Research Analyst Jobs

Polco is seeking a versatile and self-motivated Research Analyst to join our Data Science Team!

Who We Are

Polco is a public engagement technology startup specializing in community surveys and civic engagement services for local governments and other public-sector clients across the United States. We’re dedicated to transforming how local governments, representatives, and community organizations interact with the communities they serve—we’re all about civic engagement and creatively bringing new and innovative technologies to the front lines of public governance. Our team comes from every walk of life and all corners of the country, and we’re all problem solvers at heart.

Your Role at Polco

As a Research Analyst, you will be responsible for researching and synthesizing information, gathering and cleaning data, staying up to date with emerging trends in survey science and data science, and helping to answer research questions. You will be instrumental in enabling Polco to establish ourselves as thought leaders in local government and public sector spaces. Through research and analysis, you will have the opportunity to play a critical role in our effort to develop innovative policy ideas that have the potential to shape the future of our society. The ideal candidate possesses exceptional research and analysis skills, excellent written and verbal communication abilities, be detail-oriented, and have the ability to work independently as well as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Stay up to date with emerging trends and technologies in survey science and data science and share knowledge with the team
• Extract, clean, transform, and load data from various sources for analysis
• Write reports, policy briefs, and other materials for a variety of audiences including policymakers, scholars, and the general public
• Ensure project success by performing tasks such as determining agendas, defining action items, and identifying necessary personnel
• Gather, analyze, and interpret data to develop innovative policy ideas, conceptual frameworks, actionable insights, and recommendations
• Analyze datasets and develop predictive models to identify trends and patterns using regression and other statistical learning techniques
• Aid in the development of policy events including conferences, workshops, and seminars
• Search for new datasets that support Polco’s mission and products
• Conduct research and literature reviews to further our research and analysis on a range of topics including economic, statistics, survey science, and data science issues
• Provide assistance in developing custom surveys and questionnaires

Responsibilities of all Data Science Team Members

• Help create and design compelling slide decks to convey research findings to various audiences
• Schedule and coordinate meetings with different groups including academic partners, policymakers, and stakeholders
• Collaborate with Polco team members across the company to support our research agenda and priorities

Required Skills and Experience

• Excellent research, organizational, critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills
• Strong writing, communication, and interpersonal skills as well as attention to detail and accuracy
• Experience in policy research, data science, advocacy, or related fields
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g. political science, economics, public policy, survey science, data science)
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks simultaneously
• Proficient in conducting internet searches and literature reviews
• Experience creating presentations using Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint

Qualifications and Background of an Ideal Candidate

• Experience managing and analyzing large datasets
• Background in a field or discipline that involves communications, research methodologies, and management of datasets and literature
• Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods
• Master’s degree in a relevant field
• Training or experience in survey methodology, analytics, and statistics
• 3 years experience in policy research, data science, advocacy, or related fields
• Familiarity with SQL and statistical software (e.g. Python or R)
• 3 years experience working with government officials, policymakers, or other relevant stakeholders

Our Perks and Benefits

• A remote-first work environment with flexible work hours and generous paid time off
• A significant chance to improve how government (and maybe even politics) works
• The opportunity to work with a passionate and dedicated team
• Reoccurring stipends for your home office setup and professional development
• The excitement of being instrumental to the success of a rapidly-growing tech startup—you'll be an integral part to helping Polco develop and pursue our goals
• Full health benefits, including dental, medical, and vision coverage

To Apply

Apply for this role by submitting a resume, a one-page cover letter, and your personal information to the listing on Polco's careers page. Both a resume and a cover letter are required. Please submit your application materials as PDFs.

Polco is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We welcome and employ people regardless of race, color, gender identity or expression, religion, genetic information, parental or pregnancy status, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, ethnicity, family or marital status, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, disability, military or veteran status, or other protected characteristics.

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