Research Scientist, Demography and Survey Sciences

Meta Meta · Big Tech · Menlo Park, CA

This role is for a quantitative social scientist to improve decision-making and impact measurement within Meta using survey and behavioral data. The role involves end-to-end research ownership, from project design and methodology to data analysis and communication of results. While the role is not primarily AI/ML focused, it requires experience with quantitative research methods, large datasets, and survey methodology. A key aspect is the ability to integrate AI tools to optimize workflows, implement ethical AI practices, and demonstrate ongoing AI skill development in areas like prompt engineering and agent orchestration.

What you'd actually do

  1. Help shape the research agenda and drive research projects from end-to-end
  2. Collaborate with product teams to define relevant questions about survey methodology and quantitative measurement
  3. Deploy appropriate quantitative methodologies to answer those questions
  4. Develop novel approaches where traditional methods won’t do
  5. Provide teams with usable measurement strategies and methodologies to meet their product and business decision needs
  6. Deliver insights and recommendations clearly to the relevant audiences

Skills

Required

  • 8+ years of experience in quantitative research, survey methodology, or a related field
  • Bachelor's, Master's or Ph.D. in the social sciences (e.g., Economics, Political Science, Sociology, Psychology, Communication), or in a quantitative field (e.g., Statistics, Informatics, Econometrics)
  • Demonstrated experience in designing original research to address complex questions
  • Demonstrated expertise in data manipulation and analysis software and programming languages (Python/R, SQL)
  • Expertise and applied experience in measurement (e.g., survey design and analysis, experiment design, bias correction, measurement models, data collection, log data) and statistical inference (e.g., causal, Bayesian, machine learning)
  • Experience initiating and driving research projects to completion with minimal guidance
  • Experience communicating analyses and results to any audience, including executives
  • Demonstrated experience in distilling and communicating research insights to influence the thinking, decision-making, and actions of diverse audiences
  • Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements)
  • Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews)
  • Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologies

Nice to have

  • Experience with qualitative methods such as focus groups, in-depth interviewing, cognitive testing
  • Experience working with executive or leadership-level stakeholders
  • Experience working with online survey panel vendors (e.g., YouGov, Ipsos, Kantar, SSRS)
  • Experience translating often abstract stakeholder requests into actionable research plans

What the JD emphasized

  • quantitative social scientists
  • survey methodology
  • causal inference
  • econometrics
  • regression modeling
  • exploratory data analysis
  • mathematical demography
  • large datasets
  • relational databases
  • methodological rigor
  • AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows
  • responsible, ethical AI practices
  • prompt/context engineering
  • agent orchestration