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Social Science Research Jobs in Springfield, VA (NOW HIRING)

Dc-Aapor

Associate Director, Data Labs

Washington, DC · On-site

$150.66 - $184.14/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in social science research paired with a deep understanding of the technical and methodological decisions needed to produce research that is on par ...

Pewtrusts

Research Associate, Race & Ethnicity

Washington, DC · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research in the areas of race and ethnicity; U.S. politics and policy views; media ...

Pewtrusts

Associate Director, Data Labs

Washington, DC · Hybrid

$167K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Canarticulateand champion a technical vision that is grounded in social science research. * Experience with multimodal data processing, including audio, video, and image data; familiarity ...

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsSocial Science Research JobsSocial Science Research Jobs in Springfield, VA

Social Science Research information

What is a social science research?

A Social Science Research job involves studying human behavior, societies, and social relationships using qualitative and quantitative methods. Researchers collect and analyze data to understand trends, address social issues, and inform policies. They work in academic institutions, government agencies, nonprofits, and private organizations. Responsibilities may include designing studies, conducting surveys, analyzing statistics, and publishing findings. Strong analytical, communication, and critical-thinking skills are essential for success in this field.

What do social science researchers do?

In a Social Science Research role, your daily activities often involve designing research studies, collecting and analyzing quantitative or qualitative data, and preparing reports or presentations based on your findings. You may spend time conducting literature reviews, organizing focus groups or interviews, and ensuring compliance with ethical guidelines. Collaboration with other researchers, project managers, or external stakeholders is also common, as research projects often require input from multidisciplinary teams. This variety makes the work intellectually stimulating and provides opportunities to develop a diverse skill set.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed for social science research?

To thrive in Social Science Research, you need strong skills in research design, statistical analysis, data collection, and interpretation, typically supported by a degree in a social science field such as sociology, psychology, or political science. Familiarity with statistical software like SPSS, STATA, or R, as well as experience with survey platforms and qualitative analysis tools, is often required. Excellent written and verbal communication, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving skills make candidates stand out. These abilities equip professionals to produce reliable, impactful insights that inform policy or program development in academic, governmental, or nonprofit settings.

What are popular job titles related to Social Science Research jobs in Springfield, VA?

For Social Science Research jobs in Springfield, VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Social Science Research jobs in Springfield, VA look for?

The top searched job categories for Social Science Research jobs in Springfield, VA are:

What cities near Springfield, VA are hiring for Social Science Research jobs?

Cities near Springfield, VA with the most Social Science Research job openings:

Social Science Research jobs near you
Infographic showing various Social Science Research job openings in Springfield, VA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 70% Full Time, 23% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution.

Computational Social Scientist

Protagonist

Washington, DC • On-site

Full-time

Posted 29 days ago

Job description

Join Our Talented Team at Protagonist
We fuse rigorous, methodologically sound analysis with our cutting-edge technology platform, Narrative Analytics®. This powerful combination enables us to quantitatively analyze open-source media, deliver strategic recommendations, and craft executive-level communication strategies for clients with missions that matter.
Why Us?
Our team is a vibrant mix of communication specialists, data scientists, and subject matter experts with extensive experience across U.S. Government agencies, non-profit organizations, and Fortune 500 companies. By joining Protagonist, you'll immerse yourself in a collaborative environment where innovation thrives, and your contributions truly matter.
What We Do
  • Innovative Solutions: We co-develop cutting-edge solutions with our clients to address tough communication problems and capitalize on opportunities to make a tangible impact.
  • Data-Driven Insights: Our tools and methodologies provide actionable insights that help clients meet their communication objectives and stay ahead of global challenges.
  • Applied Expertise: We integrate our solutions within client organizations, leveraging our profound expertise to address critical issues and ensure sustainable success.
Be Part of Something Bigger
At Protagonist, you'll work on compelling projects that make a real difference. We seek talented individuals eager to contribute to our mission and grow alongside us. If you're passionate about communication, data analysis, and making an impact, we invite you to explore a career with Protagonist.
Explore Your Future with Us!
Ready to take the next step in your career? Join us at Protagonist and be part of a team that's making a difference.
Washington, DC | Full-Time | Hybrid
Job Description
In this role, you'll apply data science and analytic methods directly to projects, turning large, often unstructured datasets into findings that teams and clients can act on. Our work lives at the intersection of data science and social science: we pair computational techniques with an understanding of the social, political, and information dynamics behind the data. This is a multi-faceted role. You'll support our internal data efforts, stay hands-on with analysis and client delivery, and work with the product team to help improve Narrative Analytics®, the platform our analysts use every day. Whether your background is in social science research, product and analytics, or a more technical track, what matters most is that you can take messy, real-world data and make it useful for our team and our end customers.
Responsibilities
  • Contribute to our data efforts
    • Support internal data science work: apply sound methods, keep quality high, and keep analysis reproducible and defensible.
    • Build and apply classification models, clustering, and other ML/AI approaches to surface insight from large, unstructured datasets.
    • Help translate qualitative research questions into structured analytical workflows.
  • Build AI-powered analytical workflows
    • Design prompts, LLM chains, and agentic workflows that automate classification, thematic coding, entity extraction, and summarization at scale.
    • Build and evaluate repeatable analytical products with real quality controls and human-in-the-loop checks.
    • Experiment with emerging techniques (RAG, multi-step reasoning, tool-using agents) to extend what we can deliver.
  • Make data usable and clear
    • Handle complex cleaning, transformation, and wrangling so the data stays trustworthy.
    • Build dashboards and visualizations (Tableau, Superset, or similar) that make insight clear to clients and colleagues alike.
    • Turn findings into actionable recommendations and present them directly to both the internal team and customers with clarity and confidence.
  • Support the product and work across teams
    • Work hand in hand with the product team to shape Narrative Analytics™ around what users actually need, bringing the analyst's and client's perspective into product design.
    • Collaborate across analytics, product, and client teams so the work fits together and reaches the people who depend on it.
Requirements
  • Must be eligible to work on US Government contracts
  • A BS degree in a quantitative or analytical field (data science, computer science, statistics, computational social science, political science, economics, communications, or a related discipline), or equivalent hands-on experience.
  • 2+ years of relevant experience with a bachelor's or BS degree with relevant internship experience and a proven track record of leveraging analytics to drive significant business impact, or a 1+ years of relevant experience with a master's degree with strong, practical data analytics project experience or relevant internships.
  • Hands-on experience working with text-as-data: media, social media, or open-source text corpora.
  • Working proficiency in Python and/or R, plus solid SQL for pulling, transforming, and validating data.
  • Familiarity with core NLP and ML methods (text classification, topic modeling, sentiment and stance detection, embeddings, transformers) and with applying LLMs in real workflows (prompt engineering, structured outputs, integration).
  • The ability to explain technical work to non-technical audiences and to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative team.
Ideal Candidates
  • Existing security clearance (SECRET or higher) a plus
  • Experience designing structured content analysis or analytical frameworks for text data.
  • Experience in information environment assessment, strategic communication analysis, or media landscape monitoring.
  • Experience shaping analytical tools or platforms around real user needs.
  • Experience with computational social science methods (network analysis, narrative framing, document similarity) that go beyond keyword search.
  • Experience translating social science research questions into scalable computational approaches.
Additional Information
If you're passionate about technology and making an impact, apply today! Protagonist is dedicated to fostering a welcoming and innovative environment where everyone's voice can make a difference.
Protagonist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Salary Range: $70,000-$102,000 based on education and level of relevant experience.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

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