At SSRS, the work we do has an impact.  We give people the chance to be heard by conducting quantitative and qualitative research on a variety of topics including current events, health care, customer satisfaction, politics, media usage, sports, and more.  

Our team of critical thinkers has genuine enthusiasm for our work and a shared goal to connect people through research.  We get excited about the inherent problem solving involved in survey-based research, and our process fosters transparency through collaboration. 

The Methodology, Analytics, and Data Science (MADS) department at SSRS provides comprehensive methodological and statistical support across the organization. Our team works closely with research teams throughout the project life cycles, delivering high-quality solutions based on experimentally validated methods. We specialize in designing and implementing rigorous, efficient sampling methods, particularly for rare and diverse populations, and employ innovative techniques to weight the resulting survey data. 

In addition to our support role, the MADS department also takes a leadership position in shaping SSRS strategy. We conduct independent research and offer expertise on a wide range of methods for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating public opinion data. Our areas of focus include advanced sample design, such as ABS, RDD, RBS, listed, and other sample sources. We develop protocols to enhance survey response rates and employ adaptive and responsive design to maximize representativeness. Additionally, we specialize in estimating survey error and variance, conducting methodological experiments, exploring new advances in political polling, and applying statistical blending techniques to combine probability and nonprobability sample sources. 

The MADS department also plays a crucial role in maintaining and enhancing the methodological and statistical infrastructure of our probability panel. We ensure the integrity and reliability of the panel data by implementing robust quality control measures, conducting panel recruitment and retention strategies, and implementing advanced techniques for panel sampling, weighting and calibration. Our team continuously monitors and evaluates the panel data to ensure its accuracy and validity, enabling us to provide our clients with reliable and representative insights. 

The Position

We are looking for a Senior Survey Statistician to provide technical advice on statistical and methodological issues to meet our clients’ often challenging research needs. Provide leadership on statistical matters, including developing and overseeing key operational processes, study design, sampling, weighting, analytic methods, computation, communication of methods and results, data stewardship, and quality assurance. Must be experienced in sampling and weighting multi-mode and multi-frame designs, leveraging secondary data sources and advanced data science applications. 

 Key Responsibilities

• Serve as an internal consultant to provide technical advice on sampling, statistical, and other methodological and survey design issues, as requested by Account Executives, Project Directors or Division Heads;
• Design and implement rigorous, efficient methods for sampling diverse populations and weighting resultant survey data;
• Oversee all the sampling and weighting for the SSRS Opinion Panel recruitment and custom surveys.
• Work with our Director of Data Science and Innovation to advance statistical and methodological infrastructure of the SSRS probability panel;
• Conduct research into alternative model-based sample designs and weighting strategies to mitigate bias from undercoverage and systematic nonresponse;
• Develop data visualizations and dashboards to capture trends and summarize data
• Advise on sources of survey error and summarize their possible impacts;
• Author sections of proposals, technical reports, methodology reports, and other deliverables;
• Present research papers at professional conferences, and submit articles for publication in journals

Position Requirements

• in statistics, biostatistics, data science, or survey methodology and at least 4 years of relevant work experience in statistics or survey methodology; or Master’s degree and at least 6-10 years of relevant work experience in statistics or survey methodology.
• Expertise in the theory and operations of large-scale national surveys, including experience in statistical sampling and weighting and estimation.
• Expertise in some of the following areas preferred:
• Blending probability and nonprobability data
• Probability panel management
• Nonresponse bias analysis
• Imputation/missing data methods
• Mathematical-statistical modeling
• Small area estimation
• Predictive modeling and machine learning
• SQL and database management
• Skills in the use of computer software, especially packages for statistical analysis (R, SPSS, SAS, or Stata) and knowledge of computing platforms and data file construction
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, as demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications, presentations to external audiences, and building strong working relationships with clients and colleagues
• Willing and able to work across projects and learn new skills quickly in a collaborative and fast-paced environment
• A great sense of humor