Research Consultant

At Prolific, our marketplace is rooted in academia, and that commitment runs deep. Alongside our work to accelerate the future of AI, we’re continuing to redefine how the world conducts academic research.

What started as a research-driven idea has evolved into the world’s most trusted infrastructure for human data. Today, tens of thousands of researchers from top universities across the globe rely on Prolific to power their work, from peer-reviewed studies to the next generation of technological breakthroughs.

We’re doubling down on our mission to serve the academic community, deepening relationships, building smarter tools, and making high-quality human data more accessible than ever.

The role

Our Managed Services team delivers a white-glove, consultative experience for customers running complex, high-impact research projects. From shaping research design and methodology to overseeing data collection, analysis, and reporting, we help organisations turn ambitious research questions into meaningful, actionable insights.

As a Research Consultant, you’ll be at the heart of this offering, combining your research expertise with a consultative, customer-first approach to deliver exceptional outcomes for customers across academia and industry. You’ll act as a trusted advisor, helping customers navigate complex research challenges, design effective studies, and make informed decisions backed by high-quality data.

This is a hands-on, client-facing opportunity where you’ll take ownership of multiple research engagements from initial consultation through to delivery and analysis. Working closely with our Sales, Customer Success, Product, and Supply teams, you’ll not only help customers achieve their research goals but also play an important role in shaping and scaling Prolific’s growing Managed Services offering.

What you’ll bring to the role

• Strong experience designing and delivering complex research projects, ideally within a research consultancy, managed services team, market research agency, or industry research function.
• Proven experience advising customers on research methodology, study design, and sampling strategies, with the confidence to lead consultative conversations.
• Strong quantitative research and analytical skills, including statistical analysis and translating research data into actionable insights.
• Experience managing multiple client-facing research projects simultaneously, balancing priorities, timelines, and customer expectations.
• Familiarity with research platforms, particularly Qualtrics, and analytical tools such as R, Python, SPSS, or similar.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with a collaborative, solutions-focused approach to delivering customer outcomes.

What you’ll be doing in the role

• Acting as a trusted research advisor, understanding customer objectives and recommending appropriate methodologies, sampling strategies, and study designs.
• Managing research engagements end-to-end, from initial scoping and study setup through to data collection, quality assurance, analysis, and reporting.
• Leading customer conversations, providing expert guidance, managing expectations, and solving complex research challenges.
• Designing and building studies using Qualtrics and Prolific, ensuring high-quality research delivery and reliable data.
• Conducting quantitative analysis, interpreting findings, and translating results into clear, actionable recommendations for customers.
• Partnering with Sales, Customer Success, Product, and Supply teams to support new opportunities, overcome delivery challenges, and improve research processes.

Nice to have

• A strong academic research background, including a PhD or equivalent research experience.
• Experience delivering research across both academic and commercial environments.
• Experience with qualitative research or developing scalable research processes and best practices.