[Hiring] Graduate Assistant – Financial Data Analysis @Penn State University

Role Description

Penn State IT is seeking a Graduate Assistant to support financial data analysis efforts for the Optimized Service Team (OST) initiative. This part-time, remote position (20 hours/week) will contribute to a University-wide effort to evaluate IT services, improve cost efficiency, and support strategic decision-making through data-driven insights.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze financial and operational data related to University IT services and expenditures
• Support data collection, validation, and reporting for OST discovery workshops
• Develop insights to inform Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and IT service improvements
• Identify trends, cost efficiencies, and opportunities for process optimization
• Prepare reports, dashboards, and visualizations for stakeholders
• Collaborate with Penn State IT teams to support ongoing analysis and decision-making

About the Initiative

The Penn State IT Optimized Service Team (OST) initiative is a comprehensive effort to assess and enhance IT services across the University. Through structured discovery workshops and ongoing analysis, the initiative focuses on:

• Aligning IT investments with strategic priorities
• Increasing efficiency and cost effectiveness
• Enabling innovation through improved resource allocation
• Strengthening IT service delivery and continuous improvement through SLAs

Qualifications

• Current enrollment in a Penn State graduate program

Requirements

• Graduate study in Finance, Data Analytics, Business, Information Systems, or a related field
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Experience with Excel and/or data analysis tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Python, R)
• Ability to interpret and communicate data insights effectively
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills

Benefits

• Work Schedule: Up to 20 hours per week
• Compensation: $20 per hour
• Work Location: Remote