Details
Open Date 05/27/2026
Requisition Number PRN45119B
Job Title Research Data Analysts
Working Title Research Data Analyst
Career Progression Track P00
Track Level P3 - Career, P2 - Developing
FLSA Code Administrative
Patient Sensitive Job Code? No
Standard Hours per Week 40
Full Time or Part Time? Full Time
Shift Day
Work Schedule Summary
Work schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM. Travel, evenings, and weekends may occasionally be required.
VP Area Academic Affairs
Department 00162 - Educational Leadership&Policy
Location Campus
City Salt Lake City, UT
Type of Recruitment External Posting
Pay Rate Range $80,000-$90,000
Close Date 07/23/2026
Priority Review Date (Note - Posting may close at any time) 07/01/2026
Job Summary
Lab Overview
The Prison Education Action Research Lab ( PEARL ) at the College of Education at the University of Utah is the nation’s first center dedicated to advancing research, data, and leadership in postsecondary education in prison. Funded by an $8 million award from Ascendium Education Group, PEARL leverages evidence-based research to change systems and reduce barriers to postsecondary education for people directly impacted by the criminal legal system. PEARL’s anchor project, the Prison Education Research Initiative ( PERI ), is a first-of-its-kind multi-institutional longitudinal study spanning 22+ partner colleges and universities nationwide.
Mission
PEARL does research that advances educational justice for people and communities impacted by incarceration.
Position Summary
The Research Data Analyst will lead the secure acquisition, organization, documentation, preparation, integration, and analysis of complex multi-site administrative and research datasets for PEARL’s national longitudinal study, with particular responsibility for multi-institution data management, relational database development, and related data infrastructure.
This position is ideal for a highly skilled quantitative data professional who thrives in a collaborative research environment and enjoys transforming raw data into accurate, well-documented, analysis-ready files and reproducible outputs.
Working closely with Principal Investigators, institutional partners, and research staff, the Research Data Analyst will oversee data workflows that include raw and inconsistently structured administrative corrections, education, employment, and survey data from multiple institutions, agencies, external organizations, and time periods. The successful candidate will build efficient, secure systems for data cleaning, merging, quality assurance, database development, reporting, and documentation while ensuring compliance with data security, IRB , and data-use agreement requirements. The Research Data Analyst will lead the development and ownership of data infrastructure and data products, including relational database management, pipeline development, and reporting tools that support partner-facing communication and research use.
The Research Data Analyst will work under the supervision of project PIs Dr. Erin L Castro and Dr. Jason Taylor at the University of Utah. We strongly encourage applications from individuals directly impacted by incarceration and punishment systems.
Research Data Analysts
Assist with organizing and analyzing research data, ensuring accuracy and integrity. Perform data entry and prepare basic visualizations and reports using software such as Excel or Tableau. Support team efforts by maintaining datasets, performing quality checks, and documenting processes. Collaborate with senior analysts to learn and implement statistical methods for research projects.
Why This Role Matters
This position will help build one of the most important national datasets on prison higher education and student outcomes. The successful candidate will play a central role in producing credible evidence that informs policy, expands opportunity, and improves lives.
Compensation and Terms
This is a grant-funded position within PEARL . The position is full-time and benefitted. Work schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM. Travel, evenings, and weekends may occasionally be required. The Research Data Analyst may work remotely or on-site at the University of Utah with some travel required.
Learn more about the great benefits of working for University of Utah: benefits.utah.edu
The department may choose to hire at any of the below job levels and associated pay rates based on their business need and budget.
Responsibilities
Research Data Analyst II
Perform routine statistical analyses on research datasets and begin to provide insights for research studies. Use software such as Excel or Tableau to manipulate data, create visualizations, and generate summaries. Assist with writing sections of research reports and manuscripts, contributing to the interpretation of results. Work independently on smaller analysis tasks and support more complex projects under supervision.
Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 4 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience.
This is a Developing-Level position in the General Professional track.
Research Data Analyst III
Execute intermediate-level data analyses, including regression and multivariate methods, to inform research objectives. Use software such as R, Python, SAS , or SPSS to manipulate data, create visualizations, and generate summaries. Write significant portions of research reports and contribute to study designs by advising on data collection and analysis methodologies. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure data aligns with project goals.
Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 6 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 4 years of directly related work experience.
This is a Career-Level position in the General Professional track.
Department Specific Responsibilities
Support development of data collection, data management, and analysis plans.
Develop data collection instruments, tools, and templates for state and institutional administrative data and student and institutional surveys, adjusting tools and instruments for local and state contexts where relevant.
Support development of processes, protocols, and timelines for data collection and data validation.
Coordinate secure receipt of data files from partner institutions and agencies.
Maintain organized folder structures, file naming conventions, and version control practices.
Ensure data storage, access, and handling procedures comply with IRB approvals, University policy, and data-use agreements.
Design, build, document, own, and maintain the project relational database and related data infrastructure.
Develop and manage data pipelines for ingesting, transforming, and integrating multi-institution administrative and research data.
Clean, validate, standardize, recode, integrate, and document raw and inconsistently structured incoming datasets from multiple institutions and external organizations.
Create and maintain data dictionaries, codebooks, variable crosswalks, and workflow documentation.
Use Stata to conduct exploratory analyses, descriptive statistics, and statistical analyses.
Produce reproducible, report-ready tables, figures, descriptive summaries, and statistical outputs.
Create targeted dashboards, data visualizations, and reporting tools as supporting products for partner communication.
Lead scalable data infrastructure planning and implementation in collaboration with project leadership and technical partners.
Communicate data limitations, assumptions, anomalies, and recommendations clearly.
Help strengthen best practices in data governance, reproducibility, and research workflow management.
Support internal reporting, grant deliverables, manuscripts, conference presentations, and ad hoc analytic requests.
Minimum Qualifications
EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT : 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor’s degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).
Department may hire employee at one of the following job levels:
Research Data Analyst III : Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 6 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 4 years of directly related work experience.
Research Data Analyst II: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 4 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience.
Preferences
Bachelor’s degree in data science, statistics, economics, mathematics, education or a related quantitative field, or equivalent professional experience.
Two years of professional experience in research data management, statistical programming, or quantitative analysis.
Demonstrated commitment to and knowledge about educational equity and justice.
Proficiency in at least one statistical or data programming environment (e.g., Stata, R, or Python) for data cleaning, validation, transformation, and analysis, with the ability to learn new tools as needed.
Experience with SQL , relational database design, and database setup or maintenance in cloud-based or secure data environments.
Demonstrated experience managing raw or inconsistently structured datasets from multiple institutions, agencies, or external organizations.
Strong understanding of data confidentiality, secure data handling, and quality assurance practices.
Excellent organizational skills with strong attention to detail.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Experience supporting social science, education, criminal justice, public policy, or longitudinal research.
Experience working with multi-site administrative datasets.
Knowledge of postsecondary education research and data infrastructure.
Experience with Stata for reproducible workflows and report-ready outputs.
Experience with Python or R for data processing and automation.
Experience creating targeted dashboards or data visualizations that support research workflows, quality assurance, or partner reporting.
Type Benefited Staff
Special Instructions Summary
Required Application Materials:
Cover Letter that describes interest in and qualifications for the position. Candidates should include their experience developing and managing databases, data infrastructure, and/or producing quantitative analyses
Resume or Curriculum Vitae
Names and contact information for three references, one of whom can specifically speak to research skills and experience
Additional Information
The University is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems (“URS”). Eligible new hires with prior URS service, may elect to enroll in URS if they make the election before they become eligible for retirement (usually the first day of work). Contact Human Resources at (801) 581-7447 for information. Individuals who previously retired and are receiving monthly retirement benefits from URS are subject to URS’ post-retirement rules and restrictions. Please contact Utah Retirement Systems at (801) 366-7770 or (800) 695-4877 or University Human Resource Management at (801) 581-7447 if you have questions regarding the post-retirement rules.
This position may require the successful completion of a criminal background check and/or drug screen.
The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education.
Veterans’ preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.
Consistent with state and federal law, the University of Utah does not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, or protected veteran’s status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, or both.
To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability or if you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, you may contact the Director/Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX ( OEO ). More information, including the Director/Title IX Coordinator’s office address, electronic mail address, and telephone number can be located at the: University of Utah Non‑Discrimination page .
Online reports may be submitted at https://oeo.utah.edu
**https://publicsafety.utah.edu/safetyreport/**This report includes statistics about criminal offenses, hate crimes, arrests and referrals for disciplinary action, and Violence Against Women Act offenses. They also provide information about safety and security-related services offered by the University of Utah. A paper copy can be obtained by request at the Department of Public Safety located at 1658 East 500 South.
As per University of Utah policy 5-108: Transfer of Benefits Eligible Staff Members , a new hire to the University of Utah who is still serving a 12 month probationary period will not be hired into another University of Utah job (a transfer) until the successful completion of the probationary period.
