and the annual academic unit reports within UMass Boston. They will gain familiarity with institutional data from Helio Campus and the institutional data warehouse and help stakeholders in their use of this data. They will also help prepare publications such as Who Are Our Students and Fast Facts and maintain the Office of Assessment and Planning website.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Assessment and Planning
• Assist academic schools and departments in the development and operation of their assessment programs, including working directly with faculty and staff to support data gathering, analysis, and summary feedback in a manner that is efficient, timely, and integrated into the campus assessment process
• Conduct assessment and survey platform (Qualtrics) workshops and individual training sessions as necessary
• Assist the Director with developing and communicating feedback to faculty and non-academic administrators on how to develop assessment plans and use assessment data for continuous improvement and encourage decision-making based on high-quality assessment data
• Remain current with best practices for assessment and evaluation through organizational memberships, journals and attending relevant meetings regionally and nationally, as appropriate
• Curate resource links for assessment and evaluation best practices, as well as campus reports and presentations.
• Conduct an integrated survey cycle of entering students, continuing students, graduating seniors and alumni in support of assessment and improvement
• Develop, create, and administer ad hoc surveys for programs, departments, and institutional assessment
• Assist with the development and maintenance of the assessment portion of the campus website that includes resource links for assessment and evaluation best practices, as well as campus reports and presentations.
• Help with the preparation of publications such as Who Are Our Students and Fast Facts, and maintenance of the website.
• Participate in the maintenance and use of institutional data from HelioCampus and the institutional data warehouse.
• Coordinate completion and submission of the annual University Performance Measurement system indicator report, as well as other reports required by the President’s Office, as well as providing support for recurring report output, such as the Statistical Portrait and the Data by Department
• Provide institutional data to campus members in a responsible and timely manner when appropriate.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Master’s Degree in educational or social/behavioral science/policy research discipline from a regionally accredited institution is required; OR a Bachelor’s Degree in a related field with a minimum of two (2) years of experience designing and conducting educational research studies is required. Prior experience in higher education setting preferred. Experience may be in research, administration, or teaching. Knowledge of data analytics, data mining, or data visualization tools, such as Tableau, is preferred.

• Demonstrated knowledge of MS Office Suite and statistical analysis packages, including R, SAS, and/or SPSS
• Demonstrated ability to collect, analyze, and report quantitative and qualitative data
• Demonstrated ability to work well under pressure while managing multiple projects and priorities
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex issues to facilitate decision-making and action steps for improvement
• Ability to develop learning outcomes and identify appropriate outcome measures
• Ability to work independently and exercise independent judgment and discretion
• Ability to work in a collaborative team environment with colleagues across the university system
• Strong and effective written and oral communication skills
• Strong organizational skills
• Strong commitment to customer service.

Application Instructions: Please apply online with your resume, cover letter and list of three professional references.Review of candidates will begin following the application closing date. Only Internal candidates in the Professional Staff Bargaining Unit will be considered during the first 10 business days of the posting. All other candidates will be considered after that period. Salary Ranges for the appropriate Pay Grade can be found at the following link: Grade:31
Salary RangesAll official salary offers must be approved by Human Resources.UMass Boston is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the ADA/504 Coordinator Andrea Haas or 617-287-5148.

Applications close: 20 Nov 2023 Eastern Standard Time