We welcome those eager to grow in the field of assessment to apply.  For full consideration, please submit a resume and cover letter online describing how your work experience and background fit the qualifications for this position. Apply here. 

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.

The Assistant Director of Assessment is an integral part of the Office of Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research (OPAIR) assessment team, which oversees and supports the University-wide learning outcomes assessment process for undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, and General Education at all Penn State locations. In addition, the Assistant Director supports the assessment of complex strategic and operational functions of the University.

The successful candidate will possess knowledge of, or a strong desire to learn about, current trends and issues related to student learning assessment, current and innovative practices in the development and assessment of institutional effectiveness, and current theory and practice in higher education research. The successful candidate will also have experience designing data collection and analysis plans, processes, and systems; identifying analytical methods, and integrating appropriate assessments to inform strategic initiatives.

This position reports to the Assistant Vice Provost for Assessment and offers flexible work arrangements: fully remote from most U.S. states (see the Working Outside of Pennsylvania webpage), fully in-person at University Park Campus, or hybrid. Standard working hours are in the Eastern Time Zone.

Key Responsibilities

• Support learning assessment activities in undergraduate, graduate, certificate programs, and General Education programs
• Design and implement faculty, staff, and student surveys
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with campus and college assessment leaders, program coordinators, and academic administrators
• Lead and support University-wide assessment projects
• Analyze assessment data to address key performance and improvement questions
• Develop and deliver assessment resources, presentations, and workshops
• Review and provide feedback on academic program-level learning outcomes assessment plans and reports
• Represent OPAIR on committees, task forces, and University-wide initiatives
• Prepare oral and written reports, with a strong focus on data storytelling and visualization
• Participate in a collaborative team environment within OPAIR and across University stakeholders.
• Support and document institutional assessment efforts to maintain regional accreditation and foster a culture of continuous improvement

Required Qualifications

• Experience and/or demonstrated knowledge of program assessment
• Experience designing and implementing surveys
• Experience analyzing data to address performance and improvement questions
• Ability to review and provide feedback on academic program assessment plans and reports
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including preparation of reports for varied audiences
• Experience developing and delivering presentations, workshops, or training materials
• Ability to build and maintain collaborative working relationships with faculty, administrators, and campus partners
• Experience working in a collaborative team environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a higher education context
• Experience leading university-wide or large-scale assessment projects
• Experience supporting accreditation processes and documenting institutional effectiveness efforts
• Experience and/or demonstrated skills in data visualization and data storytelling
• Experience extracting data from enterprise systems using queries
• Experience collaborating across multiple academic units in a complex higher education environment
• Technical proficiency with R, Python, PowerBI, or similar data analysis and visualization tools
• Experience building surveys in Qualtrics or similar survey software

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree or higher in higher education, assessment, educational research, social sciences, or a related field plus six years of experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required. PhD preferred.

Penn State (The Pennsylvania State University) is a public, land-grant research university founded in 1855. Headquartered at the University Park campus in State College, PA ("Happy Valley"), the university operates a unique network of over 20 campuses statewide and an online World Campus, serving nearly 90,000 students.

The Office of Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research (OPAIR) is the nexus of research, accreditation, assessment, and strategic planning that supports individual unit endeavors towards organizational excellence by making institutional data and strategic information easily accessible, clearly understood, and well-leveraged both within Penn State and across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

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.