Market Research Manager- Contractor

Who We Are:

Datassential is a leading global intelligence platform for the food and beverage industry. Leveraging billions of data points and cutting-edge AI, we provide a suite of innovative solutions that empower more than 90% of the world's largest food and beverage brands to develop, market, and sell their products more effectively.

Based in Chicago, USA, Datassential has expanded its global reach through strategic acquisitions of CHD Expert (France) in 2022 and Brizo Data, Inc. (Canada) in 2025. In 2024, we secured investment from top-tier private equity firms New Mountain Capital and Endicott Capital, a milestone that fuels our accelerated product roadmap and strengthens our research and development, enabling us to deliver even greater value to our clients.

Our remote-first, globally distributed team thrives on diverse perspectives and deep expertise in the food and beverage space. Food brings people together, and at Datassential's table, there's room for everyone.

What We Need: 

We're building a bench of contract researchers to support custom quantitative studies on an ad hoc basis for food and beverage clients, from first brief to final readout. On each project, you'll design the study, write the questionnaire, manage fielding with our field and data teams, run the analysis, write the report and present it to the client. It's hands-on work. A Datassential Study Lead reviews your design, and you may coach other contractors or team members on the project.

Why You Should Join Us:

Our clients include the chains, manufacturers and suppliers that decide operators serve and what consumers eat and drink across the industry.  Your studies feed straight into those decisions: which concept launches, what a new item costs, which guests a brand goes after. Every project is scoped and priced before you start, and you decide which ones to take on. 

Who You Are: 

You've run custom quant studies end to end, and you still like writing the questionnaire yourself. You can derive impactful insights and tell a story from the data, which ultimately helps clients make business decisions.   You can walk a client through a significance test without losing the room. You like working project to project, and when a project comes up you can give a clear yes or no quickly.

What You Will Do:

• Turn a client brief into a research design, questionnaire and sample plan, then take it through review with the Study Lead

• Write and revise questionnaires, screeners and concept stimuli

• Own timing and quota management on every study

• Work with our field and data teams through fielding: review the soft launch, monitor field and make the cleaning calls

• Write tab and banner specs, run the analysis and find the story in the data

• Write the report and client deck, including implications and recommendations

• Present results on client calls and handle questions as they come up

• Raise scope, budget or timing risks early

• Coach Analysts on your projects and give them clear, specific feedback on their work

What You Bring:

• 5 to 8 years in custom quantitative research, including owning projects from brief to final readout

• Strong questionnaire design skills and a solid grasp of sampling, weighting and significance testing

• Clear writing and presentation skills, and comfort presenting to clients

• A habit of building the work yourself as well as directing it

Nice To Have:

• Experience with concept testing, pricing, segmentation or tracking studies

• Multi-market or international study experience

• Food and beverage experience, specifically in foodservice

About This Engagement:

This is a project-based contractor role. How much work is available depends on the team's current project load, and each engagement is scoped individually. Project length varies, so scope and timing are confirmed before work begins.

When we contact you about a project, please confirm within 48 hours whether you can take it on.

Compensation is a lump sum per project, based on the tasks the project requires and our estimate of the time needed to complete them. We don't publish an hourly rate. Instead, we agree on a rate range with each contractor up front, and each project's lump sum is set so it falls within that range once the estimated hours are factored in.