Special Instructions to Applicants:

All interested applicants should attach a resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice's culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name - RICE - Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

Position Summary:

This Solutions Analyst is a key role in Rice University's Transformational Technology and Innovation team within the Division of Operations, Finance, and Support (OF& S). It is a central point for modernizing how things work. This person will help bridge the gap between everyday business challenges and new tech solutions, especially using AI and tools like large language models. They will closely examine current processes to find better ways, ensure smooth data flow, and help bring AI projects and new internal tools to life. Ultimately, this role will help the team work smarter, make better decisions, and continuously seek improvements through technology.

Ideal Candidate Statement:

We seek a professional who can seamlessly integrate business analysis, system analysis, and AI project support. The position requires a blend of strong analytical and technical skills, coupled with a forward-thinking mindset to utilize emerging technologies in a variety of responsibilities.

• Conduct thorough business analysis to understand and document business requirements
• Lead project delivery efforts, ensuring projects are completed on time and within scope
• Utilize agile project management methodologies to manage and track project progress
• Perform data analysis to support decision-making and provide actionable insights
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define project goals, deliverables, and timelines
• Facilitate agile ceremonies such as sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and retrospectives
• Develop and maintain project documentation, including requirements, user stories, and project plans
• Communicate project status, risks, and issues to stakeholders and senior management

Workplace Requirements:

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Annual Hiring Range: $80, 000 to $100, 000. *Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant quantitative or technical field such as Business Administration, Information Systems, Computer Science, Data Analytics, Mathematics, Statistics, or Financial Analysis
• 3+ years of progressive professional experience in Business Analysis, System Analysis, Data Analysis, or a combination thereof. This experience should include a proven track record of supporting operational or financial functions, preferably within a complex organizational environment

Skills:

• Demonstrated proficiency in conducting user interviews, defining user stories, analyzing business requirements, designing effective solutions, and producing comprehensive documentation such as Business Requirements Documents (BRDs), Functional Specifications Documents (FSDs), and process flow charts
• Familiarity with data preparation, cleaning, and feature engineering techniques essential for AI/Machine Learning model consumption
• Solid understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and practical experience with various project methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall)
• Exceptional analytical and critical-thinking abilities, with a proven capacity to understand complex data sets, identify intricate patterns, trends, and anomalies, and translate these into actionable insights and strategic recommendations
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a proven ability to translate complex technical information and analytical insights into clear, concise, and understandable formats for diverse audiences, including non-technical stakeholders and executive leadership
• Knowledge of computer system capabilities, business processes, and workflow
• Experience with SQL scripting
• Experience with enterprise applications and understanding of database-driven applications
• Strong understanding of the software development life cycle
• Knowledge of principles and techniques used in conducting management studies and systems analysis
• Current knowledge of rapidly changing computer technology
• Skill in conducting interviews and facilitating group meetings
• Skill in developing and conducting training programs
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, including the ability to bridge functional and technical resources by communicating effectively with individuals of varying systems expertise and business needs
• Strong listening, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills
• Ability to design and document complex business systems
• Proven problem-solving and analytical thinking, with the ability to approach problems logically and systematically

Preferences:

• Experience working within a higher education institution or a non-profit organization, demonstrating familiarity with unique academic administrative structures and data
• Practical experience with specific AI/ML platforms, cloud-based AI services (e.g., AWS AI/ML, Azure AI, Google Cloud AI), or open-source LLM frameworks
• Advanced certifications in Business Analysis (e.g., CBAP), Data Science, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, or Project Management (e.g., PMP, CSM)
• Demonstrated experience with advanced project management tools and methodologies beyond basic SDLC, such as Kanban or Scrum Master certification

Essential Functions:

• Business analysis and strategic alignment to understand and identify business requirements
• System analysis to convert high-value business requirements into technical solutions
• Implementation support to ensure successful delivery of project goals and objectives
• Provide timely and effective regular support for existing systems and processes with continuous improvement
• Translate business processes into system requirements and/or development of systems solutions
• Analyze new business requirements, assist with feasibility of enhancement requests, system functionality, current system use, and user needs
• Specify functional analysis and design and work with developers and analysts to recommend solutions and resolve system issues
• Review, research, and evaluate software to determine its usefulness and appropriateness; assist or develop preliminary and detailed system design documentation
• Develop instructional materials, training, and job aids
• Analyze data and provide data sets to users for analysis
• Liaise with external vendors or partners in support of business systems, which may include system development, implementation, and/or operations
• Perform all other duties as assigned

Rice University HR | Benefits: https: //knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University's Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.