Senior Research Associate for Faculty Analysis

UNC-Chapel Hill; North Carolina; Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Senior Research Associate for Faculty Analysis at UNC-Chapel Hill will join the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment to analyze faculty data, produce reports, and respond to ad hoc questions from the Provost’s Office, OFA, and campus leadership.

This role blends OFA’s subject matter expertise on faculty with IRPA’s data analysis skills to understand recruitment, retention, promotion, compensation, professional development, and work‑life balance, and to inform policy and

Qualifications

• Exceptional oral and written communication skills.
• Professional work experience in higher education.
• Experience developing questionnaires and analyzing data from logic models, surveys, and focus groups.
• Experience applying project management best practices to track assignments, timelines, and the sequence of activities leading to deliverables.

Responsibilities

• Conduct data analysis, reporting, and evaluation related to faculty status and experiences.
• Synthesize data from multiple sources to respond to strategic and operational questions about faculty.
• Develop reports, presentations, and responses to ad hoc questions translating data into narratives and visuals.
• Collaborate with IRPA, OFA, academic units, HR, and central offices to improve data quality and access.
• Support institutional reporting, benchmarking, and special studies aligned with university priorities.

Job description

Senior Research Associate for Faculty Analysis

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

Posting Information

Posting Information

Department

Department Inst Research and Assessment-505000

Career Area Research Professionals

Posting Open Date

Posting Open Date 11/04/2026

Application Deadline

Application Deadline 12/03/2026

Open Until Filled No

Position Type

Position Type Permanent Staff (EHRA NF)

Working Title

Working Title Senior Research Associate for Faculty Analysis

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC -Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package , paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

The mission of the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment is to support the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s teaching, research, and public service mission by conducting research and analysis that informs institutional planning, policy formation, decision-making, and evaluation of effectiveness, and by responding to external accountability mandates and a wide range of internal and external requests for information about the campus.

Position Summary

This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.

The Senior Research Associate for Faculty Analysis is a key member of the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment ( IRPA ), a team of data analysis and evaluation professionals within the UNC -Chapel Hill Provost’s organization. This position will maintain a secondary reporting relationship with the Office of Faculty Affairs ( OFA ), also in the Provost’s Office. The purpose of this position is to bring together OFA’s subject matter expertise on faculty and IRPA’s research and analysis skills to promote an efficient, well-coordinated, data-informed approach to understanding and supporting the University’s faculty.

The Senior Research Associate is responsible for conducting data analysis, reporting, and evaluation related to the status and experiences of the more than 4,000 faculty members at UNC -Chapel Hill. This role synthesizes complex data from multiple institutional sources to respond to a wide range of strategic and operational questions about faculty. Topics include recruitment, retention, promotion, compensation, professional development, productivity, faculty satisfaction with the institutional support and work life balance, and other topics. The role will support the evaluation needs of the Provost’s Office, Faculty Affairs, the Center for Faculty Excellence, accreditation bodies, external ranking agencies, UNC System Office requests, Board of Trustees requests, and campus leadership needs.

The work of the Senior Research Associate will provide campus leadership and faculty stakeholders with actionable insights that inform policy development, strategic planning, and decision-making. This includes gathering and analyzing data, and developing reports, presentations, and responses to ad hoc questions that translate data into clear, meaningful narratives and visualizations. The role will also contribute to institutional reporting requirements, benchmarking initiatives, and special studies aligned with university priorities. The Senior Research Associate will collaborate closely with colleagues in IRPA , OFA , academic units, Human Resources, and other central offices on initiatives to enhance faculty data quality, access, and appropriate use.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Master’s or Bachelor’s and 0-2 years’ experience; or will accept a combination of related education and experience in substitution.

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

Exceptional oral and written communication skills. Professional work experience in higher education. Experience developing questionnaires and analyzing data from logic models, surveys, and focus groups. Experience applying project management best practices to track assignments, timelines, and the sequence of activities leading to deliverables.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and productively with professionals at all levels of the University and across units. Demonstrated ability to apply advanced knowledge of social science research and evaluation designs and methodology, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods. Experience conducting advanced statistical analyses using tools such as R, SAS , SPSS , Stata or comparable analytical software, including application of appropriate statistical methods and clear interpretation of results. Experience extracting data from data warehouses, data marts, and other institutional data sources. Proficiency in writing queries and code (e.g., SQL , R, Python, or similar) to retrieve, prepare, and analyze data. *Experience designing and populating dashboards using PowerBI or Tableau, provide data literacy tools to enhance user experience.

Special Physical/Mental Requirements

Campus Security Authority Responsibilities

Not Applicable.

Special Instructions

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

Office of Human Resources Contact Information

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at [phone] or send an email to [e-mail]
Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Required Documents

• Curriculum Vitae / Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of References

Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * Please select the response below that describes your level of education that best or most closely satisfies the education requirements for this position.
  • Bachelor’s degree in required discipline(s) listed or related field
  • Bachelor's degree in any field/discipline
  • Master's degree or Doctorate degree in required discipline(s) listed or related field
  • Master's degree or Doctorate degree in any field/discipline
  • None of the above