Data Analyst (Research)

Position Function:

This position will be housed in NSPARC. The primary functions of this position include conducting research and data analysis and writing reports and producing other materials current research in the fields of workforce, education, and economic development.

Salary Grade:  13

Please see Staff Compensation Structure or Skilled Crafts and Service Maintenance Compensation Schedule for salary ranges.  For salary grade UC, these positions are "Unclassified" and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Leads and supports research activities, including data collection, statistical analysis, data visualization, and database management for applied social science projects.
2. Conducts quantitative and qualitative data analysis related to funded and prospective research projects. This includes survey design, focus group synthesis, and the integration of administrative, proprietary, and public-use datasets.
3. Participates in research design and requirements gathering with multidisciplinary teams, contributing to methodological planning, policy analysis, and analytic strategy.
4. Drafts high-quality technical reports, policy briefs, executive summaries, and peer-reviewed materials that communicate research findings to a variety of technical and non-technical audiences, including state agency staff, policymakers, and the public.
5. Designs and delivers presentations and data narratives to support dissemination of results.
6. Contributes to project management and planning tasks, including timeline development, task coordination, and progress monitoring for assigned research initiatives.
7. Stays current on analytic methods, research trends, and best practices relevant to applied policy research in workforce and economic development.
8. Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree with a focus in Sociology or closely related field.
One year experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master's Degree in Sociology with 3 years experience

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Demonstrated experience conducting data analysis and contributing to research publications, policy briefs, or analytical reports in a social science or applied research setting.
2. Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, including the ability to present complex findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
3. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with interdisciplinary teams and external stakeholders.
4. Proficiency with statistical software (e.g., SAS or Python) and data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI); comfort working with large datasets.
5. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines in a fast-paced research environment.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

• No unusual physical requirements. Requires limited lifting of files and records and nearly all work is performed in a comfortable indoor facility.
• Job frequently requires walking, sitting, reaching, talking, hearing, handling objects with hands.
• Vision requirements: Ability to see information in print and/or electronically.

Instructions for Applying:

Link to apply:  http://explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and a copy of your transcript(s) via the following link. Any social security numbers included on the requested transcripts should be redacted prior to submitting online.

Restricted Clause:

Position is contingent upon continued availability of funding.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination is prohibited in university employment, programs or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status to the extent protected by applicable law. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed