Policy Advocacy - Political Research

About the role

We are seeking an experienced public opinion researcher to build and expand Anthropic's in-house polling and research function. This role will be fundamental to understanding how key audiences — from policymakers and third-party groups to the general public — perceive and respond to Anthropic's policy positions, messages, and campaigns. This is a foundational role: you'll establish the research function from the ground up, with high autonomy and limited precedent.

Key responsibilities

• Develop a comprehensive strategy for our in-house political research function that aligns with Anthropic's policy goals
• Identify, evaluate, and establish relationships with leading research and polling firms, ensuring coverage across demographics, geographies, and political perspectives
• Conduct detailed, proactive research to test core messages, policy proposals, and campaign themes, and to evaluate Anthropic's brand perception and performance
• Execute rapid-response polling to quickly assess Anthropic's messaging strategy in response to external events, policymaker actions, competitive developments, or emerging opportunities
• Work with external affairs colleagues (federal, state, and international) and policy communications to identify research priorities, interpret findings, and translate insights into actionable strategic recommendations
• Develop and maintain a knowledge management system for polling data, insights, and recommendations that ensures findings are accessible and actionable
• Manage polling vendors at scale, including vendor performance management
• Participate in strategy sessions and provide thought partnership on the design of messages, policy proposals, and campaigns ahead of polling and testing
• Create clear, compelling deliverables that distill polling findings into insights and recommendations
• Identify opportunities to build and scale the polling function over time, including staffing needs, process improvements, and capability expansion
• Track and report on the impact and utility of research, measuring how insights translate into more effective campaigns and strategic decisions

Minimum qualifications

• Experience designing and executing public opinion research, including survey and questionnaire design, sampling approaches, and message testing
• Ability to analyze quantitative and qualitative polling data and translate findings into clear, decision-ready written recommendations
• Experience selecting, briefing, and managing external polling or research vendors
• Strong writing and presentation skills, including distilling complex research for senior, non-technical audiences

Preferred qualifications

• 10+ years of professional experience in political or public opinion research, ideally spanning multiple campaign cycles and policy environments
• Corporate public affairs experience, ideally in a highly scrutinized or regulated industry
• Strategic thinking that spots emergent issues, identifies and tests the right messages, and translates those insights into tactical recommendations
• A track record of building relationships with vendors, external experts, and complex stakeholder ecosystems
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, maintain clear priorities, and deliver on tight timelines
• Comfort operating in ambiguous environments, taking ownership of problems, and proactively driving initiatives with limited precedent
• A resourceful, collaborative working style and genuine commitment to being a strong teammate
• Passion for AI policy and alignment with Anthropic's safety mission and commitment to responsible AI development