Operations research analyst Jobs in Lincoln, NE

Nebraska Wesleyan University seeks an entry-level Institutional Research (IR) Reporter and Analyst to support institutional research efforts and data-informed decision-making by building and managing institutional data queries, preparing recurring reports, and responding to standard data requests. This exempt (salaried) position operates as part of the Registrar's Office and reports to the Registrar and Director of Institutional Research.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare routine and ad hoc institutional reports, data files, and summaries for internal and external audiences.
• Extract, clean, validate, and organize data from institutional systems.
• Support recurring reporting related to enrollment, retention, completion, graduation, student demographics, academic programs, and other institutional metrics.
• Handle reporting for internal and external surveys (IPEDS, US News, Common Data Set, College Board, NSSE, staff and faculty surveys, alumni surveys, and others).
• Respond to standard data requests and prepare first-draft analyses for review.
• Maintain documentation of data definitions, report logic, methodologies, assumptions, and reporting timelines.
• Assist with survey administration, response tracking, data cleaning, and results summaries.
• Support assessment reporting and accreditation evidence collection.
• Collaborate with campus offices to clarify data needs, definitions, and reporting requirements.
• Conduct quality checks and escalate complex data issues or high-risk reporting questions.
• Protect confidential student and institutional data in accordance with FERPA and institutional policy.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• Experience working with data, including data extraction, cleaning, validation, analysis, and reporting.
• Experience producing and communicating descriptive statistics, summaries, or analytical findings to varied audiences.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including functions, formulas, sorting, filtering, and data organization.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy and quality assurance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in education, statistics, social sciences, business, data analytics, information systems, mathematics, public administration, or a related field.
• Experience working in institutional research, higher education administration, enrollment management, registrar functions, assessment, or a related field.
• Experience with higher education reporting requirements and surveys such as IPEDS, Common Data Set, College Board, NSSE, or accreditation-related reporting.
• Experience using statistical software and data visualization and reporting tools such as R, SPSS, Power BI, Tableau, or similar platforms.
• Knowledge of student information systems.

Salary and Benefits

NWU offers a competitive wage and comprehensive benefits plan including Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Disability benefits, Retirement, seven weeks of paid time off per year as an exempt employee through vacation and holidays, and 100% undergraduate tuition discount for dependents after one year of service.

DOE/Q

How to Apply

To apply, please upload a cover letter, resume or curriculum vita, and the names of three professional references at the following URL: . NWU encourages applicants to address how one or more of NWU's Core Values align with their personal values and characteristics and/or how they would contribute to them at NWU in their cover letter or a separate document. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Nebraska Wesleyan University provides equal educational and employment opportunities to qualified persons in all areas of university operation without regard to religion or creed, age, genetic information, gender identity and expression, sexual identity and orientation, veteran status, disability, marital status, race, or national or ethnic origin, in compliance with state and federal laws, including but not limited to Title XII, Title IX, and the ADA. E-Verify, EOE.