Trainee Academic Testing Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Description:

Job details

Job Type: Full-time

Schedule: 40 hours per week (Monday – Friday)

Education: A degree in a relevant field (e.g. social sciences, marketing, business) can be helpful, but is not essential, we’re open to candidates with diverse backgrounds and relevant skills.

Ability to commute/relocate: Leeds, LS15 8GB – reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

About you

You’re curious about people and what drives their thoughts and behaviours. You’re creative, keen to learn, and excited by the chance to develop ideas and bring them to life. You enjoy a challenge, can be flexible when needed to meet client deadlines, and thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

You might have studied social sciences, psychology, marketing, business, or something entirely different – many of our team members come from varied academic and professional backgrounds. What matters most is your mindset: you’re a self-starter, enthusiastic, and aligned with our values – authenticity, partnership, entrepreneurship, and positivity.

A bit about Blue Yonder, a Curion company

We specialise in delivering impactful insights to the world’s top CPG companies, helping them develop winning, repeatedly purchased products. Our deep data-driven product insights, sensory expertise, and state-of-the-art consumer centres enable them to uncover responses to critical client objectives. With over five decades of experience in the product testing industry, we are dedicated to guiding clients in every stage of their product development, connecting brands to consumers at every step.

An innovator in the industry, we recently developed a groundbreaking benchmarking product testing method, the Curion Score™, which has become a trusted and sought after tool within the industry. As one of the largest product and consumer insights companies in the U.S. and U.K., we have built a reputation for excellence and trust among the world’s leading consumer brands. Our commitment to innovation and expertise, coupled with a passion for delivering actionable insights, makes us a valuable partner for companies looking to develop and launch successful products.

What we offer

• We offer a competitive salary, company profit share, a bonus holiday for your birthday, regular socials, a bonus day for charity work, DE&I and wellbeing initiatives, and lots of structured training throughout the year. We have a flexible working environment and if there’s something that’s important to you – be it a day you need to pick the kids up, or a specific charity you want to support – let’s talk!
• Authenticity is one of our core values, and at Blue Yonder we’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic team with equal opportunities. We want to attract, develop, and promote the very best people from all walks of life, so we actively encourage applications from a range of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, as well as others who are underrepresented in our sector, such as disabled or neurodiverse applicants.
• Please note successful applicants must have the right to work in the UK and will need to bring proof to the interview e.g. a passport or work permit.
• Should you be shortlisted in the recruitment process, if you require any reasonable adjustments to be made to accommodate your interview, let us know in confidence.
• All team members are expected to demonstrate Blue Yonder’s core values throughout: Partnership, Positivity, Entrepreneurship, Authenticity

This is an exciting entry-level role for a trainee to kick-start their career with one of the fastest-growing market research agencies in the UK.

On our trainee scheme, you’ll be given structured training and mentoring across all aspects of market research, from designing research projects, to client and project management and analysis and reporting. It’s a hugely varied role requiring a range of skills, and no two days are the same – so if you’re looking for a job where you have lots of autonomy, where creativity and innovation is valued, and where daily variety is key, this could be the perfect role for you!

Ultimately, as researchers we help our clients develop and improve their products and services, build brand strategies, and better meet the needs of the people who buy their products. Our projects cover countries across the world, so you’ll learn about different cultures and contexts, and cover all sorts of product areas, from deodorants to detergents and canned snacks to condoms! And there’s plenty of space to progress into more senior roles for the right person.

The key role of a Trainee Insight Executive is to become familiar with all core aspects of projects, assisting the main project manager, particularly focusing on project administrative tasks, product preparation and packing, fieldwork, and supporting analysis and reporting.

Project management

• Responsible for keeping all project administration up to date and in line with the Blue Print e.g. setting up Teams channel, setting up project folders, setting up meetings with the project team (e.g. Kick-off/briefing, Hearts & Ladders/post project internal download meeting), confirming incentives with Field Ops, setting up AlertYa, ensuring MIS is up to date
• Write initial drafts of project administrative documents e.g. SoW (supplier and client), consent forms, screeners, simple questionnaires and discussion guides, product reconciliation forms, table data specs
• Complete Video: lab briefing form and initial draft of video edits sheet, working with Video:lab and translation agencies (for subtitles etc.) to complete the edit

Fieldwork

• Support all operational aspects of fieldwork, ensuring all fieldwork protocols are followed, including product delivery, stimulus/product preparation for testing, packing, delivery, organisation
• Ensure online scripts for screeners and questionnaires are accurate through detailed testing and checks
• Undertake key aspects of fieldwork and hosting in person (e.g. at TP/Killingbeck)
• Assist with online and/or face to face qualitative moderation e.g. simple IDIs, online boards, writing summaries and completing content analysis sheets as needed
• Monitor quotas, completion rates etc., liaise with internal teams to ensure fieldwork is completed accurately, on time, and on spec
• Assist with technical and administrative aspects of fieldwork e.g. creating and sending out participant Zoom links, asking participants to complete tasks, ensuring participants can access online fieldwork etc.
• Accurately complete coding of open questions

Client management

• Be familiar with the key principles from the client charter, and support senior team members with client requests and client management, ensuring our high standards of responsiveness and flexibility
• Accompany senior team members to client meetings (online or face to face) and take clear thorough notes
• Proactively help the team learn about the client’s business

Client/project deliverables

• Conduct data checks to ensure accurate data in tables and reports (qual or quant), including proof reading
• Support initial analysis on qual and quant projects by contributing to analysis plans and meetings
• Contribute slides/analysis to final reports, working with seniors with data input/entry and chart building

Commercials, proposals & financials

• Ensure accurate project information is up to date on Synergist, including POs, billing plans and total project value. Liaise with Finance to ensure invoices and POs are raised as per the process

Working as one team

• Be a good team player: proactively volunteer time when available to help others, within and across teams
• Demonstrate flexibility to get involved in, and learn about, different project types
• Use initiative to make suggestions / attempt to find solutions when challenges are faced

Training

• Attend all trainee/foundation training sessions
• Build understanding of the project lifecycle
• Be curious, ask questions to aid development

This job description is not intended to be all inclusive, flexibility is assumed based on business needs. In addition to our flexible working policy, you will be required to work at least 2-3 days in the office, during your first 3-6 months, until you are ready to work independently.

For Blue Yonder’s Trainee Insight Executive, we offer a starting salary of £26,440 based on the qualifications and experience of each individual. Blue Yonder offers a benefits package for this position which includes:

• Flexible working location and hybrid working
• Support with work from home needs you may have
• 24 days holiday (plus bank holidays) + one per year up to 27 days
• Company pension scheme
• Company profit share scheme
• Extra day off on your birthday
• Volunteering day every year
• Fully renovated flexible / hybrid office in 2024
• Bi-annual promotion and salary review windows
• 2 major company parties a year + monthly socials organised by our own social and charity team

Requirements: