Job Details

Senior Research Analyst 2026

Santa Monica College

Salary: $101,748.00 - $123,672.00 Annually

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

Job Number: SRA2026

Location: SMC Main Campus, 1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica 90405, CA

Closing: 5/29/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Description

Merged Promotional & Open Competitive**Pending PC Approval

Senior Research Analyst

WELCOME TO SANTA MONICA COLLEGE! The Senior Research Analyst performs a variety of professional, complex, high-order statistical and analytical program assessment, research, and evaluation studies to support institutional planning, decision-making, and program planning processes. This position is scheduled to work 40 hours per week, 12 months per year on the Santa Monica College Main Campus.

Please note that all candidates must have authorization to work in the United States; the District does not have the ability to provide sponsorship.

Important note regarding the District budget:

In an effort to address budget shortfalls and ensure the long-term financial health of the College, CSEA Chapter 36 and the District have agreed to implement cost saving measures for the 2026-27 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. These measures consist of:

(1) one unpaid furlough day per month for Classified staff, which amounts to approximately a 5% salary reduction, and

(2) freezes in step and longevity advancement that will halt salary advancement for at least one year.

The posted salary for this role does not reflect the one unpaid furlough day per month that will take effect on July 1, 2026. Please note that the District will continue to offer fully paid health, dental and vision benefits for employees and their eligible dependents.

What You Will Bring to the College

Our ideal candidate will possess proven institutional research expertise with strong skills in analyzing and interpreting quantitative & qualitative data, and meticulous attention to detail while working with complex data analytics; excellent oral and written communication skills; the ability to exercise flexibility, initiative, and judgment in dynamic situations, such as identifying stakeholder needs, assessing available data for analysis, and adapting when data sources are unavailable by locating alternative sources of data; the ability to navigate data confidentiality matters with tact and discretion; advanced proficiency with data analysis programs and data visualization software; the ability to drive research projects while providing guidance to research staff; and exceptional customer service skills that address the research needs of stakeholders.

Remote Work Program
Santa Monica College has a remote work program option available for employees whose job duties do not require a physical presence on College property. Remote work arrangements cannot be guaranteed prior to the date of hire, and must go through a review and approval process.

Why Work at SMC?
At SMC, you will work beside a diverse group of colleagues who leverage their combined talents and passions to accomplish something great. No matter what department you are in, or what job you have, your contributions will be critical to helping our students fulfill their dreams - landing that new job, or breaking through the cycle of poverty.

Some details about us:

• We are currently the number one transfer college to UCLA, USC, the University of California system, and Loyola Marymount University
• We are dedicated to sustainable practices and are accessible via environmentally-friendly transportation options, including the Expo Line and Big Blue Bus.
• We are one of the select community colleges in California approved to award a Bachelor's degree. SMC currently awards a Bachelor's degree in Interaction Design. Our second Bachelor's degree in Cloud Computing is coming in Fall 2027!

Please visit www.smc.edu/aboutsmc to learn more about us and why we are Proud to Be SMC!

Benefits

We value our employees as people, and recognize the value of work-life balance, the health of you and your family, and professional development. We offer a variety of benefits and perks to support new members of our team, including:

• 18 paid holidays*
• 12 paid vacation days*
• 12 paid illness days*
• Fully paid medical, dental, and vision-care coverage (including eligible dependents)
• Free mental health assistance through the Employee Assistance Service for Education (EASE) program.
• Membership in the California Public Employee Retirement System (CALPERS)
• 5% increase in base pay for every 5 years worked with SMC, up to 40 years of service.**
• Waived tuition fees for classes taken at Santa Monica College.
• Reimbursement for related classes, conferences or workshops to empower your professional development.
• Free Big Blue Bus access and monthly incentives for eligible employees through the Sustainable Transportation Incentive Program
• CSEA Chapter 36 Union Membership Option

*Benefits, holidays, vacation, and illness days listed above assume a 40-hours per week, 12 months per year schedule. Benefits, vacation and illness days are prorated for other work schedules.

**On hold for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.

Salary Placement

New Employees: Generally, new employees start at the first step on the salary schedule. A new permanent classified employee may request a higher salary placement based on recruitment issues and/or additional training and experience which greatly exceeds the minimum requirements. Please note that salary placement above the third step requires additional approvals by Santa Monica College executive staff.

Current Employees: Upon promotion, the new salary for a current, permanent employee is based on Merit Rule 12.2.7. In accordance with this rule, employees are entitled to at least a one-step (5%) salary increase, and may be eligible for advanced step placement in accordance with established criteria.

About the Selection Process

The selection process tentatively consists of a Scored Training and Experience Evaluation (Pass/Fail) and Qualifications Appraisal Interview with Technical Project (weighted 100%). Candidates must be successful on all test parts to be placed on the eligibility list. The eligibility list created from this recruitment will be used to fill any vacancies that occur during the six-month life of the eligibility list, including full-time and/or part-time, permanent and/or temporary positions.

Santa Monica College reserves the right to modify the stated test components and weights prior to the administration of any test.

Certain positions within this classification may require employees to routinely and consistently read, speak, and/or write using a language other than English. Testing of eligible candidates' bilingual proficiency will occur, as needed, as the District identifies positions that require this skill.

Communication for this recruitment will be via e-mail. You must check your e-mail on a regular basis to be informed of your status for this recruitment.

Test Retake Policy
Based on the District's hiring needs, we may administer multiple recruitments for this job classification (or a related job classification that uses the same test(s)) within the next several months. Candidates must wait a period of 90 calendar days between testing appointments before retesting. Candidates who are ineligible to participate in an upcoming test or interview due to the provided retake period will be notified via email, and will have their highest valid score(s) on any non-weighted (pass/fail) test parts applied toward that recruitment.

The Santa Monica Community College District is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity. All qualified applicants for employment, as well as District employees, shall have full and equal access to employment opportunity. No person shall be subjected to unlawful discrimination in any program or activity of the District. The District's Board Policy 3120 (Equal Employment Opportunity and Nondiscrimination in Employment) may be accessed at: https://www.smc.edu/administration/governance/documents/administrative-regulations/AR_3000_Human-Resources.pdf

Equity Statement
"Santa Monica College encourages candidates that are equity-minded to apply. SMC is a minority-serving, Hispanic-serving institution. We actively seek to attract candidates from minority groups that value equity, diversity, and inclusion. Equity, diversity, and inclusion are built into the culture at SMC, and are an essential component of the work that we do. SMC is committed to racial and socioeconomic diversity as it is a reflection of our student population and we strive to hire candidates that share this commitment."

Examples of Duties

Performs professional, advanced journey-level research and data analysis related but not limited to curricula, institutional effectiveness, matriculation, enrollment management, staffing patterns, student and faculty characteristics, program vitality and evaluation, community characteristics, student achievement, student learning outcomes, and accreditation.

Collaborates with staff, faculty, and administrators in the design, development, and implementation of research projects; advise personnel and others concerning valid research design and data collection, appropriate use of data and research results in generating recommendations.

Designs and implements procedures for collecting, reviewing, arranging, analyzing, and reporting complex data sets according to project and study specifications and requirements.

Organizes, disseminates, and presents findings of data analyses and research studies in narrative, tabular, and graphical publications as well as oral modes.

Selects, adapts, and applies appropriate research and statistical methodologies and techniques to complete research studies, including, but not limited to survey research, focus groups, cohort tracking, correlations, and multivariate inferential statistics.

Participates in the design, maintenance, and organization of complex and large datasets, information systems, and reports to facilitate typical research and planning activities using various computer platforms and software (i.e., database, statistical, spreadsheet).

Responds to requests for information and data from District and College staff, public jurisdictions, and outside researchers.

Provides technical assistance to College staff in the areas of outcomes assessment and program and grant planning and evaluation.

Develops and maintains visual data reports and dashboards using reporting and visualization tools as assigned.

Provides training for College staff on tools, procedures, and methods for outcomes assessment and program and grant planning and evaluation.

Analyzes emerging regional, statewide, and national data and research trends in higher education to anticipate departmental planning and information needs.

Attends and participations in professional group meetings to stay current with trends and innovations in the fields of research, data analysis, and statistics.

Stays abreast of reporting needs and complies with federal and state reporting requirements.

Writes instructions, procedures, and manuals involving administrative and operational activities of the research unit, as needed.

Updates the District's Institutional Research website.

Prepares state applications and reports as assigned.

Performs other related duties as requested or assigned.

Essential duty statements are descriptive and not restrictive in nature and are generally listed in descending order or importance.

Minimum Qualifications

Education Requirement:
A bachelor's degree in Social Science Research, Economics, Educational Administration, Business Administration, Organizational Analysis, Information Science, or other research-oriented specialization.

Experience Requirement:*
Three years of full-time paid professional-level experience in research, data analysis, or a related analytical position.

Education/Experience Equivalency:
Experience and/or education of the same kind, level and amount as required in the minimum qualifications may be substituted on a year-for-year basis.

Licensure and/or Certification:
None.

*Pending PC Approval.

Supplemental Information

For additional information about our employment process, please visit our FAQ page and click on "current employees" (for existing, permanent SMC employees) or "job applicants" (for external applicants).

To apply, please visit https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/smc/jobs/5333701/senior-research-analyst-2026