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POSITION SPECIFICS
Penn State IT invites a Learning Analytics Data Scientist to join the award-winning Data Empowered Learning team. In this role, you will assist in the creation of the models and insights that power cutting-edge tools like Course Insights and Elevate. You will join a mission-driven, collaborative team dedicated to delivering insights that enhance student success and institutional efficiency across Penn State. We are looking for a candidate with proven expertise across the entire data science lifecycle, from organizing complex institutional datasets to applying advanced analytical and modeling methods.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, validate, and deploy predictive and descriptive models (e.g., student-at-risk indicators, and engagement patterns, etc) to inform institutional strategy.
- Architect and maintain complex data workflows by retrieving and organizing institutional data from diverse sources, including Canvas (LMS), Starfish, and Student Information Systems (SIS).
- Utilize exploratory data analysis and machine learning to transform raw data into high-level trends and actionable recommendations.
- Collaborate with university leadership to move insights from theory to practice, ensuring findings are translated into intuitive, practical tools for faculty and advisors.
- Communicate to technical and non-technical stakeholders and audiences on data and methodological questions.
- Partner with software developers to transition successful models into production-level applications used by thousands of users across the university.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required
- Extensive experience with the Python data stack (pandas, NumPy, etc.) for data cleaning, feature engineering, and high-level statistical modeling.
- A robust background in quantitative methods, including regression, clustering, decision trees, and experimental design.
- Expertise in writing complex SQL queries to extract and manipulate data within relational databases.
- Proven ability to synthesize technical findings into clear, compelling, non-technical narratives for executive-level stakeholders.
- Exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to the ethical use of data in the educational environment.
- Experience with managing production-level data and code through version control and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) workflows, such as GitHub Actions, or similar automation tools to manage the model lifecycle
Desired
- Degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Information Science, or a related field.
- Experience inheriting existing production level codebases or comfortable jumping into new codebase to debug, refactor, make improvements, etc.
- Familiarity with R for supplementary statistical analysis or collaborative research scripts.
- Experience with data visualization libraries (e.g., Plotly, Matplotlib) to create impactful visual stories.
- Experience architecting and deploying RESTful APIs to serve machine learning models using frameworks such as FastAPI (Python) or Plumber (R).
- Understanding of the Higher Education ecosystem, including FERPA compliance and the nuances of SIS and LMS data structures.
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS
Master's Degree 6+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted Required Certifications: None
BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES
Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment Visa. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.
SALARY & BENEFITS
The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $91,488.00 - $137,280.00.
Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure
Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.
CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS
Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.
EEO IS THE LAW
Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.
Penn State is committed to and accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging. We embrace individual uniqueness, as well as a culture of belonging that supports equity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of inclusion in society, and provides opportunities for engagement intended to help all members of the community thrive. We value belonging as a core strength and an essential element of the university’s teaching, research, and service mission.
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Skills Required
- Master's degree and 6+ years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
- Extensive experience with the Python data stack, including pandas and NumPy, for data cleaning, feature engineering, and statistical modeling
- Strong quantitative methods background, including regression, clustering, decision trees, and experimental design
- Expertise writing complex SQL queries for relational databases
- Ability to synthesize technical findings into clear narratives for executive-level stakeholders
- Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to ethical data use in education
- Experience managing production-level data and code with version control and CI/CD workflows
- Degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Information Science, or a related field
- Experience inheriting, debugging, refactoring, and improving production codebases
- Familiarity with R
- Experience with data visualization libraries such as Plotly or Matplotlib
- Experience architecting and deploying RESTful machine learning model APIs using FastAPI or Plumber
- Understanding of higher education data ecosystems, including FERPA, SIS, and LMS data structures
Penn State University Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Penn State University and has not been reviewed or approved by Penn State University.
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Retirement Support — Employer contributions to SERS and the TIAA Alternate Plan are described as significant, with supplemental retirement options available. Feedback suggests these choices and contributions create strong long‑term value.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Full‑time employees accrue over 24 sick and vacation days annually, with additional university holidays and a winter break. Feedback suggests this depth of leave supports work–life balance.
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Inclusive Benefits Coverage — A 75% tuition discount extends to employees, spouses, and dependent children up to age 26 across resident instruction, World Campus, and Penn College courses. Feedback suggests this broad eligibility meaningfully enhances total rewards, especially for families.
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What We Do
There’s a reason Penn State consistently ranks among the top one percent of the world’s universities. Across 24 campuses, our nearly 88,000 students and 17,000 faculty and staff know the real measure of success goes beyond the classroom—it’s the positive impact made on communities across the world. From access to state-of-the-art resources to interdisciplinary pursuits in collaborative atmospheres, a Penn State degree is more than an education. The experiences and knowledge gained here will form the foundation for the lives our students build. Their contributions to the world begin with a Penn State degree. We Are Penn State.
