Alida’s Research Studio is a full-service strategic research function that pairs experienced researchers with enterprise-grade AI tooling to take client projects from brief to final reporting. We're looking for a Senior Research Strategist to help build it with us from the ground up. This role focuses on custom quantitative research to start, with the scope expanding into qualitative and mixed-methods research as the practice grows.
This isn't a traditional project-execution role. You'll lead end-to-end research for some of the world's best-known brands, and you'll become an ongoing strategic thought-partner to those clients - helping them shape research roadmaps, connect insights across studies, and get more value from their entire research program, not just the next project.
Research Studio is human-led by design. Our researchers own the thinking, the judgment and the client relationship. Our proprietary AI tools, developed in-house, move the starting point forward, so you get to the thinking faster instead of getting caught up in the doing.
Why this role is different:
- Build something from the ground up. Research Studio is new, and you'll be one of the people who shapes it. Working with team leadership and our internal research experts, you'll help define how we deliver: the processes, the workflows, the standards and the client experience.
- Be a strategic partner, not just a project executor. You'll work with clients at the account level, not only project by project. That means advising on research roadmaps, synthesizing learnings across studies through meta-analyses, and helping clients get more value from their whole insights program.
- Get to the thinking faster. Alida's proprietary AI tools build efficiencies with every project. Instead of getting caught up in the doing, you start where the real thinking begins: interpreting, challenging and shaping what the work means for the client.
- Build skills the industry is heading toward. You'll get hands-on experience with AI-assisted research and workflows, using AI tools we've built ourselves, inside a real, client-facing practice. It's the kind of experience that will set you apart as the research industry evolves.
- See your impact. Faster turnarounds and more time for strategic thinking mean your insights reach decision-makers sooner and carry more weight.
- Strategic client partnership
- Serve as an ongoing strategic thought-partner to clients, providing guidance and collaboration well beyond any single project
- Partner with clients at the account level to shape research roadmaps aligned to their business priorities
- Lead meta-analyses that connect findings across studies and surface bigger-picture insights
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders through regular communication and proactive updates
- Anticipate client needs and bring strategic solutions before challenges affect outcomes or timelines
- End-to-end research delivery
- Act as primary point of contact through the full project lifecycle, from brief and proposal to final reporting and debrief
- Scope the right methodology for each business question, including designing questionnaires from client requirements
- Analyze data and build reports that tell a clear story and answer the client's research objectives
- Navigate complex requirements while protecting scope, budget and timeline
- Building the Research Studio program
- Work with team leadership and internal experts to design, test and refine how Research Studio delivers
- Help set up the processes, workflows, templates and quality standards that will scale the offering
- Bring client feedback and on-the-ground learnings back to the team to continuously optimize the service
- AI-assisted research and quality
- Use Alida's proprietary AI tools to move the starting point forward across methodological design, analysis and reporting, so your time goes into the strategic thinking
- Review, refine and apply expert judgment to AI-assisted outputs so every deliverable meets a high standard
- Help identify where AI adds the most value in our workflows, and where human expertise must lead
- Project management and execution
- Manage multiple projects at once in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
- Coordinate with internal teams to keep deliverables, budgets and timelines on track, and report on progress internally and externally
- Respond to shifts in scope, manage client expectations, and flag or escalate risks when needed
- Complete internal documentation to support accurate resource planning and financial reporting
- Program, customize and QA survey activities in Alida's platform, troubleshoot logic issues, deploy surveys and monitor fieldwork
- 6-8+ years of experience in market research or insights, preferably on the supplier side
- Bachelor's degree or higher in Business, Marketing, Market Research, Communications or a related field
- A consultative mindset and confidence advising senior client stakeholders on strategy, not just projects
- Strong research design and analytical skills, with the ability to see the story in the numbers
- Curiosity about AI and technology, and eagerness to learn new tools and ways of working
- Comfort with ambiguity and enthusiasm for building something new, including shaping processes as you go
- Excellent written and verbal communication
- Strong time management, organization and problem-solving skills in a fast-paced environment
- Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team
- Experience with online research communities
- Experience using AI to optimize research workflows or deliverables, such as speeding up questionnaire drafting, analysis or reporting
- The salary range for this position in Canada is up to $125,000 CAD per annum. Final salary will depend on experience.
- We are open to candidates across Canada for this position.
About Alida
Alida believes in a world where customers are respected as the ultimate source of truth. Because knowing the whole truth about your customers can help companies make better decisions and drive long term loyalty and growth.
That’s why Alida helps innovative brands create highly engaged research communities to gather feedback that empowers better customer experiences and product innovation.
Leading companies like HBOMax, Adobe, Warner Bros. Discovery, Twitch and lululemon depend on Alida’s community-centered research platform to deliver fast and reliable customer feedback at scale so they can build better products, refine user experiences and test marketing campaigns.
Learn more at www.alida.com.
We can’t wait to meet you!
We understand that applying for a new position takes effort and want to thank you in advance for taking the time to introduce yourself.
At Alida, we’re dedicated to fostering an environment where our employees feel heard, valued and included.
We believe that a diverse team is a core pillar in building better products and services for our global customers and we strongly encourage applications from all people regardless of race, religion, gender, age, disability status or sexual orientation. Even if you don't meet every single one of the stated requirements but you are excited about this opportunity, we'd love to hear from you anyway. Our Talent Acquisition team will review your application for this role, and others we may have open now or in the future.
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Alida has an accommodation process in place to provide reasonable accommodation to employees, and to qualified job applicants with a disability during the hiring process. If you require accommodation because of a disability or medical need, please contact [email protected] so that arrangements can be made for the appropriate accommodations to be in place.
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Vacancy Status: This posting is for an existing vacancy that we are actively seeking to fill. Only 1 position available.
Artificial Intelligence Disclosure: Our recruitment process is human-led. While our Applicant Tracking System (ATS) includes an AI-enabled "talent match" feature to help compare applications against job requirements, this tool is not used as a decision making factor and it is not used to rank candidates by suitability. All applications are personally reviewed by our recruitment team, and all decisions regarding interview selection and hiring are made solely by human employees.
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Toronto, Canada
