About the role
Title: GA Pre-Professional - Data Analyst - Spring 2027
Division Name: Finance and Planning
Department: Decision Support
Campus Location: Normal, IL
Job Summary
The Graduate Assistant Data Analyst is responsible for assisting with data analysis, data validation, data warehouse development, data governance, and business intelligence assignments. This includes SQL development and analytics of data from a variety of sources. Performs research and analysis of data warehouse and business intelligence solutions. This also includes documentation of the databases, tables, fields and BI solutions. Responsibilities may include performing data quality assurance testing, validating data against business requirements, identifying and resolving data discrepancies, documenting processes, creating dashboards and reports, and helping uncover trends and insights that support business objectives. Fundamental understanding of relational and dimensional data structures as well as an understanding of databases (e.g. Oracle, SQL) will be expected.
Additional Information
Job Duties
30% - Data Analysis & Reporting
- Assist in analyzing data from multiple data sources.
- Develop and execute SQL queries to extract, transform, and analyze data.
- Identify trends, patterns, and insights that support business and operational decision-making.
- Support ad hoc reporting and analytical requests from stakeholders.
20% - Data Quality & Validation
- Perform data quality assurance testing to ensure data accuracy, consistency, and completeness.
- Validate data against established business requirements and specifications.
- Identify, research, troubleshoot, and resolve data discrepancies and inconsistencies.
- Assist in maintaining data quality standards and best practices.
20% - Data Governance & Documentation
- Support data governance initiatives through documentation and process improvement efforts.
- Create and maintain documentation for databases, tables, fields, reports, dashboards, and data definitions.
- Assist in developing and maintaining data dictionaries and metadata documentation.
10% - Data Warehouse & Database Support
- Assist with the development, maintenance, and enhancement of data warehouse structures.
- Support data integration processes between source systems and the data warehouse.
- Work with relational and dimensional data models to support reporting and analytics needs.
10% - Research & Business Intelligence
- Create dashboards, visualizations, and reports using business intelligence tools.
- Collaborate with staff to gather business requirements and translate them into analytical solutions.
- Support the design and implementation of data-driven solutions to meet organizational objectives.
10% - Perform other duties as assigned
Salary Rate / Pay Rate
$1510 monthly stipend
Required Qualifications
- Eligible for appointment as per the requirements in the Graduate Assistant Handbook, which can be found at http://hr.illinoisstate.edu/downloads/GA_Handbook.pdf
- Must be a degree-seeking graduate student at Illinois State University
- Ability to gain knowledge in a variety of data sources
- Experience with data analysis, data profiling and data cleansing.
- Possess strong self-motivated analysis and problem-solving disposition with ability to synthesize findings into communicable actions and recommendations
- Ability to manage project related tasks and monitor progress and results
- Possess understanding of structured, semi-structured data solutions and familiarity with operational and analytical database concepts.
- Able to read and write SQL queries.
Preferred Qualifications
- Demonstrated experience with data analytics programming in Python or R
- Demonstrated experience with data reporting tools, such as PowerBI, Tableau, and/or Cognos
- Demonstrated experience with statistical analysis and understanding of appropriate statistical methodologies
- Familiarity with data governance concepts.
Work Hours
TBD
Proposed Starting Date
January 2027
Required Applicant Documents
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- Reference List
Please Note: These documents are required to be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior to clicking on "Apply"
Special Instructions for Applicants
Benefits for Graduate Assistants can be found in the Graduate Assistant Handbook.
Note: If you have not yet been assigned a University ID, but are interested in applying for this graduate assistantship, please proceed with the graduate assistant application process. For the first question regarding your University ID, simply enter in nine (9) zeros (e.g., 000000000).
You must be eligible for employment in the United States and at Illinois State University and/or for the number of hours required for the position.
Illinois State University student employees are restricted to no more than 28 hours per week of on-campus employment for all positions held. International students are restricted by their visa status to no more than 20 hours per week of on-campus employment when the university is in session but may work up to 28 hours per week when the university is not in session. Please contact the Office of International Student and Scholar Services for guidance on visa restrictions on work hours. The University cannot grant exceptions to visa status rules/laws.
Contact Information for Applicants
Ben Mengarelli, bsmenga@ilstu.edu
Important Information for Applicants
This position is subject to a criminal background investigation and if applicable, an employment history review, based on University Policy 3.1.30 and any offer of employment is contingent upon you passing a satisfactory criminal background investigation and/or an employment history review. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.
Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other state or federal law you may request an accommodation by contacting the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at (309) 438-3383. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access will hold any confidential information you provide in confidence.
If you are having difficulty accessing the system, please call Human Resources at (309) 438-8311.