Survey Research Associate

Survey Research Associate

The Survey Research Associate position leads the planning, coordination, and execution of survey initiatives conducted on behalf of local governments. This role oversees the full lifecycle of benchmark surveys, including project onboarding and setup, data collection, analysis coordination, and reporting. Working closely with city administrators, department leaders, and communication experts, Survey Research Associates ensure that surveys are aligned with municipal goals, meet high methodological standards, and are delivered on time and within budget. 

The role requires strong organizational skills, knowledge of survey research methods, and the ability to translate data into clear, actionable insights for public sector decision-makers. The Survey Research Associate serves as the primary point of contact for municipal clients and ensures that survey findings meaningfully inform policy, service improvements, and community engagement efforts.

During your first few months, your responsibilities will include:

• Shadowing and assisting Survey Research (SR) Team members in all aspects of our survey processes including survey creation, programming, sampling, creating outreach materials, finalizing reports for clients, and performing quality assurance checks
• Learning to promptly respond to client questions, resolve technical issues and requests for information, and manage engagement and outreach efforts
• Supporting colleagues and clients through the lifecycle of their survey projects
• Understanding and conveying the value of Polco and our benchmark survey products to our clients
• Using various mediums of communication to troubleshoot and solve problems as they arise

With training, your responsibilities will evolve to include:

• Own a portfolio of up to 15 concurrent projects, successfully delivering 30+ projects annually
• Create, monitor, and update project plans to provide a complete picture of project progress and performance at all times
• Manage project scope, schedule, quality, resources, and risk to ensure that all projects produce the required deliverables on time and at the necessary level of quality
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date Asana boards throughout each project's lifecycle, ensuring that standard processes are followed, enabling other teammates to collaborate
• Collaborate with clients to build strong relationships built on trust and commitment
• Recognize and suggest potential system and process enhancements that could be made to increase effectiveness or efficiency of internal and external processes
• Identify upsell opportunities and bring those to the attention of the appropriate member of the Sales Team

What You'll Bring:

• A BA, BS, or any combination of skills and experience that would allow for success in the position
• Minimum of 3 years related experience, preferably in client-facing roles that involved project management 
• Exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, and organizational skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and Asana (or a similar work-management tool)
• Experience with Tableau, data analysis, and reporting (R, SPSS, Excel) is preferred
• A basic understanding of more complex survey research tools (R) where replication of tasks is required
• Background in survey research or market research and knowledge of survey methodology and best practices
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a remote team environment
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to manage competing priorities

Perks & Benefits:

• Exceptional benefits package including dental, medical, and vision coverage
• Hybrid work environment if you're located near our Madison, WI headquarters office; 100% remote if you live elsewhere in the country
• Flexible work hours, 14 company holidays, and generous paid time off

To Apply:

Apply for the Survey Research Associate position by submitting a resume, 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 for full consideration. Please submit your application materials as PDFs.

This position was first posted on June 24, 2026 and will remain open until filled.