Research Analyst, Survey Research

Villanova University; Lower Merion Township (Montgomery County); On-site; USD 58,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

Villanova University is seeking a Research Analyst, Survey Research to independently design, administer, and interpret strategic surveys that support University decision-making. You will analyze data and develop interactive visualizations to inform policy and program planning.

The role emphasizes collaboration with stakeholders, data security, and ongoing knowledge of survey methods and technologies across a clean data governance framework.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a research- or analytics-related field.
• Three years of experience in survey research or related field.
• Experience with survey platforms such as Qualtrics or comparable software.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Ability to communicate technical findings to non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Develop, administer, and report strategic surveys as part of the University’s Systematic Survey Cycle.
• Collaborate with university entities to communicate findings and support evidence-based decisions.
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data to produce actionable insights and reports.
• Manage qualitative analyses including coding and thematic summarization for reporting.
• Support data governance, security, and best practices for survey data management.

Skills

Communication

Team collaboration

Organization

Report writing

Data confidentiality

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a research- or analytics-related field

Master’s degree in higher education or related field

Tools

Qualtrics

SPSS

R

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Posting Details

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Posting Details (Default Section)

Posting Number: 20260451S

Position Title: Research Analyst, Survey Research

Position Type: Staff

Location: Villanova, PA

Recruitment Type: Internal/External Applicants

Work Schedule: full-time/12-months

Department: 704-Office of Strategic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness

Position Summary

Under the general supervision of the Director for Survey Research and Evaluation, the Research Analyst will independently manage and conduct strategic surveys for the University. The Research Analyst will analyze data and create interactive data visualizations to support strategic decision-making.

Villanova is a Catholic university sponsored by the Augustinian Order. The University is an equal opportunity employer and seeks candidates who understand, respect and can contribute to the University’s mission and values.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Work on the development, administration, and reporting of strategic surveys that are part of the University’s Systematic Survey Cycle.
• Work on the development, administration, and reporting of surveys commissioned by university entities.
• Analyze and synthesize survey data into actionable insights that inform strategic decision-making, planning, policy development, assessment, and programming.
• Analyze qualitative comments generated from survey research projects, including editing, coding, thematic analysis, and summarization of findings for reports and presentations.
• Collaborate with University stakeholders to communicate survey findings and support evidence-based decision-making.
• Assist in the administration of Villanova’s sitewide Qualtrics license, including user/permission management, technical use inquiries, and encouraging best practices for data security and governance.
• Steward survey data and develop databases that support longitudinal reporting and trend analysis.
• Maintain current knowledge of survey methodology, assessment practices, data collection technologies, and emerging trends in survey research.
• Perform other duties and assist with projects as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Formal Education

• Bachelor’s degree in a research- or analytics-related field such as social sciences, educational research, statistics, psychology, sociology, public administration, data analytics, or a closely related discipline.

Work Experience

• Three years of experience in survey research, institutional research, assessment, market research, program evaluation, data analytics, or a related field.

Work Skills

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and respectfully with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, and to contribute positively to a collaborative working and learning environment.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical findings to non-technical audiences.
• Ability to create and edit professional reports, presentations, and summaries.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality when working with sensitive information.

Specific Job Knowledge

• Experience with survey research methods and data collection practices.
• Experience analyzing and interpreting quantitative and qualitative data.
• Ability to synthesize findings into actionable insights and recommendations.
• Experience using survey platforms such as Qualtrics or comparable survey software.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with one or more statistical, analytical, or data visualization tools.
• General understanding of higher education, institutional research, assessment, or organizational decision-making environments.

Equipment Knowledge

• PC, working in varied server environments

Preferred Qualifications

Formal Education

• Master’s degree in higher education, educational research, statistics, social sciences, public administration, data analytics, or a related field.

Work Experience

• Five or more years of experience in higher education, institutional research, assessment, program evaluation, or a comparable professional environment, including independent management of survey research projects.
• Experience designing, administering, analyzing, and reporting survey research projects.
• Experience presenting research findings and recommendations to faculty, staff, administrators, or other stakeholder groups.
• Experience providing consultation and methodological guidance to faculty, staff, administrators, or external stakeholders regarding survey design, data collection, and reporting.
• Experience serving in an administrative, support, trainer, or advanced-user role for Qualtrics or a comparable enterprise survey platform.

Specific Job Knowledge

• Current Qualtrics certification (e.g., CoreXM Certification, XM for Strategy & Research Expert Certification, or equivalent) and/or demonstrated advanced proficiency in Qualtrics survey design, administration, and reporting.
• Experience analyzing survey data using SPSS , R, or similar statistical software.
• Experience conducting qualitative analysis of open-ended survey responses, including coding, thematic analysis, and reporting of findings.
• Knowledge of IRB protocols, research ethics, and data confidentiality practices.
• Familiarity with higher education survey research, assessment, institutional effectiveness, or accreditation-related activities.

Posting Date: 10/06/2026

Salary Posting Information

This position falls within salaried grade 14 and the range is $58,300-73,800. The final salary will be determined with consideration of several factors including the selected candidate’s qualifications, department budget availability, market data, and internal equity.

Salary Grade: 14

Job Classification: exempt

References Needed: References Needed

Minimum Number of References Needed 3

Maximum Number of References Needed 3