Research Analyst

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join Harvard University Central Administration?

Harvard University's Central Administration (CADM) is a 5,000+ employee organization that supports the university's overall excellence by understanding and serving the needs of its schools, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and surrounding communities. Through dynamic and collaborative partnerships, CADM provides high-quality and efficient services to the schools to help them achieve their goals.

Job Summary:

The Research Analyst supports the Office of Institutional Research & Analytics (OIRA) in advancing Harvard’s mission through accurate, timely, and high-quality institutional reporting and analysis. Reporting to the Assistant Director for Institutional Research, the Research Analyst contributes to the development, validation, and dissemination of official university data used for compliance, accreditation, benchmarking, and decision support.

This position plays a key role in preparing institutional reports and surveys, maintaining OIRA’s data documentation, and assisting in the management of recurring data collections across Harvard’s schools and administrative units. The ideal candidate will bring strong analytical, organizational, and technical skills, with an interest in data governance, higher education, and process improvement.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Institutional Reporting & Data Management

• Prepare and validate data submissions for federal, state, and external agencies.
• Extract, clean, and format data from Harvard’s central systems and data warehouse to support recurring institutional reports and ad hoc requests.
• Collaborate with the Assistant Director and other OIRA team members to ensure data accuracy, consistency, and methodological integrity.
• Maintain documentation of data sources, methods, and submission requirements for assigned reports.
• Support the creation of internal and external fact sheets, dashboards, and benchmarking analyses.

Project Management

• Track key deliverables and deadlines for assigned reports within the annual OIRA reporting calendar.
• Coordinate with data providers and stakeholders across the University (e.g., Registrars, HUIT, OFSP, Financial Aid offices) to collect, review, and confirm data inputs.
• Contribute to process improvements by documenting workflows, identifying data issues, and recommending enhancements to reporting efficiency and accuracy.
• Assist with quality assurance reviews of institutional data products prior to publication or submission.

Analytics & Visualization

• Conduct descriptive analyses and prepare visualizations to communicate institutional trends in areas such as enrollment, financial aid, faculty, and student outcomes.
• Support OIRA’s development of canonical datasets and internal reporting tools (e.g., Fact Book, dashboards, or Tableau/R visualizations).
• Contribute to benchmarking and peer comparison analyses 

Collaboration & Continuous Learning

• Work collaboratively within OIRA’s reporting and analytics teams, sharing knowledge, tools, and best practices.
• Engage in professional development to strengthen technical and analytic skills in data management, visualization, and higher education policy.
• Demonstrate commitment to OIRA’s values of accuracy, transparency, collaboration, and service.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative, social science, or education-related field (e.g., statistics, economics, public policy, data science, or higher education administration); or an equivalent amount of experience.
• At least three years of relevant experience involving data analysis, reporting, or research in a higher education, nonprofit, or government setting.
• Demonstrated experience working with structured datasets and producing analytical or reporting outputs for internal or external audiences.

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

• Experience using data analysis and visualization tools such as R, Python, SQL, Stata, or Tableau.
• Familiarity with higher education data systems and reporting requirements, including IPEDS, accreditation reporting, and national survey participation.
• Strong data management and documentation skills, including data cleaning, transformation, and validation.
• Ability to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines while maintaining attention to detail.
• Clear written and oral communication skills, including the ability to explain data and methods to nontechnical audiences.
• Demonstrated initiative, curiosity, and collaborative spirit.
• Commitment to integrity, confidentiality, and professional ethics in handling institutional data.

• Standard Hours/Schedule: 35 hours per week
• Compensation Range/Rate (including Shift Differential if applicable):
• Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
• Pre-Employment Screening: Identity, Education
• Other Information:  Candidates should submit a cover letter in addition to their resume and may be asked to submit a sample of their work.

Work Format Details

This position has been determined by school or unit leaders that some of the duties and responsibilities can be effectively performed at a non-Harvard location. The work schedule and location will be set by the department at its discretion and based upon operational needs. When not working at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location, employees in hybrid positions must work in a Harvard registered state in compliance with the University’s Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Salary Grade and Ranges

This position is salary grade level 057. Please visit  Harvard's Salary Ranges  to view the corresponding salary range and related information. 

Benefits

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to: 

• Generous paid time off including parental leave 
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one 
• Retirement plans with university contributions 
• Wellbeing and mental health resources 
• Support for families and caregivers 
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement 
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks 

Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page. 

EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes.

Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.