About the Position
The Data and Policy Analyst supports the UNC System’s Division of Strategy and Policy by assisting in reporting and data analysis that inform key education policy decisions. This role contributes to reporting and research projects across the P–12 to post-secondary continuum, with a focus on student success, educator preparation, financial aid, and institutional effectiveness.

Working under the guidance of the Assistant Vice President of Strategic Research, the Analyst utilizes data analysis, visualization, and reporting on policy-relevant K-12 and higher education topics. This includes collecting and analyzing data, reviewing relevant literature, and producing evidence-based summaries that help inform strategic priorities. The position plays a critical role in transforming data into insights through research briefs, data visualizations, and internal reports that support decision-making across the UNC System.

This position is a hybrid work arrangement and will work at least three days per week onsite at the Dillon building in downtown Raleigh's Warehouse District. UNC System employees are generally required to reside in North Carolina, within a 2-hour commuting distance of their assigned duty station.

The position will be open until filled, but please apply by June 25, 2025 for full consideration.

About the Team

The Strategy and Policy division is charged with enhancing and furthering the UNC System's strategic goals. The division partners with the President and chancellors on System-wide strategic initiatives, is responsible for the institutional performance measurement framework, and serves as a higher-education policy expert to the President, the Board of Governors, and the NC General Assembly. The division also tracks and assesses state and national trends in higher education, and their likely impact on the UNC System, and proactively identifies new initiatives to support System strategies. The division also provides oversight of the University and P12 Partnerships unit as well as the GEAR UP Program.

About the UNC System Office

The UNC System Office includes the offices of the President and other senior administrators of the multi-campus University of North Carolina System. The UNC System is a treasured public institution dedicated to serving the people of North Carolina through world-class teaching, research, and community engagement. Today, nearly 250,000 students are enrolled in our 16 universities across the state and at the NC School of Science and Mathematics. System Office staff is responsible for executing the policies of the UNC Board of Governors and providing University-wide leadership in the areas of academic affairs, business and financial management, long-range planning, student affairs, research, legal affairs, and government relations. The UNC System Office also has administrative oversight of a number of University affiliates, including PBS North Carolina, the North Carolina Arboretum, the NC State Education Assistance Authority, and University of North Carolina Press.
 

This position will be part of a 4-year, $3.1 million grant, Career Development Opportunities in Florida's Leon County Schools.  The position is primarily to support the quantitative research components of the project, and will also support with project management. 

The project, currently in its first year, starts with a comprehensive examination of a midsize public school district's approach to career development. Researchers are conducting a deep exploration of career development opportunities (including career and technical education, or CTE, courses) at a district level, undertaking mixed methods research to examine how schools and district leaders make decisions about their program offerings, how key stakeholders (e.g., students, parents, teachers, counselors, school leaders, and community and workforce leaders) consider the goals of career development opportunities and their strengths and weaknesses. The research team will also explore how stakeholders think about program quality and the experiences of students as they prepare to transition to their post-high school lives. Researchers will examine participation and outcomes of specific career development programs, including CTE course taking and dual enrollment. After learning more about the needs of the district in this exploratory research, the research team will identify a single program that is either new or can be scaled-up.  The research team will partner with district stakeholders to implement this intervention, and will conduct an impact study of the intervention over a three-year period.

The position will have the opportunity work in a mixed methods research team with a wide range of expertise, with key personnel including Dr. Walter Ecton at the University of Michigan, who is the lead PI, and Dr. Stacey Rutledge, Dr. Christine Mokher, and Dr. Erica Harbatkin, all at Florida State University. This project is part of a broader network of research teams. Applicants can see more information about the network here: https://cteresearchnetwork.org/research. 

This position is for a 1-year term, with the possibility of renewing for an additional year.  The project is funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, and the position is subject to continued funding.  This position can be based either in Ann Arbor, Michigan or remotely.
 

Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities for this position include supporting the quantitative analysis components of the study; leading analysis on specific projects, cleaning data, collaborating with team members on manuscripts, reports, policy briefs and other publications, and presenting findings in national and/or state conferences and other settings. It is anticipated that there will be multiple co-authorship opportunities. The position will also help support graduate student research assistants and support the Principal Investigator with program management activities (for example, preparation of annual reports to key stakeholders and funders).  

Background Screening

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks will be performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
 

Application Deadline

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.  We encourage applicants to submit before Thursday, June 12th for priority consideration, though we will continue to accept applications until the position is filled.  

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.