Senior Survey Scientist

Who We Are

Murmuration is a nonprofit organization that amplifies the power of civic engagement by providing data, digital tools, and research-driven insights to community-focused organizations so that together we can create an America where everyone can lead healthy, free, and dignified lives.

Every day, people are trying to shape our future for the better. Fighting for water that’s safe to drink. Schools that serve students equitably. Gun laws that make sense. And rallying people who care like we do. And yet too often the skillful organizers working to mobilize communities lack access to technology that could supercharge their efforts. Knocking on every door instead of knowing which will open most easily. And going up against outside interests that have half the heart, but twice the tools.

In communities across America, Murmuration’s partners are leveraging our data, tools, and insights to help thousands of organizers orchestrate millions of individual people to do big things together. Demand big things together. To create the world they want. Together.

About the Position

In a world flooded with hot takes and shaky polls, we believe rigorously designed, thoughtfully interpreted public opinion research is more essential than ever. You’ll help us cut through the noise, elevate the voices that matter, and make data about people actually reflect the people behind the data.

We’re looking for a Senior Survey Scientist who blends methodological rigor with a sharp sense of what matters. You should be just as comfortable designing a sample frame as you are interpreting surprising patterns in cross-tabs. In this role, you will manage a small team focused on insights and lead the strategy, design, fielding, and analysis of high-quality opinion research. This research will help us and our partners understand what people are thinking, feeling, and doing in today's civic and political landscape.

This is not a passive analyst role. We are looking for someone who can uncover insights in the data, think creatively about research design, and help maintain a polling infrastructure that is both rigorous and forward-looking. You will be our in-house expert on survey weighting, question wording, and how to interpret shifts in public sentiment. Much of this work will support our Civic Pulse initiative, as well as bespoke survey projects throughout the year.

Job Level: IC4

What You’ll Do

• Design, implement, and refine surveys on civic engagement, issue attitudes, voter behavior, and more;
• Write and test survey instruments with a focus on clarity, neutrality, and measurement validity;
• Analyze survey data using statistical tools such as Python or R;
• Develop sampling strategies and quota structures that ensure representativeness and reliability across key groups;
• Apply post-stratification and survey weighting techniques, including raking;
• Develop insights and recommendations that support internal strategy and partner decision making;
• Help maintain and evolve our polling infrastructure, including tracking data and custom modules;
• Manage a small team focused on insights;
• Stay informed on best practices and emerging trends in survey methodology and opinion research; and
• Collaborate with team members from across research, data science, and other teams to bring findings to life.

Requirements

• 4+ years of experience in survey research, public opinion polling, or social science research with a strong quantitative focus;
• Proven track record designing, fielding, and analyzing complex surveys, including nationally representative samples;
• Deep understanding of sampling methodologies, weighting techniques, and bias mitigation strategies;
• Proficiency in Python, R, or a similar tool for statistical analysis and comfortability working with large datasets;
• Strong survey-writing skills with an eye for clear, unbiased, and effective question design;
• Familiarity with major survey platforms and vendors (e.g., Qualtrics, Survey Monkey, YouGov, etc.);
• Ability to clearly explain technical methods and research tradeoffs to both expert and non-expert audiences; and
• A collaborative mindset, fueled by curiosity and energized by both big-picture strategy and hands-on data work.

Nice to Haves

• Familiarity with Bayesian methods or packages such as Stan, brms, or PyMC;
• People management experience;
• Background in political science, sociology, behavioral science, or another social science field with a strong quantitative focus;
• Experience managing longitudinal or tracking surveys over time;
• Familiarity with advanced survey weighting techniques such as multilevel regression and post-stratification (MRP);
• Comfort working with voter files, civic engagement data, or public datasets;
• Strong data visualization skills, including tools like ggplot2, matplotlib, seaborn, or Datawrapper;
• Familiarity with version control tools like Git and collaborative workflows;
• Enthusiasm for mentoring or supporting junior staff; and/or
• Experience communicating findings to media, policy stakeholders, or advocacy organizations.

Talented Survey Scientists come from all walks of life and career. If you are passionate about civic engagement and technology, please apply, even if you do not check every box!

Benefits

Location and Compensation

The Senior Survey Scientist is a full-time, salaried position with a comprehensive benefits package (more detail below). It is based anywhere in the U.S. The starting salary range for this position is $90,000 - $130,000 and is commensurate with experience. This pay range reflects what the organization expects to offer for this position at the time of posting. In alignment with applicable laws, compensation will be determined based on the applicant's skills, qualifications, experience, and the specific requirements of the role. Please note that the organization may adjust this pay range as needed.

Our Culture of Care

We work hard to create a culture of care to ensure that our staff are best equipped to lead happy, healthy, and balanced lives. To that end, we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes:

• Health, vision, and dental insurance with 100% of premiums covered for you and qualifying family members;
• Retirement benefits with a 5% employer match;
• A flexible unlimited PTO plan;
• Generous paid parental leave;
• Pre-tax commuter benefits;
• A company laptop;
• A flexible remote work environment;
• A home office setup stipend for all new employees;
• Monthly reimbursement for remote work expenses;
• A yearly professional development fund;
• Mental health and wellness benefits through Calm and Better Help;
• Yearly in-person staff retreats; and
• A welcoming culture that celebrates diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

At Murmuration, we believe a vibrant, representative democracy depends on the inclusion of diverse voices, lived experiences, and perspectives. The best ideas don’t come from a single person or ideology — they emerge at the intersection of different backgrounds, identities, and viewpoints. We are proud of our commitment to building an organization and culture shaped by respect, empathy, and collaboration, where our team’s diversity fuels innovation, civic engagement, and meaningful change. We welcome new colleagues who will help us nurture this collective effort. Join us.

An Equal-Opportunity Employer with a Commitment to Diversity

Murmuration is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and as an organization committed to diversity and the perspective of all voices, we consider applicants equally of race, gender, color, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability, political affiliation and national origin. We reasonably accommodate staff members and/or applicants with disabilities, provided they are otherwise able to perform the essential functions of the job.

Note: Murmuration is two organizations working together to pursue our mission of amplifying the power of civic engagement: Murmuration Research Institute, a 501(c)(3) that conducts research to identify, design, and create the data, tools, and insights that build healthier and more equitable communities; and Murmuration, Inc., a 501(c)(4) that supports organizations working across the country on the nation’s most challenging issues with access to data, tools, and research that build healthier and more equitable communities.