Political Data Writer/ Editorial Research Fellow

Political Data Writer / Editorial Research Fellow

Part-Time · ~10 hrs/week · 8-week initial engagement · Chicago hybrid

About Tavern Research

Tavern Research is a political research and media company combining polling, message testing, creative production, and technology to help campaigns and organizations make smarter, evidence-based decisions. 

We produce a lot of research, ranging from public opinion polling and message testing to experiments on political advertising, communications, and new ways of understanding whatpeople think.

But good research only goes so far if people can't understand what it means.

That's where you come in.

About the Role

We're looking for a Political Data Writer / Editorial Research Fellow who can turn Tavern's research, data, and projects into clear, engaging stories for our Substack and other public-facing channels.

This role sits somewhere between a writer, researcher, and storyteller. You don't need to be a data scientist, but you should be comfortable digging into research, asking good questions, identifying what's interesting, and explaining it in a way that someone without a background in polling, statistics, or technology can understand.

We're not looking for someone to simply paraphrase a research brief. We're looking for someone who can find the story within the research.

One week, that might mean turning the results of a new poll into an article about what voters think about an issue. Another week, you might unpack a message-testing experiment, explain an unexpected finding from a project, or help introduce a new research methodology to a broader audience.

Your job is to make Tavern's work interesting, approachable, and easy to understand without losing the accuracy or nuance of the research behind it.

What You'll Do

• Write approximately 1–2 Substack/blog posts per week based on Tavern research, polling, experiments, and projects. 
• Turn charts, datasets, research memos, presentations, and technical findings into clear, conversational stories.
• Identify the findings that make an interesting story rather than simply summarizing everything that's there.
• Work with Tavern's researchers and project teams to understand their work and represent it accurately.
• Develop compelling headlines, introductions, and narratives around Tavern's research.
• Fact-check numbers, claims, and interpretations before publication.
• Help maintain Tavern's editorial voice and pitch ideas based on ongoing research and projects.

What We're Looking For

First and foremost, you're a strong writer. You know how to take something complicated and make it understandable, interesting, and enjoyable to read.

You're also someone who:

• Is comfortable working with data, charts, polling results, and research findings, even without formal statistical training.
• Can look at a large amount of information and identify what actually makes an interesting story.
• Is curious about politics, public opinion, media, technology, and research.
• Asks good questions and has strong attention to detail, especially when working with numbers.
• Can explain technical concepts in plain language without oversimplifying them.
• Can work independently, manage assignments, and reliably meet deadlines.

Experience in journalism, political science, communications, data journalism, newsletters, research, campus publications, or similar work is helpful, but there isn't one specific background we're looking for.

You don't need to know how to code or be an advanced statistician. We care much more about whether you can understand something complicated, figure out what's interesting about it, and explain it clearly.

How to Apply

Please send us:

• A resume
• 1–2 writing samples

Your writing samples don't need to be about politics or data. We're looking for evidence that you can take an idea — particularly a complicated one — and make it clear and engaging.

Engagement & Compensation

This is a paid, part-time role of approximately 10 hours per week, beginning with an 8-week initial engagement, with the possibility of extending. The role is Chicago hybrid, with flexibility around school or other commitments. Writers will generally produce 1–2 pieces per week

Compensation: $500 - $800 per published piece, based on the scope and complexity of the assignment. 

Tavern Research is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.