Data Scientist; Data Analytics Developer II

Position Summary

San Diego State University is hiring a Data Scientist to join Analytic Studies & Institutional Research (ASIR), a team that sits at the center of academic planning, student success analytics, institutional reporting, and strategic decision‐making. This is a builder role for someone who likes solving data problems, designing scalable analytics workflows, engineering reliable datasets, and developing analytical products that people use to make decisions.

You’ll work across data engineering, business intelligence, analytics, and institutional strategy—partnering with technical and non‑technical stakeholders to develop data solutions that improve how SDSU understands enrollment, student outcomes, academic operations, and institutional effectiveness. The right person for this role is energized by complexity, motivated by accuracy, and genuinely interested in how data infrastructure supports large‑scale organizational decision‑making.

• Develop scalable data analytics solutions using modern programming languages and tools, translating stakeholder requirements into effective technical deliverables.
• Implement data pipelines, automation processes, and data engineering techniques to optimize institutional workflows and enhance data delivery.
• Write, review, and optimize code for data processing, analysis, and visualization to support reporting and decision‑making needs.
• Design data models, algorithms, and statistical analyses to extract meaningful insights from large and diverse datasets.
• Ensure data accuracy, consistency, and integrity through validation processes, quality checks, and adherence to data governance standards.
• Maintain clear documentation of data processes, systems, and workflows to support transparency, reproducibility, and compliance.
• Troubleshoot data issues and continuously improve data architecture, pipelines, and analytics processes.

• Be part of a mission‑driven university focused on student success, innovation, and community impact.
• Work on meaningful, high‑impact projects that inform institutional strategy and decision‑making.
• Collaborate with a diverse, supportive, and highly skilled team of data and analytics professionals.
• Engage with modern data tools, technologies, and evolving analytics practices.
• Access professional growth and development opportunities within a large, dynamic organization.
• Benefit from competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a strong commitment to work‑life balance.

Analytic Studies & Institutional Research (ASIR) helps power data‑informed decision‑making at San Diego State University. As part of Academic Affairs, ASIR partners with university leadership and campus divisions to deliver analytics, business intelligence, and data strategy that support student success, academic planning, and institutional effectiveness. The department combines data engineering, predictive analytics, institutional reporting, and business intelligence to develop dashboards, analytical tools, and scalable data solutions used across the university.

From enrollment trends to student outcomes, ASIR transforms complex institutional data into actionable insights that shape strategic initiatives and operational decisions. ASIR is a collaborative, analytics‑driven environment focused on innovation, data integrity, and modern data infrastructure, offering the opportunity to work on high‑impact projects with visible institutional impact.

Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in a related field and two years of relevant experience. Additional experience which demonstrates acquired and successfully applied knowledge and abilities may be substituted for the required education on a year‑for‑year basis. An advanced degree in a related field may be substituted for the required experience on a year‑for‑year basis.

• Strong programming skills in SQL, Python, R, or related languages used for data manipulation, transformation, analysis, and automation.
• Experience developing scalable data analytics solutions and working with large, complex, and diverse datasets.
• Proficiency with business intelligence…