Research Associate (Polling & Public Opinion)

States United Democracy Center, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to the rule of law and free, fair, and secure elections, is seeking a Research Associate (Polling & Public Opinion) to join its Research team.

The Research Associate (Polling & Public Opinion) supports the organization's polling and public opinion research program under the direction of the Senior Researcher and reports to the Research Director. This role involves survey design, data analysis, and synthesis of polling findings for internal and external audiences, as well as broader research support across election protection and democracy-focused projects. The Research Associate will work closely with colleagues across research, communications, and program teams in a collaborative, mission-driven environment.

Responsibilities:

• Perform all duties in accordance with States United Democracy Center's values of integrity, inclusion, collaboration, innovation, and excellence.
• Support the organization's polling program under the direction of the Senior Researcher.
• Assist in the design of survey instruments and survey experiments.
• Clean, analyze, and interpret survey data using R/RStudio.
• Prepare tables, charts, and written memos to summarize polling results for internal and external audiences.
• Work with survey vendors on data delivery, documentation, and quality checks.
• Track and summarize relevant public opinion polling and academic research.
• Contribute to maintaining internal polling documentation and reproducible research workflows.
• Provide research support for other election protection projects produced by the research team.
• Collaborate with colleagues across teams to respond to research requests and other evolving organizational needs.

Minimum Requirements:

• Ph.D. in Political Science (American politics preferred) or a related field; ABD with expected completion, or comparable research experience considered.
• 3-5 years minimum experience with polling, including academic work.
• Strong training in quantitative research methods and survey design.
• Familiarity with U.S. public opinion, elections, and democratic institutions.
• Fluency in R/RStudio and experience working with reproducible research workflows.
• Ability to clearly communicate research findings through writing and data visualizations to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Professionalism and discretion when working with sensitive research and high-profile stakeholders.
• Interest in applied research outside of academia and working in a fast-paced nonprofit environment.
• Ability to take feedback well and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues in a demanding and fast-paced environment.
• Willingness and ability to work beyond the normal workday, on weekends, and/or more than 40 hours a week as necessary.
• Willingness and ability to commit to a minimum of 15% travel time.
• Display a positive attitude, show concern for people and community, demonstrate presence, self-confidence, common sense, and good listening ability.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with survey vendors or applied polling projects.
• Experience with SQL.
• Experience with data visualization.
• Familiarity with GitHub.
• Exposure to qualitative methods (e.g., focus groups, open-ended survey analysis).
• Experience working with voter file data or election-related datasets.

We encourage individuals to apply even if they do not meet all preferred qualifications.

Compensation + Benefits:

• Starting annual salary for this position will be $100,000+ and commensurate to experience.
• States United Democracy Center offers?generous benefits including 100% employer-paid health, vision, and dental plans plus matching retirement plans.

We have offices located in Boston, MA; Brooklyn, NY; and Washington, DC. This position may also be remote within the United States, with travel to attend organizational and team meetings and conferences, and other travel as needed.

States United values a diverse workforce and a culture of inclusivity and belonging. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from all individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law. Women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.