Research Data Director Jobs in Florida (NOW HIRING)

Job Description
The Assoc. Dir for FCN Research & Analytics provides strategic leadership for Florida Center for Nursing's workforce research, data analytics, and evaluation initiatives. This role is responsible for managing complex, multivariable workforce analyses; translating data into prioritized insights and impact metrics; and ensuring research findings effectively inform policy, planning, and statewide decision-making.
Reporting to the Director of Strategic Initiatives, this position is both strategic and operational, overseeing research project management, supervising data analysts and student research assistants, and serving as a key thought partner in framing workforce narratives for diverse stakeholders. The role requires strong judgment, the ability to manage uncertainty across dependent variables, and skill in synthesizing findings into clear, action-oriented messages.
This position is ideal for a workforce researcher who understands that analysis alone is insufficient and impact comes from interpretation, prioritization, and communication.
Responsibilities
Strategic Research & Project Management
Lead the planning, execution, and management of FCN's workforce research portfolio, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and policy relevance.
Manage complex research initiatives involving multiple dependent variables (e.g., education pipelines, licensure, retention, regional supply-demand dynamics).
Establish clear research scopes, timelines, deliverables, and success metrics across concurrent projects.
Proactively identify emerging workforce issues and recommend research priorities based on risk, opportunity, and potential impact.
Data Interpretation, Impact Metrics & Prioritization
Interpret quantitative and qualitative findings to identify high-impact insights for policymakers, educators, healthcare leaders, and the public.
Develop and refine impact metrics that translate workforce data into meaningful indicators of progress, risk, and opportunity.
Synthesize large and complex datasets into prioritized findings that answer "what matters most" and "what should be acted on first."
Ensure methodological rigor while balancing accessibility and clarity in reporting.
Analytics & Research Oversight
Provide analytic direction and quality oversight for workforce datasets, projections, surveys, and evaluation studies.
Guide the integration and use of diverse data sources (e.g., licensure, education, workforce, survey, and administrative datasets).
Review and validate analytical outputs, dashboards, and visualizations for accuracy, consistency, and interpretability.
Partner with internal and external collaborators to strengthen FCN's analytics infrastructure and data governance practices.
Supervision & Team Development
Supervise FCN data analysts and student research assistants, providing mentorship, performance feedback, and professional development.
Assign work, set expectations, and ensure staff contributions align with research priorities and timelines.
Foster a collaborative, learning-oriented research environment that values rigor, curiosity, and accountability.
Communication & Stakeholder Engagement
Translate research findings into clear, compelling reports, briefs, presentations, and visual summaries tailored to varied audiences.
Support leadership in educating stakeholders on workforce trends, projections, and implications for patient care and system performance.
Participate in meetings, briefings, conferences, and public-facing presentations representing FCN's research and analytic expertise.
Serve as a trusted internal advisor on workforce data interpretation and evidence-based decision-making.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
This position requires a Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum of five years related exempt experience, including two years of experience managing exempt level employees.
Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor's degree.
• Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
• SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
• A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
• (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
• (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor's degree;
• (c) Six years of direct experience for a master's degree;
• (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
• (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
• Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
• Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.
Preferred Qualifications
Master's degree in Public Health, Health Services Research, Health Informatics, Data Science, Applied Statistics, Social Science Research, or a closely related field.

• Demonstrated experience leading applied research or analytics projects from design through interpretation and dissemination.
• Strong experience working with complex datasets involving multiple dependent and interacting variables.
• Experience supervising or mentoring analysts, research staff, or students.
• Proven ability to communicate complex findings to non-technical audiences and decision-makers.
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously with competing priorities.
• 3-7+ years of progressively responsible experience in workforce research, health services research, policy analysis, or applied analytics.
• Experience with health care, education, or public-sector workforce data.
• Familiarity with survey design, population-based analysis, and evaluation methods.
• Experience developing dashboards or visual analytics tools.
• Demonstrated success influencing strategy or policy through research interpretation and impact framing.
• Doctoral degree.

About Us
Working at USF
With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF's rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida's best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state's 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.
About USF
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF's Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.
Compliance and Federal Notices
This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.
Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws:
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.