A Research Analyst at Morning Consult plays a pivotal role in transforming raw survey data into actionable decision intelligence. Operating at the intersection of technology, data analytics, and industry-specific expertise, analysts in this role help global brands, financial institutions, and government entities make sense of rapidly shifting public opinion and market trends. By leveraging proprietary survey methodology and large-scale tracking data, you will help clients navigate complex reputational, political, and economic environments.

Your work will directly impact how clients understand their audiences. Whether you are analyzing daily tracking data, identifying macroeconomic trends, or building forecasting models, your insights will shape strategic communication, product development, and brand positioning. The scale and speed of Morning Consult’s data collection mean that you will work with exceptionally rich datasets, translating complex quantitative patterns into clear, compelling narratives for high-level stakeholders.

This role requires a unique blend of analytical rigor and storytelling capability. You will not only clean and model data using tools like Excel but also design highly polished PowerPoint presentations that synthesize your findings. It is a highly collaborative, fast-paced position where intellectual curiosity and a sharp eye for detail are critical to delivering the high-quality insights that Morning Consult is known for.

The questions you will encounter during the Research Analyst interview process are designed to test your quantitative reasoning, your visual communication skills, and your behavioral alignment with the team's collaborative culture. These questions are compiled from real interview experiences to help you identify patterns in what the hiring team evaluates.

Technical & Quantitative Analysis

These questions assess your ability to manipulate data, interpret statistical trends, and build logical forecasting frameworks.

• How would you structure a forecasting model to predict consumer confidence trends based on historical polling data?
• Walk me through your approach to cleaning a messy dataset in Excel before beginning your analysis.

Preparing for the Research Analyst interview requires a balanced focus on technical execution and narrative structure. The hiring team wants to see that you can not only run the numbers but also explain what those numbers mean for a business or policy leader.

When preparing, focus on mastering the core competencies that Morning Consult values most:

Data Proficiency & Analytical Rigor – You must demonstrate a strong comfort level with data manipulation, particularly in Excel. This includes building clean, error-free formulas, setting up logical models, and understanding basic forecasting principles.

Visual Storytelling – A significant portion of your evaluation depends on your ability to synthesize data into PowerPoint slides. Your designs should be clean, professional, and structured around a clear, logical narrative arc.

Time Management under Pressure – Because the take-home assessment has a strict 24-hour deadline, you must show that you can produce high-quality deliverables within a highly constrained timeframe without sacrificing accuracy.

The interview process for the Research Analyst position at Morning Consult is structured to evaluate both your technical execution and your behavioral fit in a highly streamlined manner. The process typically moves quickly, often wrapping up within three to four weeks from the initial outreach, depending on candidate and team availability.

The journey begins with a casual, 30-to-45-minute screening call with a recruiter or hiring manager to discuss your background, interest in the company, and basic alignment with the role. Shortly after a successful screen, you will be launched into the most challenging phase of the process: a rigorous take-home technical assessment that must be completed within a strict 24-hour window. This exercise simulates a real client request, requiring you to analyze a dataset, build a forecast, and synthesize your findings into a polished presentation deck.

Once your submission is reviewed and approved, you will advance to the final rounds. These consist of a 75-minute technical and goal-oriented interview where you will present and defend your take-home exercise to team members, followed by a 60-minute behavioral interview focused on your working style, collaboration, and situational problem-solving.

This timeline illustrates the progression from your initial contact through the intensive take-home phase to the final presentation and behavioral rounds. Use this visual guide to pace your preparation, ensuring you dedicate ample time to practice your presentation skills before the technical review stage.

To succeed in the Morning Consult interview process, you must understand exactly what the hiring team is looking for at each stage. The evaluation is divided into three core areas: quantitative analysis, visual presentation, and behavioral fit.

Quantitative Analysis & Forecasting

This area evaluates your ability to work with raw numbers and turn them into structured, logical insights. You will be tested on your ability to manipulate data, apply analytical frameworks, and project future trends based on historical polling or survey data.

Be ready to go over:

• Excel modeling – Building formulas, using lookups, and structuring data tables cleanly.
• Forecasting methodology – Understanding how to project data points forward and explaining the assumptions behind your projections.
• Data validation – Checking your work for mathematical consistency and identifying outliers.

Example scenarios:

• "Using the provided historical tracking dataset, project consumer sentiment over the next quarter and explain the mathematical assumptions behind your model."
• "How would you identify and account for seasonal fluctuations in public opinion data?"

Visual Communication & Presentation

At Morning Consult, data is only as good as the decisions it enables. This evaluation area focuses on your ability to translate complex statistical outputs into clean, executive-ready PowerPoint slides.

Be ready to go over:

• Slide structure – Creating a logical flow that starts with an executive summary and drills down into supporting data.
• Data visualization – Choosing the right chart types to highlight key trends clearly and avoiding visual clutter.
• Narrative synthesis – Writing concise headlines and bullet points that explain the "so what" behind the numbers.

Example scenarios:

• "Walk us through your take-home presentation deck. Why did you choose this specific layout to present your forecasting results?"
• "How would you simplify a highly complex multi-variable data chart for a client who has no background in statistics?"

Behavioral & Collaborative Fit

This area assesses how you work with others, receive feedback, and perform under pressure. Morning Consult values a conversational, collaborative, and low-stress team environment, and interviewers want to ensure you will be an easygoing and reliable colleague.

Be ready to go over:

• Handling tight deadlines – Managing your time effectively when unexpected client requests arise.
• Incorporating feedback – Demonstrating coachability and a willingness to iterate on your work based on team input.
• Stakeholder communication – Explaining your methodology clearly and confidently without sounding overly defensive.

Example scenarios:

• "Tell me about a time you had to defend your analytical methodology to a skeptical teammate or client."
• "Describe a situation where you had to balance multiple research projects with conflicting deadlines."