Research Analyst

Sierra College has a strong commitment to the achievement of equity and inclusion among its faculty staff and students and values the rich diverse backgrounds that make up the campus community. A strong candidate for this position must have the understanding and ability to successfully support individuals with varying backgrounds. This includes persons with disabilities various gender identities and sexual orientations as well as individuals from historically underrepresented communities and other groups. Our District is committed to providing strategies for success and proactive student-centered practices and policies focused on eliminating equity gaps to ensure the District provides an inclusive educational and employment environment focused on strategies for success and equitable outcomes for all.


SUMMARY DESCRIPTION
Under general supervision from assigned manager performs complex and independent research and analysis for decision support and process improvement; collects develops analyzes communicates and consults on institutional and other topics to support and enhance decision-making planning and assessment; performs applied research by designing implementing and evaluating analytical and statistical studies; researches analyzes and generates data to assess support and/or determine District benchmarks processes and programs; and designs and maintains information systems and databases to support research; and provides technical support and services for third-party software.


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REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES
The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

1. Plans organizes develops analyzes and prepares reports on institutional research studies and collects data that supports and provides projections on academic and student services programs validity and effectiveness of student assessment tools self-assessment on outcomes organizational climate college performance on accreditation and accountability issues District standards and benchmarks fiscal impacts and institutional decision making.

2. Analyzes a variety of performance and productivity data including but not limited to faculty workload and compensation student and financial information class size weekly student contact hours class schedules and space utilization; prepares reports and projections to support decisions on workload student access success retention and persistence and financial impact.

3. Develops decision support database models that identify define and support enrollment trends student success metrics and achievement and other decision-making processes connected with District services and programs.

4. Works with District stakeholders to improve data literacy and interpretation of information.

5. Conducts and consults with administration and faculty on a variety of surveys and research; participates and advises on survey and research design; implements surveys including scanning and cleaning data sets for analysis; works with faculty and staff to identify information needs constraints and report objectives by location.

6. Designs and applies miscellaneous decision support models.

7. Develops for review feedback and implementation re-engineering of work processes that enhance efficiency and productivity; researches and identifies administrative systems that expedite and improve the timing and quality of work products and information flow to support research and decisions.

8. Serves on various committees including but not limited to those for curriculum course scheduling academic calendar creation and self-assessment; facilitates various committee and departmental meetings governing course schedule production.

9. Receives analyzes and acts on feedback to improve processes and class schedules.

10. Develops and maintains student data warehouse of demographic and performance information.

11. Provides data management and decision support services for various District departments.

12. Coordinates and provides research communications and logistics support for the development of the Districts class schedules by setting timelines and following production from beginning to end; serves as central receipt and quality control for class schedule documentation.

13. Analyzes system administrative and operational processes or problems considered for applications and procedures to ensure District standards and protocols are met along with federal state and local regulations and requirements; recommends solutions.

14. Documents and diagrams work processes and procedures for multiple end users; identifies steps for revisions that enhance efficiency; develops and maintains standardized procedures for data collection reporting and processing.

15. Receives and analyzes student data projections for developing workload projections course offerings and course schedules; prepares forecasts of full-time-equivalent staff and students including mid-year adjustments based on actual enrollment and service area demographics.

16. Analyzes part-time faculty workload and advises on compliance issues.

17. Projects budgetary implications for supplemental stipends for faculty services such as workload and evaluations reviewing existing labor contracts and District policies to ensure accuracy.

18. Prepares faculty workload and other information to facilitate payroll calculations.

19. Researches evaluates assists and provides direction and support of technical or functional system issues and upgrades for the Districts Banner Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system regarding instructional and faculty modules; Defines system rules requirements set up and maintenance protocols; provides technical leadership and serves as data steward for instructional and faculty modules including user setup security and maintenance.

20. Provides onboarding support general work training guidance supervision assistance and directs activities of students temporary employees and appropriate staff.

21. Performs related duties that support the overall objective of the position.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE GUIDELINES
Any combination of education and experience that demonstrates the required above knowledge and abilities is qualifying. Examples of ways to obtain the above knowledge and abilities could include but are not limited to the following:

Education/Training
Four years of college with major course work in business administration economics sociology statistics or a related field.

Experience
Three years of increasingly responsible experience in the collection analysis reporting and presentation of research data.



QUALIFICATIONS
The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:
Methods processes systems reporting procedures and databases used in education and social research including but not limited to research design sampling survey-guided analysis parametric and non-parametric statistics forecasting and projections.
Student outcomes assessment and measures of institutional effectiveness.
Legislative and educational oversight body processes occurrences requirements and trends.
Federal State and local laws regulations policies and procedures that govern community college operations.
Principles and practices of fiscal statistical and administrative report preparation and business writing.
Math and statistical concepts to perform analysis.
English usage grammar spelling punctuation and vocabulary including proofreading and formatting techniques.

Ability to:
Design applied research studies for use in education and social environments.
Analyze workload workflow staffing and productivity levels.
Apply interpret and draw conclusions using advanced statistical concepts.
Facilitate the development implementation and evaluation of institutional self-assessment programs.
Create program and maintain computerized databases.
Extract data from information systems using various report writing and query tools.
Design and apply algorithms simulations and business models to solve multi-variable problems.
Prepare and present complex reports multi-media presentations empirical findings forecasts and recommendations to audiences with diverse backgrounds.
Plan and organize work to meet changing priorities and deadlines.
Utilize office procedures methods and equipment including computers technology and applicable software applications sufficiently to perform the duties of the classification including specialized research tools such as relational databases and standard query language.
Maintain confidentiality of information.
Follow oral and written directions.
Communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing.
Provide onboarding support general work training guidance supervision assistance and direct activities of students temporary employees and appropriate staff.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Work independently or collaboratively.
Apply District policies and procedures.


PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT
The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Environment: Work is performed primarily in a standard office setting.

Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally walk stoop bend kneel crouch reach and twist; to lift carry push and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; and to verbally communicate to exchange information.

Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction; vision sufficient to read computer screens and printed documents; and to operate assigned equipment.

Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction

WHY SIERRA

• One of Aspen Institutes Top150 Community Colleges in the nation
• The Accrediting Commission recognized Sierra for its exemplary practice of providing personnel with opportunities for continued professional development in order to meet its mission. This includes providing students and employees with a robust set of programs events and conferences related to equity-mindedness and supporting the success of our students etc.
• Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
• 18 paid holidays (including extended time off during the winter break)
• 12 accrued paid vacation days per year (vacation accrual increases over time)
• Competitive benefits package
• Flexible work schedules may be available
• Currently during summers some employee groups participate in 4x10 schedules
• Qualifying Employer for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (in most cases)

• Use the onlineHelp Guide or contact the NEOED Applicants Support Line at if you need assistance with your online applicant account.
• Applicant Support is available between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific Time Monday through Friday.