Power BI Analyst

As a Power BI Analyst, you will be the primary person responsible for creating state-of-the-art BI dashboards, reports, and drill-down interfaces to enhance ARA's competitiveness in the business unit and project management. The analyst will work with extract, transform, and load (ETL) experts in ARA's corporate IT department to determine data source, extraction, manipulation, and validation strategies. You will work with senior managers and project managers to distill requirements to transform raw data into meaningful and actionable information through traditional and novel interfaces.

ARA uses state-of-the-art and cyber-secure networking technologies including Azure/O365, on-prem services (where we host internally developed enterprise systems), and hosted services. The Power BI Analyst will also help train personnel in using these systems. The Power BI Analyst plays an essential role in presenting operational solutions and recommendations to leadership.

As a Power BI Analyst, you will be responsible for transforming raw data into meaningful business metrics. Most data originates from ARA's Deltek CostPoint accounting system and will be housed in a query-ready database specifically designed for this application. This position is responsible for extracting data from multiple sources, manipulating, and validating data, and enabling root cause analysis. The Power BI Analyst will design, build, manage, and deploy data systems, reports, and dynamic dashboards to facilitate communication of key metrics to managers and stakeholders. The Power BI Analyst will also help train personnel in using these systems. The Power BI Analyst plays an essential role in presenting operational solutions and recommendations to leadership.

You will have the opportunity to work alongside leadership, project managers, and technical support staff not only here in ARA's Raleigh, NC office but also with satellite offices, corporate IT staff, and remote users nationwide. Not only will you be able to apply your expertise while continuing to learn, but you will also have a stable, collaborative environment that fosters teamwork, innovation, and technical excellence.

What you'll do as a Power BI Analyst:

• Review, update, and investigate pertinent data from ARA's back-office systems to ensure a high level of quality, accuracy, and timeliness
• Build automated dashboards/reports with the help of Power BI and other reporting tools (e.g., Power Query and Excel)
• Analyze data and provide insights and recommendations for organizational planning and operations
• Maintain documentation and update reports as data system enhancements are put into place and/or business rules evolve
• Perform database queries, data transfer extracts, and custom reports as requested
• Demonstrate continuous effort to improve operations, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality, seamless customer service
• Work with user groups to provide training, resolve questions, assess user needs, and recommend changes to data systems
• Develop systems test plan components and test scripts, as needed
• Participate in or lead requirements analysis and verification sessions for projects related to the organization's data infrastructure
• Perform detailed quality control checks on significant and diverse data sets related to programs
• Ensure all datasets and dashboards are run efficiently and updated properly
• Act in a collaborative function for research design, data collection, interpretation, and presentation
• Perform special projects and other related duties as assigned

Power BI Analyst Required Experience, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to obtain a security clearance, which includes US citizenship
• Bachelor's degree in Info Systems, Computer Science, Information Science, Information Technology Business, Mathematics, or a related field with 5-7 years of successful relevant experience
• 2+ years of experience working with Power BI
• Comprehensive understanding of current principles, practices, and techniques of Systems Analysis, Business Analysis, and Business Intelligence
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
• Knowledge of current computing technologies and software applications such as Microsoft Power Query, SQL query language, Microsoft Access, SharePoint, and other database applications
• Skilled in using Microsoft tools: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, and Access
• Skilled in SQL Server Database Applications: SQL Server Management Studio, Visual Studio, SQL Server Reporting Services
• Have knowledge of database fundamentals such as multidimensional database design, relational database design, and more
• Have an analytical and problem-solving mindset and approach

Power BI Analyst Desired Skills and Experience:

• Project leadership or management
• Understand business requirements to set functional specifications for reporting applications
• Ability to learn and quickly respond to changing business environment
• Excellent multitasking and interpersonal skills; Strong client management skills
• Experience using GitLab CI/CD
• DoD experience
• Security+
• Secret Security Clearance - Active or Inactive

About Us:

Applied Research Associates, Inc. (aka ARA) is an employee-owned international research and engineering company known for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. We were founded in Albuquerque, NM in 1979 as the disco era was, thankfully, closing out and the personal computer era was beginning. We employ over 1,500 professionals and continue to grow. ARA offices throughout the U.S. and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense, civil, and health technologies, computer software, and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement.

ARA also prides ourselves on having a challenging culture where innovation & experimentation are the norm. At ARA, employees are our greatest assets, so we give our employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take active roles as owners. The motto, "Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit" sums up the ARA experience. The company realizes employee ownership spawns greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. We are also very proud of our Women's Initiative Network (WIN) whose purpose is to motivate, support, and encourage professional career development for women to maximize career and professional accomplishments.

To find out more about the Integrated Mission Systems Sector visit our website at: https://www.ara.com/raleigh/

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)