Senior Research Analyst

JOB TITLE

Senior Research Analyst

LOCATION

Worcester

DEPARTMENT NAME

Institutional Research & Assessment

DIVISION NAME

Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

The Senior Research Analyst contributes to the institution's capacity to support data-informed decision making across academic and administrative functions. This position combines applied quantitative analysis with active collaboration across institutional boundaries. The analyst supports the development, refinement, and use of predictive models, dashboards, and analytical tools, while also identifying and evaluating relevant data sources, building relationships with colleagues who steward those data, and ensuring that findings are meaningful to decision-makers.

The analyst will support the development, refinement, and application of predictive models and analytical tools to inform institutional decision-making. This includes selecting appropriate methodologies, validating model performance, and translating outputs into actionable insights. The analyst will also identify and evaluate relevant data sources, build relationships with colleagues who steward those data, and ensure that findings are accurate, interpretable, and meaningful to decision-makers.

The analyst will also support a broader portfolio of institutional research, planning, and decision support as university priorities evolve. Success in this role requires comfort with large datasets, ambiguous or imperfect information, and the ability to translate analysis into actionable insight for academic and administrative leaders. This role requires both technical expertise and strong interpersonal judgment. Meaningful analysis depends on earning the confidence of colleagues in offices such as the Registrar, Academic Advising, Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, and Information Technology, understanding how their data is collected and structured, and advocating for stronger practices where gaps exist.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Applied Data Analysis

• Serve as an internal resource across the institution, partnering with offices and academic units on a range of questions, scoping questions, conducting analysis with appropriate methods, and producing deliverables.
• Help scope, prioritize, and execute incoming requests, working with the Executive Director of Institutional Research to ensure that project definitions, methods, timelines, and deliverables are appropriately matched to institutional needs.

Data Modeling

• Conduct exploratory data analysis to identify patterns and drivers of student outcomes in areas such as student retention, academic risk, time-to-degree, course bottlenecks, and the effectiveness of advising or intervention programs.
• Select and apply statistical and machine learning methods, such as clustering and tree-based models, in proportion to the complexity and data available for each question.
• Extend and refine existing models (e.g., persistence), ensuring models are interpretable, practical, and aligned to business questions.
• Monitor model performance for accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility, and assess results across student subgroups to identify and address potential equity concerns.

Data Discovery, Integration, and Advocacy

• Identify data sources throughout the university, including academic records, advising activity, financial aid, co-curricular participation, learning management systems, admissions and CRM data, and campus engagement data, that could inform student success analyses.
• Build working relationships with data stewards, system administrators, and office directors to understand what data exists, how it is maintained, and under what conditions it can be accessed and combined.
• Develop and maintain scripts and queries for data extraction, transformation, validation, and automation, with attention to efficiency, sustainability, and reproducibility.
• Collaborate with Information Technology and data governance partners to support data quality, metadata standards, documentation, access, and appropriate data security practices.
• Advocate for improved data collection and documentation practices, clearer data definitions, and formalized data-sharing agreements where analytical gaps are identified.
• Document data sources, transformations, and known limitations rigorously so that analyses can be reproduced and audited over time.

Reporting, Dashboards, and Self-Service Tools

• Design and maintain recurring reports and interactive dashboards covering key indicators such as retention rates, credit momentum, cohort progression, course demand, and time-to-degree.
• Build self-service tools that allow academic advisors, department chairs, program leaders, and administrators to explore institutional data within defined parameters.
• Produce analytical reports and presentations that synthesize quantitative findings, contextual interpretation, and implications for decision-making.
• Support other analyses and institutional data submissions, assessment data requests, accreditation-related reporting, and external benchmarking studies as needed.

Communication and Institutional Capacity Building

• Present analytical findings to a range of audiences, from operational staff to senior leadership, adjusting the level of technical detail to the audience and context.
• Communicate analytical assumptions, methods, and limitations clearly to non-technical audiences.
• Develop documentation and training materials that help colleagues interpret data correctly and use analytical tools effectively.
• Contribute to a broader institutional culture in which decisions are routinely informed by evidence.

• Performs all other duties and responsibilities as assigned or directed by the supervisor.

This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored work authorization. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.

Salary Grade 8: $71,800– $90,000 per year (depending on experience)

Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range. 

Compensation at WPI

FLSA STATUS

United States of America (Exempt)

WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. It seeks individuals from all backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity, collaboration, inclusion, problem solving, innovation, high performance, and change making. It is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.