Senior Researcher

Tavern Research is a political tech startup building tools and insights to help our customers win elections and make better, evidence-based decisions. We specialize in bringing a strategic lens to the tools of political communication (polling, content generation, ad placement, and beyond) for campaigns and organizations working to strengthen democratic participation. We’re a venture-backed, mission-driven, fast-moving, and mostly technical team. We’re experimental by design, and we expect everyone to keep improving how they work with new tools and technology. Everything else is on our website. If you still have questions, let us know when you apply!

Research Design & Methodology

• Design and execute polling, ad-testing, message-testing, and audience research studies
• Develop questionnaires and sampling methodologies with strong methodological rigor
• Manage weighting, segmentation, and statistical modeling processes
• Apply RCTs, MaxDiff, conjoint, and other advanced survey designs to answer clients’ toughest strategic questions
• Apply a quality-first mindset, catching problems in the data before they become problems for clients

Data Analysis & Insights

• Synthesize survey results into clear, actionable strategic recommendations
• Identify demographic, geographic, and behavioral trends that shape campaign strategy
• Write, edit, and refine persuasive political messaging translating survey research into language that moves target audiences
• Conduct cross-tab and subgroup analysis with a practiced eye
• Translate findings into written memos, presentations, and briefings that non-experts can act on

Client & External Communication

• Deliver in-depth polling briefings to clients and campaign leadership when needed
• Represent Tavern's research work with professionalism and political instinct in external settings

Operational Oversight

• Manage timelines, budgets, and deliverables across multiple simultaneous projects
• Mentor junior researchers and analysts
• Coordinate with survey vendors, data teams, and field operations
• Ensure compliance with research ethics and privacy standards

• 7+ years of experience in polling, public opinion research, or political consulting
• Strong command of survey methodology and statistical analysis
• Experience with statistical and data tools (R, Python, or similar)
• Proven ability to synthesize complex data into concise strategic guidance
• Experience presenting findings to clients, executives, or campaign leadership
• Experience with  political campaigns or at advocacy organizations
• Political instinct: you know what will land with clients and what won't
• Comfort in external-facing settings: client briefings, press interactions, or conference panels (existing experience or strong willingness to grow into it)
• Familiarity with voter files, turnout models, and  audience segmentation
• Love for using new technology to improve systems and outcomes
• Bonus: people management experience

To be explicit: you don't need a degree to work here. You just need to be exceptional at what we're asking from you.