Career Opportunities

The MassINC Polling Group is a full-service, nonpartisan public opinion research company.  We are based in Massachusetts but serve a national client base of leading businesses, foundations, media outlets, and interest groups.  The MassINC Polling Group is hiring a part-time Research Assistant to continue to build our team and meet the demands of our growing client base.

Overview

The MassINC Polling Group is hiring a Research Assistant to work on a range of MPG projects. This position is ideal for someone looking for an entry-level role who would like to participate in different MPG projects and activities. Some tasks will be research related such as analyzing open ended comments, analyzing focus group text, or testing questionnaires. Others will be administrative in nature, including organizational tasks, scheduling meetings, organizing focus groups, and more.

The Research Assistant will also serve as a backup for various surveys and data collection efforts on the MBTA and in other public spaces. MPG conducts many in-person surveys, traffic counts, and other onsite data collection efforts. While these are fully staffed with dedicated personnel, backups are sometimes needed to fill during staff absences. The Research Assistant will serve as a backup on these projects, which typically take place between 7 AM and 8 PM.

With this in mind, work assignments will take place both at our main office in Beacon Hill as well as on transit systems around the Boston area. The research assistant must be able to commute to assigned places of work in and around Boston.

Hours

 Typically 15-25 hours per week. Core hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 9 AM – 2 PM. Other shifts may take place as assigned (see below).

Requirements

• Proficient with Microsoft Office software.
• Comfortable engaging with people in person, on the phone, and via email.
• Able to easily commute to downtown Boston.
• Highly organized and able to track multiple tasks.
• Interest in polling or public policy.
• Responsive to requests for changes in shifts or locations.
• Able to participate in onsite data collection.

Location

Onsite. Downtown Boston, MA.  While some remote work may happen occasionally, this is an in-person role at our Boston office.

Pay

$25/hour

How to apply

Interested and qualified applicants should send a cover letter and resume to info@massincpolling.com. Please include “Application for Research Associate” in the subject line of the e-mail. The MassINC Polling Group is an equal opportunity employer.

About This Role 

CommonWealth Beacon, an award-winning non-partisan news organization covering statewide politics and policy in Massachusetts, seeks a self-starting, proactive digital producer to support our editorial and audience development work. This position will be key as the newsroom looks to expand its reach across Massachusetts and bring new audiences into the fold. We’re looking for candidates with top-notch organizations skills, the ability to keep track of multiple projects at a time, who can work at a fast pace on deadline, are fluent in today’s social media environment, and adhere to the highest editorial standards. 

Responsibilities 

• Working closely with the audience development strategist to shape, execute, and update our audience development plan 
• Creating video, audio and other content for social media feeds 
• Producing events in support of CommonWealth Beacon’s editorial calendar 
• Writing explainers, short-form fact checks, and other articles as needed  
• Assisting with the production of our current slate of newsletters – the Daily Download, The Saturday Send, the (Re)Publisher, and CommonWealth Voices as needed and helping to brainstorm other newsletter offerings to develop new audiences 
• Working with editors to hone headlines, subheads and other display copy 
• Updating our homepage and pulling wire copy 
• Assisting the Director of Development to implement advertising campaigns and job board postings across the website, newsletters and other relevant platforms 
• Tracking analytics to help better promote stories 

Experience and Qualifications 

• 2-3 years of digital production experience in a newsroom 
• 2-3 years of experience editing and producing photo and video content for our website and social channels 
• 2-3 years of experience working with SEO techniques, keyword research, and headline writing 
• Experience with Newspack or other content management sites as well as an understanding of analytics platforms such as Google Analytics, Chartbeat and Parsely 
• Excellent copywriting and editing skills 
• Excellent organizational and communication skills  

Compensation, Benefits, and Work Arrangements 

The salary range for this position is $60,000 – $70,000. MassINC provides a full suite of benefits including health care with HRA, dental insurance, 401K plus company match, FSA and DCA, unlimited vacation, generous parental leave, and 13 paid holidays throughout the year, among other benefits. 

CommonWealth Beacon is currently a hybrid office based in Boston. This role will be expected to work in-person 3 days a week and attend in-person events as necessary.  

To apply for this job 

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and 3-5 content samples to MassINC COO, Maeve Duggan (mduggan@massinc.org). If possible, content samples should include writing and video samples. 

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. 

We are committed to advancing equitable access to opportunities and resources at CommonWealth Beacon and to addressing barriers and structural systems that perpetuate inequity. To achieve this, we encourage robust debate, shaped by a wide range of lived experiences and informed opinions. 

At CommonWealth Beacon, we believe that diversity and inclusion is not only critical to our workforce, but to our overall mission and purpose to move the organization, and Massachusetts, forward. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. 

About MassINC and CommonWealth Beacon 

CommonWealth Beacon’s mission is to contribute to a more inclusive and vibrant civic culture that makes our government more responsive and effective by providing rigorous coverage of important issues affecting life in Massachusetts. CommonWealth Beacon is published by MassINC. 

MassINC’s mission is to make Massachusetts a place of civic vitality and inclusive economic opportunity by providing residents the nonpartisan research, reporting, analysis, and civic engagement necessary to understand policy choices, inform decision making, and hold the government accountable. Along with our Policy Center, MassINC is home to the MassINC Polling Group, a for-profit subsidiary.