Senior Research Associate

Ohio State University; North Carolina; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ohio State University’s Office of Institutional Research and Planning seeks a Senior Research Associate to lead advanced analytics, predictive modeling, and survey research across campus. You will design complex statistical models, implement large-scale surveys, and evaluate program effectiveness to support strategic priorities.

Collaborating with offices such as Career Excellence, International Affairs, SEM, and Student Life, you will integrate data from multiple sources and contribute to

Qualifications

• Experience with advanced quantitative methods and statistical modeling.
• Experience designing and executing survey research and program evaluation.
• Ability to merge survey data with longitudinal institutional datasets.

Responsibilities

• Lead advanced data analytics, predictive analytics, and time-series forecasting.
• Design and execute large-scale survey instruments and analyses.
• Collaborate with campus offices across multiple initiatives.
• Evaluate program effectiveness and student outcomes.

Skills

Advanced analytics

Predictive analytics

Survey research

Data visualization

Statistical modeling

Tools

R

SPSS

SAS

Stata

Job description

Job Title

Senior Research Associate

Department

Academic Affairs Administration | Institutional Research and Planning

Institutional Research and Planning Office Overview

The Office of Institutional Research and Planning (IRP) provides accurate, timely, consistent, and actionable data and integrates analytics across multiple domains (student, faculty, human resources, fiscal, research, facilities, and more) to support evidence-based decision-making at The Ohio State University. IRP provides leadership, vision, and strategic direction in building a data-informed decision culture by collaborating with campus stakeholders in broadening data sharing, data governance, actionable insight development, operational effectiveness, and professional skill development. We engage in institutional research, official reporting, institutional effectiveness, data visualization, survey research, assessment and accreditation data support, and applied analytics to enhance student success as well as overall university and operational effectiveness.

Position Summary

The Senior Research Associate (Research S4) serves as a senior methodologist in IRP, reporting directly to the Associate Vice President. Centered on advanced analytics , predictive analytics , and survey research , this role designs and executes complex statistical models, and large-scale survey instruments to evaluate program effectiveness, assess student success and academic excellence interventions, and advance strategic priorities under the Academic Excellence Plan and University Strategic Plan. This position collaborates across campus offices and areas such as the Center for Career Excellence, Office of International Affairs (OIA), Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Undergraduate Education, Graduate Education, Student Life, Office of Technology and Digital Innovation (OTDI), and academic departments.

Key Responsibilities & Percentage Breakdown

35% - Advanced Data Analytics

• Advanced Analytics: Executes advanced quantitative methods (linear/logistic regression, mixed methods (e.g., text analytics), multivariate analysis, survival analysis, propensity score matching using R, SPSS, SAS, and Stata.
• Predictive Analytics, Modeling & Projections: Leads the development, validation, and maintenance of predictive analytics, statistical models, and time-series forecasting algorithms, or machine learning for student success (e.g., retention, persistence, and graduation rates) and other strategic priorities.
• Ranking Simulations: Simulates "what-if" scenarios for national and global university rankings (USNWR, QS, THE), focusing on international student success metrics, global mobility, and peer benchmarking.

25% - Full-Lifecycle Survey Research & Program Evaluation, Assessment

• Survey Research & Instrument Design: Designs survey instruments, manages Qualtrics administration, ensures data validity/reliability, and analyzes survey outputs to identify student experience trends.
• Program Evaluation and Outcomes Assessment: Conducts quantitative and qualitative impact studies to assess interventions, academic programs, learning outcomes, and student support interventions. Understanding of research design and applied research methods.
• Data Integration: Merges survey data with longitudinal institutional datasets for comprehensive student lifecycle evaluations.

20% - Career Outcomes, Work-Based Learning, & Data Integration

• Career, Work-Based Learning, Career & Experiential Learning Evaluation: Evaluates post-graduation career outcomes, salary trajectories, and the impact of work-based learning (internships, co-ops, undergraduate research, clinicals).
• Data Integration: Merges and cleans complex datasets, including Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), Graduation First Destination Survey, Handshake, 12Twenty, and labor market statistics.
• Career Analytics Liaison: Serves as the primary analytics partner to the Center for Career Excellence to assess program ROI and workforce alignment.

10% - Data Visualization, Executiv