Research Associate
$140k - $230k USD
Profound is on a mission to help companies understand and control their AI presence. As a Research Associate, you will develop a deep understanding of how people use AI to search, evaluate products, and make decisions. You will transform real user conversations and AI model outputs into high quality research that guides product direction, supports client strategy, and informs how the world adapts to AI powered experiences.
What you’ll do
Conduct rigorous analysis to uncover how users interact with AI across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and emerging AI interfaces
Identify behavioral shifts, usage patterns, and platform changes before they become visible to the broader market
Translate complex datasets and model behavior into clear insights and research artifacts
Engage with media, industry experts, and academia to share evidence grounded findings and educate the market
Support and influence the AI strategy of the world’s most sophisticated brands through compelling analysis and insights
Collaborate with product and research teams on frameworks, metrics, and findings that advance understanding of AI powered search and shopping
Ensure rigorous research methodology including clear hypothesis framing, robust validation and sensitivity checks, defensible assumptions, well-documented workflows, and reproducibility of results
Who you are
2 or more years of experience in consulting, market research, competitive intelligence, or applied research
Experience conducting analytical or research driven work in industry or academia
Proficiency in SQL and R or Python for data exploration and modeling
Ability to communicate insights clearly to both technical and executive audiences
Strong pattern recognition and structured thinking
Ownership mindset with a commitment to quality and accuracy
Background in economics, analytics, strategy, public policy, or data driven fields
Understanding of search systems or LLM behavior, including how information is surfaced, ranked, or cited
Client-facing experience with strong storytelling skills
Motivated by access to rare and unmatched datasets on real AI usage and how models source and surface information
Interested in producing research and frameworks that define how organizations adapt to AI
Excited by direct exposure to how leading global companies are transforming digital strategy for the AI era
Enjoy close collaboration with experienced researchers and product leaders
Comfortable in a fast-paced, high-trust environment where impactful work is recognized quickly
Drawn to competitive compensation and meaningful equity in a rapidly growing company
Location
This is an on-site role based in our Union Square, NYC office, designed for builders who thrive on speed, iteration, and meaningful impact. We are happy to support visa sponsorship for qualified international candidates.
For this role, the expected base salary range is $140,000 to $230,000. Profound’s total compensation package is designed to be competitive and includes base salary, equity, and a full range of benefits and perks. Final compensation will depend on factors such as your skills, experience, qualifications, and location, and will be determined during the interview process. Our recruiting team will share more details about the full compensation package and benefits as you move through hiring.