Research Assistant

Research Assistant, Democratic Party of Illinois

The Democratic Party of Illinois (DPI) is seeking a dynamic individual to fill the position of Research Assistant. The Research Assistant will be responsible for assisting the Political and Organizing Team with vetting candidates for local office and tracking and reporting on candidates running for priority statewide offices.

About the Democratic Party of Illinois

The Democratic Party of Illinois is dedicated to electing Democrats at all levels across Illinois while building the most active, inclusive, and diverse party possible.

What Will You Do?

The Research Assistant will play an essential role in supporting the Party’s local candidate recruitment program and will track and report on opposition candidates running in priority statewide contests. The Research Assistant will report to the Regional Political Director.

Responsibilities include:

• Researching and preparing vetting reports on prospective candidates for local office;
• Obtaining candidate filing and election data through outreach to election authorities, including the preparation and submission of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests;
• Assisting the Data Department with organizing election data;
• Building opposition research profiles on priority local candidates;
• Searching for, cataloging, and sharing details of events/tracking opportunities;
• Confirming event details, candidate attendance, and preparing technology for event tracking;
• Coordinating with field organizers across the team to ensure accurate tracking of events and campaign activity;
• Filming or audio recording public candidate events;
• Uploading footage, transcribing footage, and preparing debrief memos on tracked events;
• Researching and filming other politically relevant events.

Who Are You?

The ideal candidate will be analytical, highly organized, and possess a background in Democratic campaigning. They will be meticulous in their work, consistent, and willing to work in a hectic, ever-changing environment.

Qualifications:

• At least 1 year of experience in a political campaign or office;
• Demonstrated ability to create, update, and maintain processes;
• Demonstrated experience with NGP, Microsoft Excel, and Google Sheets, and ability to use these technologies to construct reports and updates;
• Ability to effectively collaborate and work well with internal staff and external stakeholders at all levels;
• Demonstrated ability to be flexible and able to adapt quickly to meet project needs;
• Ability to work independently for long periods, maintaining focus and time management with minimal supervision;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Valid driver's license and access to a reliable vehicle for travel within Illinois.

This is a full-time position based in Chicago.

The salary for this role is $55,000-$60,000 a year and is commensurate with experience. DPI also

offers a generous benefits package with the opportunity for growth.