Associate Director for Data Science

Special Instructions to Applicants Cover letter is required. This role is currently primarily remote, with occasional onsite attendance required based on business needs. The work arrangement may be modified in the future to support departmental or organizational needs. Position Summary The Analytics and Institutional Research team within the Office of Academic Planning and Budget (APB) aims to foster student success and optimize UCLA's operational effectiveness by facilitating data‑driven decision‑making. The team serves as the primary source of official data reported from administrative systems across the University, conducts objective research and analysis for decision makers, leverages an understanding of advanced analytical methods to improve institutional and program performance, builds data collections, facilitates access to institutional data, and advocates for data quality and integrity. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, Analytics and Institutional Research, the incumbent will use an advanced quantitative skill set to support the data and reporting needs of numerous campus entities, including the offices of the EVC/P and Chancellor, through technical programming and strategic organizational goals. The role will involve knowledge of database design, modern programming, visualization, analytical methods, consultative stakeholder engagement, and staff management. The incumbent will also work within modern data environments like AWS, contribute to data governance tools, and help streamline the use of the centralized data lake. Projects typically involve data related to students, academic and non‑academic employees, finance, facilities, and external higher‑education data providers such as the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) or AAUDE. Salary & Compensation UCLA provides a full pay range. Salary offers consider factors such as budget, prior experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure, certifications, and other business considerations. Salary offers at the top of the range are uncommon. Visit UC Benefit package to discover benefits that start on day one, and UC Total Compensation Estimator to calculate the total compensation value with benefits. Qualifications 6 years of experience as a Data Scientist or related field (Required) Demonstrated experience in the field of institutional research (Preferred) Extensive experience with higher education data, especially student and payroll data (Preferred) Advanced knowledge of Tableau to design, enhance, and develop aesthetically pleasing visualizations, including interactive dashboards, scorecards, and reports (Required) Advanced proficiency in SQL, relational databases, and data warehousing concepts; strong understanding of research methods and predictive analytics (Required) Demonstrated experience in analyzing large data sets to implement solution‑focused resolutions in relation to automation and coding practices (Required) Experience with modern programming languages for data mining and analysis (e.g. R, Python) and ability to teach and train others (Required) Ability to simplify complex analytics into recommendations that are easily understood and executable; strategic approach to providing research and analytics to support departmental needs (Required) Skill in working independently and as part of a team, with minimal supervision, and promoting professionalism (Required) Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, and a consultative mindset to identify data‑driven solutions (Required) Identifies, plans, and implements projects in analytical areas to support decision‑making, problem‑solving, strategic planning, and institutional effectiveness (Required) Knowledge of data privacy training requirements, including FERPA (Required) Experience developing project plans and identifying gaps in staffing or technology (Required) Experience developing data solutions within a native cloud environment (e.g. AWS) (Preferred) Experience managing direct reports and providing technical guidance (Preferred) Education, Licenses, Certifications & Personal Affiliations Bachelor’s Degree in statistics, sociology, computational science or a related area and/or equivalent combination of education and experience (Required) Master’s Degree in statistics, sociology, computational sciences or a related field (Preferred) Special Conditions for Employment Background check: Continued employment is contingent upon completion of a satisfactory background investigation. Live Scan background check must be completed prior to start of employment. Schedule Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST and/or variable based on operational needs. Union/Policy Covered 99‑Policy Covered #J-18808-Ljbffr UCLA