• Senior Survey Methodologist

    Location US-DC-Washington
    Posted Date 1 week ago(1/30/2020 8:30 AM)
    Job ID
    2020-6209
    Department
    Methodology
    Company
    Pew Research Center
  • Organization Overview

    Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research in the areas of U.S. politics and policy views; media and journalism; internet and technology; religion and public life; global attitudes and U.S. social and demographic trends. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. Pew Research Center’s work is carried out by a staff of approximately 180.

     

    Department Overview

    The Senior Survey Methodologist is a position within the Methods team. This team serves as internal survey consultants to researchers across the Center. The Methods team has three main responsibilities. They provide guidance on how to design and analyze public opinion surveys with complex samples. They manage the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel recruited via address-based sampling. The team also conducts its own research aimed at advancing survey methods. The team has two full-time staff devoted to managing the ATP, but all Methods team members frequently help with various panel-related tasks.

    Primary Responsibilities

    This position is ideal for someone who has strong experience designing surveys, enjoys solving complex methodological problems, and has a passion for advancing the science of surveys. The Senior Survey Methodologist spends a good deal of time working with researchers from across the Center to design their surveys and solve challenges that arise. The Senior Methodologist must have sufficient training and experience to independently lead the design and analysis of the Center’s substantive and methodological research. This person has both a broad knowledge of the survey methods literature and leverages that to offer advice that is rooted in established science and best practices. In applying this knowledge and skill, the Senior Survey Methodologist must demonstrate rigor, creativity, tireless attention to detail and the highest standards of quality control.

     

    The Senior Survey Methodologist provides expert advice to Center researchers on how to design and analyze complex surveys in ways that support the research goals and maintain the Center’s standards for methodological rigor. This includes tasks such as designing samples for rare population surveys, quality checking questionnaires with complex programming, helping researchers perform longitudinal analysis with panel data, and designing experiments to evaluate survey data quality. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience with at least several of the following in a production environment:

     

    • Address-based sampling
    • Online, longitudinal, and/or mixed-mode surveys
    • Weighting and nonresponse adjustment
    • Variance estimation from complex samples
    • Survey measurement and questionnaire design
    • Experimental design
    • Advanced statistical modeling

     

    The Senior Survey Methodologist advances the Pew Research Center’s methodological research, through the proposal, design and fielding of experiments, analysis of results, and write-up of findings in publications, and presentations for internal and external audiences, including media interviews, academic conferences, and other external meetings. The position also entails editorial judgment when interpreting and describing data collection methods, survey findings and the results of methodological experiments to diverse audiences. The Pew Research Center’s reputation for straightforward explanation and assiduous impartiality is grounded in an editorial style and institutional voice that must be applied consistently by all researchers and writers at the Pew Research Center.  The position reports to the Director of Survey Research.

     

    Primary Responsibilities

     

    Provide methodological guidance and oversight on domestic survey research projects (70%)

    Key responsibilities include:

    • Consulting with research staff to provide methodological advice at various stages in the research process, including overall study design, sampling, questionnaire development, data collection, sample performance, analysis and reporting
    • Identifying field houses and vendors for research projects
    • Working with project managers to draft contract materials, such as Statements of Work
    • Identifying solutions to methodological challenges that arise
    • Standardizing quality controls, design approaches, measurement and data analysis across the organization’s projects

     

    Design, conduct, and disseminate methodological research (15%)

    Key responsibilities include:

    • Contributing to the development and execution of a methodological projects designed to advance the science of surveys.
    • Independently managing methodological projects from the background research and framing of the project to the specific design, implementation and analysis.
    • Exercising strong editorial judgement in reporting findings of methodological research in publications and presentations for internal and external audiences, including media interviews, academic conferences, and other external meetings
    • Applying knowledge from the latest developments in survey methodology to help the organization maintain its reputation for being at the forefront of survey research

     

    Consulting and production work on the American Trends Panel (15%)

    Key responsibilities include:

    • Helping address strategic issues such as policies for retiring panelists, incentive structures, and data quality checking.
    • Helping with production tasks (e.g., sampling, questionnaire review, weighting) as needed.

    Education/Training/Experience

    • PhD in survey methodology, statistics or quantitative social science field is preferred. A Master’s degree can be sufficient if the candidate has extensive applied survey design experience.
    • Minimum of 5 years of applied experience designing surveys
    • Training in social science research and methods
    • Track record of successful project management experience

    Knowledge and Skill Requirements

    • Proficiency in R is desirable, though this skill can be learned on the job.
    • Strong skills in at least one complex survey software package (e.g., Stata, SAS, SPSS) is required.
    • Experience in using advanced statistical analysis techniques, such as multiple-imputation, hierarchical linear models, longitudinal data analysis, etc.
    • Experience designing studies aimed at answering substantive research questions and studies aimed at answering methodological research questions.
    • Detail oriented with exacting standards to maintain accuracy and impartiality in all work products
    • Ability to balance numerous tasks simultaneously
    • Demonstrated experience in training and developing skills in others
    • Ability to lead complex team efforts and to provide leadership to team members with diplomacy and a cooperative spirit
    • Ability to work independently to develop and manage projects from start to finish
    • Strong editorial judgment and proven ability to communicate research methodology and survey results clearly and concisely

    Location

    This position is located at the Pew Research Center office in Washington, D.C.

     

    FLSA Status: Exempt

    Applicant should apply electronically and include a résumé and cover letter. 

    The Pew Research Center is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Pew considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to age, sex, ethnicity, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity, military/veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

     

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