Description

Description
Research Collaborative (RC) seeks a Research Associate, an early-career role for emerging researchers with prior hands-on experience supporting public opinion projects. Reporting to the Deputy Director of Research, the Research Associate will draft and synthesize recurring research products, produce first drafts of memos, and support instrument development. This role is a key part of ensuring our research translates into clear, actionable insights for movement partners and informs strategies to counter authoritarian threats.

The person who will succeed in this role enjoys using well-honed analysis and writing skills to translate research into clear, accurate summaries from our extensive quantitative and qualitative public opinion research. They are curious, detail-oriented, collaborative, and eager to roll up their sleeves and to help on a variety of projects — and thrive in dynamic and responsive environments.

Organizational Background

Research Collaborative is a public utility for the progressive, pro-democracy movement. We deliver narrative strategy, opinion research, and messaging guidance to counter fascism and advance progress toward a full democracy, where freedom belongs to all of us — no exceptions. We equip movement partners with the tools they need to cut through the noise, activate the public, and reclaim our shared future.

Key Elements of Work

• Support research synthesis and communication: Draft research summaries, memos, toolkits, and briefings that translate results into clear, actionable insights for partners and the broader movement.
• Contribute to data analysis and data visualization: Review toplines, crosstabs, memos, and presentation decks to extract key stats, verify claims, and flag inconsistencies for senior staff. Produce charts and tables, ensuring accessibility. 
• Assist with research instrument development: Help draft survey questions, focus group guides, and other research tools, and provide feedback to improve clarity, consistency, and quality across projects.
• Lead a recurring research roundup: Track and vet relevant external public opinion research and summarize key findings into biweekly research roundups for internal and external stakeholders, requiring minimal edits.
• Provide administrative and logistical support: Maintain organized research systems (e.g., RC Research Google Drive, question bank, and evidence library), draft communications, take notes in meetings, and support other research-related tasks as needed.

Requirements

• Requirements
  Experienced with public opinion research: Has prior experience supporting quantitative or qualitative research — such as analyzing data, drafting survey questions or focus group guides, or summarizing toplines and crosstabs.
• Thoughtful and skeptical: Pressure-tests findings. Checks wording, spots instrument gaps, evaluates alternative interpretations, and validates before extrapolating. Brings a desire to deepen their craft and sharpen their analytical lens.
• Strong writer and editor: Able to distill complex research findings into clear, concise, and compelling summaries, memos, and talking points tailored for different audiences.
• Detail-oriented, proactive, and highly organized: Manages multiple tasks and projects simultaneously, conscientious, follows through on commitments, stays on schedule, anticipates roadblocks, and maintains accuracy and quality in all aspects of work.
• Impact-oriented: Motivated by advancing pro-democracy work. Values collaboration, teamwork, and shared success. Comfortable with shared credit.
• Committed to equity: Consider and value the voices of communities that have been most directly impacted by racism and white supremacy in all the work you do. Be able to recognize personal shortcomings when it comes to equity and inclusion, and work proactively to minimize those gaps. Able to collaborate with staff with diverse working styles and access needs.
• Flexible and adaptable: Thrives in a fast-paced, rapidly shifting environment, adjusts easily to changing priorities, and approaches new challenges with curiosity and creativity.
  
  

Research has shown that women and members of historically marginalized groups often only apply to jobs when they feel they meet 100% of the qualifications. Please resist that conditioning! We are committed to creating an equitable, inclusive, and diverse company, and we strongly desire applicants with a wide range of experiences and backgrounds. Even if you don’t see yourself fully reflected in every qualification listed, we still encourage you to reach out and apply!