Description

The Managing Director, Survey Methods is the Center’s senior leader on survey methodology and practice, responsible for upholding best-in-class quality standards while making sound decisions about feasibility, speed, and cost. They set and execute strategy for data collection across the survey lifecycle, from questionnaire design and sampling to weighting, quality control, and data release. 

The Managing Director oversees two high-functioning survey methods teams -- domestic and international – who are responsible for the American Trends Panel, the National Public Opinion Reference Survey, and an extensive range of global attitudes surveys, among other projects. The teams work closely with Research Directors across the Center on dozens of studies each year, ranging from general population panel surveys to distinctive, one-off studies. 

This person serves as a media spokesperson and key public voice on survey methods and polling, helping external audiences understand how public opinion research works and its strengths and limitations. They also advance the organization’s reputation for methodological leadership via a methods research agenda. 

In partnership with other research leaders, the Managing Director helps guide experimentation with emerging tools, including AI, where they can responsibly strengthen aspects of the survey process. 

This role holds a seat on the Center’s Leadership team and currently reports to the Executive Vice President. 

Key Responsibilities:

Methods Leadership 

• Lead the Center’s survey methodology efforts, with primary responsibility for domestic and international methods.
• Define and advance best practices in survey design, sampling, weighting, questionnaire development, estimation, and data quality.
• Ensure the ongoing quality and performance of the American Trends Panel and other core survey approaches, maintaining industry-leading methodology.
• Oversee complex survey design and execution across a wide range of topics and study types.
• Accountable for questionnaire quality through sound design, testing, and review practices.

Methods Research and Innovation 

• Stay current on innovations and trends in survey methodology and related fields, evaluating their relevance for the Center.
• Assess new approaches and tools for their potential to improve research quality, efficiency, and impact, weighing benefits against budget targets.
• Set and lead the Center’s survey methods research agenda, identifying priorities and applying findings to improve practice.
• Contribute to experimentation with AI and other emerging technologies where they can responsibly support survey research. 

Data Quality, Standards, and Integrity 

• Ensure data quality and integrity across the Center’s survey work, balancing methodological excellence with practical constraints, including budget.
• Uphold standards for rigor, transparency, reproducibility, and appropriate disclosure risk management.
• Ensure that survey methods and documentation meet high expectations for both internal review and external credibility.
• Identify and address methodological and data quality risks, particularly in complex or high-profile work. 

Team Leadership and Management 

• Lead and develop teams responsible for domestic survey methods, the American Trends Panel, and international survey methods.
• Set priorities, manage workflows, and oversee key methodological decisions.
• Mentor and develop staff, strengthening methodological capacity across the Center.
• Partner with research, operations, communications and other colleagues to ensure effective execution and collaboration. 

External Representation 

• Act as a credible external representative of the Center’s methods work with legacy and new media, peers, stakeholders and partners.
• Communicate complex methodological concepts clearly to nontechnical audiences.
• Represent the Center in professional and public forums. 
    
  
  

Requirements

Qualifications 

• Strong preference for experience conducting public-facing opinion polls aligned with the needs of broad, nontechnical audiences.
• Significant senior-level experience in survey methodology or related social science research.
• Deep expertise in survey design, including questionnaire development, sampling, weighting, estimation, and data quality.
• Demonstrated methodological leadership and strong awareness of innovations and trends in the field.
• Experience leading methodological research and applying findings to improve practice.
• Strong understanding of panel methodology and the drivers of panel quality and representativeness. 
• Experience with international survey research and sensitivity to cultural and contextual differences. (Preferred)
• Demonstrated ability to balance quality, feasibility, timeliness, and cost in methodological decision-making.
• Experience leading and developing high-performing teams.  
• Strong communication skills and credibility as an external voice on survey methods and polling. Commitment to rigor,
• transparency, reproducibility, and responsible disclosure risk practices.
• Familiarity with emerging technologies, including AI, and sound judgment about their appropriate use in research.
• PhD in survey methodology, statistics, social science, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 15+ years of research experience, with a minimum of 10 years of specialized experience in survey methodology or research and analysis. 
    
    
  FLSA Status: Exempt  
     
  Compensation: Starting salary is commensurate with experience within the range of $250,000-275,000 annually. 
     
  Hybrid Work Schedule:
• Pew Research Center staff are required to be present in the Center’s Washington, D.C., office three core days weekly (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday).  Staff may work virtually from remote locations on other days in a typical work week.    
     
  Application Procedure:
• Click on the Apply button, and complete required fields. Both cover letter and resume are required.  
• When requested, please upload a copy of your resume/cv, as well as a copy of your cover letter in the section labeled Resume/Cover Letter. If the documents have successfully uploaded, you should see 2 attached files beneath the “Drop files here” box. Please make sure you have uploaded a resume AND a cover letter before moving on to the next page.