Strategic Data Project Fellow (Data Analyst V)

Texas Education Agency; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Texas Education Agency (TEA) is seeking a Strategic Data Project Fellow to lead qualitative and quantitative analyses on large statewide datasets. You will design dashboards and analytical tools to support program strategy, instructional improvement, and college/career readiness.

The role emphasizes collaboration with program teams, data governance, and building data literacy across the agency. This position requires travel up to 5% and may offer flexible work location within Texas.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college.
• Four years of analytical experience in an analytical role.
• Ph.D. may substitute for four years of required experience.
• Experience with R or Python and data visualization tools.
• Experience with SQL and cloud-based analytics such as AWS.

Responsibilities

• Lead qualitative and quantitative analysis on large datasets (e.g., TSDS, STAAR).
• Design and implement user-centric dashboards and analytical tools.
• Collaborate with program teams to enable data-driven decision making and data literacy.
• Support analytics strategy and data governance initiatives across the agency.

Skills

R

Python

SQL

Power BI

Tableau

Data visualization

Communication

Cloud analytics (AWS)

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Power BI

Tableau

AWS

SQL

Job description

Agency Information

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) oversees primary and secondary public education in Texas and is committed to improving outcomes for all public school students by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems across the state.

Core Values

• We are Determined: We are committed and intentional in pursuing our primary purpose of improving outcomes for students.
• We are People-Centered: We strive to attract, develop, and retain committed talent that reflects the diversity of Texas, with each individual contributing to our shared vision for students.
• We are Learners: We seek evidence, reflect on outcomes, and continuously improve in pursuit of excellence for students.
• We are Servant Leaders: We are public servants committed to improving opportunities for students and supporting those who serve them.

Job Description

This position is funded through August 31, 2028, with grant funds. Continuation of the position beyond that date is contingent upon available funding.

This position is restricted to candidates who have been selected and referred through the Harvard Strategic Data Project (SDP) Fellowship program. Only candidates who have successfully completed the SDP selection process and been identified as SDP Fellows will be considered for this opportunity.

Research, data, and analytical support are essential for shaping statewide programs that impact college and career readiness, instructional effectiveness, access to high-quality curriculum and instructional materials, early childhood education, student assessment, and A-F accountability. The Strategic Data Project Fellow is accountable for leading and conducting qualitative and quantitative analysis on large datasets (e.g., the Texas Student Data System (TSDS), STAAR, etc.), as well as integrating and analyzing data from statewide initiatives including High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) development and implementation, Reading and Math Academies, assessment development, and others.

In this role, you will guide and collaborate with team members to ensure that program teams have the data visibility needed to support their work and drive impact. You will lead the design and implementation of user-centric analytical tools and dashboards, contribute to establishing team processes and norms that promote a culture of excellence, promote data literacy through consultation with program team leaders and training, and support efforts to enhance data infrastructure and governance across the agency.

The Analytics division resides in the Office of Analytics, Assessment, and Reporting. As an internal customer service organization, the Analytics division enables program leaders to make decisions that are data-driven to increase impact for students and families across Texas.

This position requires up to 5% travel, based on business needs, to support program initiatives, collaboration, and operational priorities.

Flexible work location within the state of Texas may be considered for qualified candidates.

Essential Functions

1. 1 - Focus Issue in Collaboration with Strategic Data Project (SDP): Assume responsibility for a focus issue assigned by agency leadership in collaboration with SDP leadership. Take a leadership role, develop deep knowledge, and contribute substantially to the Agency's needs through the focus issue. Conduct discrete research and analytics tasks that build toward a broader, more substantial capstone project. Participate in work-relevant training and consulting. Engage in a network of education professionals with similar skills and responsibilities.
2. 2 - Generate Actionable Insights for Decision Making: Leads the generation of actionable insights to inform program strategy and operational decisions through the application of advanced analytical and statistical methods. Oversees the development of clear, accurate, and decision ready dashboards, visualizations, and analytical tools. Exercises professional judgment to determine appropriate analytical approaches, anticipate data needs, and ensure high-quality outputs with limited oversight.
3. 3 - Serve as a Strategic Analytics Partner and Manage Stakeholder Relationships: Builds and sustains effective partnerships with Program Teams by developing a strong understanding of program goals, milestones, metrics, and decision needs. Applies program context and judgment to prioritize analytics work and recommend solutions that best address underlying business needs, including proposing alternatives when appropriate. Communicates insights, risks, constraints, and tradeoffs clearly to program leadership and serves as the first point of escalation for customer challenges involving Data Analysts.
4. 4 - Contribute to Analytics Strategy, Standards, and Data Literacy: Partners with Analytics leadership to advance agency wide analytics strategy by contributing to data governance practices, shared standards, and internal analytics processes. Develops and maintains documentation and supports continuous improvement of analytics practices. Builds data literacy across Program Teams and Analytics partners through training, office hours, and consultative support.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university

Experience: At least four (4) years of experience in an analytical role is required

Substitutions: A Ph.D. may substitute for four (4) years of the required experience

Other Qualifications

• Share the belief that all Texas students can achieve at high levels and are able to succeed in college, career, or the military
• Passionate about working with data, measuring performance, and making decisions based on quantitative reasoning
• Superior project and time management ability
• High intellectual ceiling with the ability to learn quickly and solve new and dynamic operating problems
• A desire to self-reflect, give/receive feedback and continuously improve
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency with R or Python
• Experience with data visualization tools like Power BI, Tableau, etc.
• Consulting, data science, or other equally rigorous and quantitative experience preferred
• Experience working with data from statewide education initiatives preferred
• Experience with SQL and cloud-based analytics tools, such as AWS, preferred

New hires, rehires, and internal hires will typically receive a starting salary between the posted minimum and the average pay of employees within the same classification. Offers are based on the candidate's experience and qualifications and consider internal pay equity across employees performing similar work.

The top half of the posted salary range is generally reserved for candidates whose qualifications exceed the role's requirements. The maximum of the range is typically reserved for candidates who significantly exceed the required and preferred qualifications.

Benefits

TEA employees receive a comprehensive benefits package through the State of Texas and the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS), supporting health, financial security, and work-life balance.

Benefits include:

• Retirement through ERS and employer-paid health insurance for eligible employees
• Optional dental, vision, and dependent coverage
• Paid state holidays, vacation leave, sick leave, and longevity pay
• Wellness programs, employee assistance programs, and professional development opportunities
• Eligibility for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program

To learn more about benefits available to State of Texas employees, please review the State of Texas Employee Benefits brochure and visit the TEA Compensation and Benefits page .

Military/Veteran Information

Applicants eligible for Military Employment Preference will be considered in accordance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

To explore how military experience may align with this role, applicants may review Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes within the State's Position Classification Plan. Please refer to the Military Crosswalk and select the occupational category that most closely corresponds with the classification listed in this job posting.

Additional Information

TEA is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal and state nondiscrimination laws. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or veteran status.

TEA does not sponsor or assume sponsorship of employment visas.

This position requires the applicant to meet Agency standards and criteria which may include passing a pre-employment criminal background check, prior to being offered employment by the Agency.

To learn more about working at TEA, including hiring timelines, process details, and candidate resources, please visit the Careers at TEA page .