Senior Research Analyst

Bellingham Technical College (BTC) seeks a 75% (30 hour per week) Senior Research Analyst to lead collaborative assessment of the College’s Competency-Based Education (CBE) implementation; help build centralized data dashboards and systems; collect and analyze information on student characteristics, enrollment, retention, and completion; and train BTC employees on using data related to both student/employee experiences with CBE and regional workforce needs. They will support relevant data and research requests, work with other grant team members to track the performance of project objectives, and assist with grant external evaluation processes as appropriate. As a member of BTC’s Institutional Planning and Assessment (IPA) department, this position will help advance BTC's culture of inquiry and evidence by providing relevant project data and analyses for use in planning and decision-making. 

The position is funded through a five-year Title III Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) grant project, Meeting Workforce Demand Through Competency-Based Education (CBE) . The grant is scheduled to end September 30, 2031; however, grant-funded positions are temporary, dependent upon project funding, and can end at any time funding is discontinued.

Under the general direction of the Associate Director of Data and Research, the Senior Research Analyst will: 

• Work collaboratively with campus partners to develop an outcomes-based assessment plan, assess the effectiveness of BTC’s Competency-Based Education (CBE) implementation (e.g., redesigned instructional model, adjusted student support services, and new faculty training), and identify areas of improvement based on the assessment; 
• Create and/or enhance existing data systems—including data dashboards to track student enrollment, course success, persistence, time-to-completion, and credential attainment—to help employees analyze data related to student and employee engagement with CBE experiences; 
• Design data collection instruments (e.g., activity tracking mechanisms, survey, interview/focus group protocols), conduct interviews/focus group sessions, and administer surveys; 
• Develop a workforce demand data system that integrates existing regional and/or State resources and practices; 
• Develop and provide training to BTC employees related to analyzing regional industry demand data and engaging in data-informed workforce development planning; 
• Respond to and track relevant data and research requests from internal and external audiences; 
• Work with the Title III SIP grant team to track the performance of project objectives and assist with external evaluation processes as appropriate; 
• Contribute to the advancement of BTC’s culture of inquiry and evidence by providing relevant project data and analyses for use in planning and decision-making; 
• Operate a variety of research and analytic computer application programs (e.g., SQL Server Management Studio [SSMS], PeopleSoft [PS] Query, Tableau, R Statistical Computing Software, statistical applications of Microsoft Access and Excel); 
• Identify and work with appropriate departments to address issues pertaining to data quality control (e.g., data input accuracy and consistency); 
• Apply legal and ethical components involved in conducting research and analysis (e.g., Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act [FERPA], human subjects protection); 
• Present complex information to non-technical audiences; 
• Maintain regular, ongoing communications with Title III SIP grant team members and key Institutional Planning & Assessment department partners across campus;
• Serve as a member on committees or groups that require data or accountability/performance measures and participate in the activities of the Research and Planning Commission (RPC) of the WA State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC); and
• Perform other duties as assigned. 

• Strong collaborative leadership skills; 

• Skills in research and assessment methodologies and design, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches; 
• Strong organizational and problem-solving; 
• Excellent oral/written communication skills, including ability to write clearly and concisely; 
• Ability to use a variety of technologies to manage, extract, analyze, present, and visualize data; 
• Ability to troubleshoot and quickly identify solutions to data reporting and analysis problems; 
• Ability to learn and apply new technologies and best practices; 
• Ability to work collaboratively with different members of the College—including individuals of varied ethnicities, ages, backgrounds, and abilities—in an inclusive and participatory manner; 
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and adhere to research ethics; 
• Ability to present technical information to non-technical audiences and provide training and technical assistance to adult learners; 
• Ability to work under pressure, work with ambiguity, and prioritize competing demands; 
• Ability to work within a team. 

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution; 
• One year of experience managing, extracting, analyzing, and presenting data; and 
• One year of experience working with structured query language (SQL); 

OR

• A combination of experiences and training that provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job will be considered. 

• Master’s degree or higher from an accredited institution; 
• Experience with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods data analysis and assessment including using multiple data resources to support institutional/organizational improvement and data-informed decision-making; 
• Experience with project management and working collaboratively with colleagues; 
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications (Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word), SQL utilization software (e.g., SSMS), statistical tools (e.g., Python, R, SAS, SPSS), data visualization tools (e.g., Shiny, Tableau), the Oracle PeopleSoft ERP system, qualitative assessment tools (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Microsoft Forms) and/or related data structures and reporting tools; 
• Experience teaching and/or providing training and technical assistance to adult learners;
• Professional experience in higher education and/or a research setting; 
• Experience with using Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) statewide data management systems, data warehouses, and/or processes related to allocation and funding; 
• Experience with Washington State labor market data; 
• Experience applying best practices in data visualization (e.g., dashboards); 

Salary: $69,750 – 81,000 annually for this 75% position

Leave benefits:

• 8 hours per month of sick leave 
• 16 hours per month of vacation leave
• 24 hours of personal leave per calendar year
• 12 paid state/college holidays per calendar year

Benefits also include a Washington State insurance package including selecting one of:

• 6 medical options
• 3 dental plan options
• 3 vision plan options Include: 
• life insurance
• long-term disability

Retirement benefits package including one of: 

• TIAA State Board Retirement Plan (SBRP)
• Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) Plan 3 Two voluntary investment (not matched) programs
• TIAA (403b)
• State Deferred Compensation (457) plan

Additional optional benefits include ability to participate in:

• Medical Flexible Spending plan
• Limited Purpose Flexible Spending plan
• Health Savings Account
• Dependent Care Assistance
• Discounts for automobile and homeowner insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Up to 21 days of military leave
• Up to 5 days of paid bereavement leave
• Paid civil/jury duty
• Bereavement leave
• Ability to participate in a shared leave program
• State Employee Tuition Waiver (when eligible)

Application Procedures and Deadline:

Required application materials must be completed and submitted online at and received by 5 p.m. on November 30, 2026, for priority consideration. Application materials received after this date and time may be considered until the position is filled. 

More information about Bellingham Technical College is at or contact the Human Resources office at View phone number on publisher.careerdays.io. At this time, BTC is not sponsoring H-1B Visas. 

Required Online Application Materials: 

(Attachments in Word or PDF file only) 

• Completed BTC Online Employment Application including Supplemental Questions, 
• Current resume or curriculum vitae (CV), and
• Cover letter detailing how you meet the qualifications for this position.

Additional Information:

• Interviews are tentatively scheduled for December 9 th and 10 th , 2026. 
• Candidates selected for interviews may be asked to complete a skills test. 
• Second interviews are tentatively scheduled for December 14-18, 2026 .

Estimated Start Date: January 16, 2027 

Compensation details: 69750-81000 Yearly Salary

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