Research and Assessment Specialist

University of Michigan; Ann Arbor (MI); Híbrido; USD 70.000 - 95.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) at the University of Michigan seeks a Research and Assessment Specialist for the Learning, Data, and Assessment (LDA) team within LSA Undergraduate Education (UGED).

Housed in the Office of the Associate Dean and reporting to the Assistant Dean for Student Development and Career Initiatives, LDA supports UGED's priorities through coordinated research and assessment.

Formación

• Master's degree in higher education, public policy, economics, sociology, education, psychology, applied statistics, data science, quantitative social science, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience conducting applied research, institutional research, program evaluation, educational assessment, or outcomes analysis and translating organizational priorities or practical problems into research or assessment questions.
• Experience working with complex administrative, survey, longitudinal, linked, or third-party datasets.
• Knowledge of quantitative methods, data quality, reliability, validity, missingness, bias, and uncertainty; ability to select methods appropriate to purpose, timeline, available data, and intended use.
• Proficiency with R, Stata, Python, or comparable statistical software.
• Ability to communicate complex findings through clear reports, presentations, briefs, technical documentation, or decision-support materials.
• Demonstrated collaboration and project-management skills, including balancing multiple projects and working independently within a distributed team.
• Commitment to ethical data stewardship, privacy, equity, accessibility, and responsible use of student and alumni data.

Responsabilidades

• Conduct applied research and assessment: Develop assessment questions and project plans, and use quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods to evaluate curricula, programs, student success initiatives, and post-graduation outcomes.
• Evaluate data quality and appropriate use: Assess internal and external data sources, address gaps and potential bias, and establish reporting practices that account for reliability, uncertainty, and privacy.
• Translate findings into actionable resources: Create reports, executive briefs, presentations, and decision-support tools that communicate findings and limitations clearly to technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Build partnerships and shared assessment practices: Collaborate with academic units, assessment colleagues, and technology and data partners to develop reusable methods, workflows, and resources.
• Manage collaborative projects: Coordinate project scope, timelines, stakeholder roles, and deliverables; balance competing priorities; and plan for ongoing maintenance and use of project outputs.

Conocimientos

Data analysis

Report writing

Project management

Communication

Collaboration

Educación

Master's degree in higher education or related field

Doctoral degree (desired)

Herramientas

R

Python

Stata

Descripción del empleo

Job Summary

The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) seeks a Research and Assessment Specialist for the Learning, Data, and Assessment (LDA) team within LSA Undergraduate Education (UGED). Housed in the Office of the Associate Dean and reporting to the Assistant Dean for Student Development and Career Initiatives, LDA supports UGED's strategic priorities through coordinated research and assessment.

LDA helps leaders and units define outcomes, assess student experiences and success, evaluate programs and initiatives, and use evidence for planning and improvement. Core areas include curricular assessment, student success, and post-graduation outcomes.

The specialist will conduct applied assessments across the undergraduate and post-graduation journey, emphasizing connections among academic and co-curricular experiences, degree progress, graduate education, employment, and career mobility. Projects may also address curriculum, student success, institutional initiatives, and other leadership priorities.

The role requires methodological rigor, practical judgment, collaborative problem-solving, and clear communication. The specialist will tailor scope, methods, and rigor to project purpose, timeline, evidence, and intended use, advising leadership accordingly. Deliverables may include assessment studies, exploratory analyses, heuristics, recurring reports, executive briefs, and decision-support tools.

Reporting to the Director of Learning, Data, and Assessment, the specialist will collaborate with assessment professionals, academic units, data and technology partners, and University stakeholders.

Responsibilities*

You will

• Conduct applied research and assessment: Develop assessment questions and project plans, and use quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods to evaluate curricula, programs, student success initiatives, and post-graduation outcomes.
• Evaluate data quality and appropriate use: Assess internal and external data sources, address gaps and potential bias, and establish reporting practices that account for reliability, uncertainty, and privacy.
• Translate findings into actionable resources: Create reports, executive briefs, presentations, and decision-support tools that communicate findings and limitations clearly to technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Build partnerships and shared assessment practices: Collaborate with academic units, assessment colleagues, and technology and data partners to develop reusable methods, workflows, and resources.
• Manage collaborative projects: Coordinate project scope, timelines, stakeholder roles, and deliverables; balance competing priorities; and plan for ongoing maintenance and use of project outputs.

View the full position description for detailed responsibilities

Required Qualifications*

• Master's degree in higher education, public policy, economics, sociology, education, psychology, applied statistics, data science, quantitative social science, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience conducting applied research, institutional research, program evaluation, educational assessment, or outcomes analysis and translating organizational priorities or practical problems into research or assessment questions.
• Experience working with complex administrative, survey, longitudinal, linked, or third-party datasets.
• Knowledge of quantitative methods, data quality, reliability, validity, missingness, bias, and uncertainty; ability to select methods appropriate to purpose, timeline, available data, and intended use.
• Proficiency with R, Stata, Python, or comparable statistical software.
• Ability to communicate complex findings through clear reports, presentations, briefs, technical documentation, or decision-support materials.
• Demonstrated collaboration and project-management skills, including balancing multiple projects and working independently within a distributed team.
• Commitment to ethical data stewardship, privacy, equity, accessibility, and responsible use of student and alumni data.

Desired Qualifications*

• Doctoral degree in a related field.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible research or assessment experience in higher education.
• Experience constructing, linking, and analyzing large institutional datasets.
• Experience assessing curricula, student-success initiatives, programs, policies, or post-graduation outcomes
• Experience with mixed-methods assessment.
• Experience developing recurring reports, dashboards, reproducible workflows, shared data standards, or decision-support tools in partnership with technology teams.
• Experience collaborating across institutional research, academic, student-success, and technology functions.
• Familiarity with higher-education data governance, privacy requirements, and responsible reporting practices.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Additional Information

As one of the world's great liberal arts colleges, LSA pushes the boundaries of what is understood about the human experience and the natural world, and we foster the next generation of rigorous and empathetic thinkers, creators, and contributors to the state of Michigan, the nation, and the world.

To learn more about LSA's Mission, Vision and Values, please visit https://lsa.umich.edu/lsa/about/vision-mission-values.html.

Background Screening

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.