Placement Student - Politics

YouGov is hiring a Junior Research Executive to join the Political and Social Research Department for a one-year placement.

Overview

This role will involve working as a key member of the team, writing survey questions, scripting surveys, analysing data and producing results. The successful candidate will assist on a range of political and social research projects, covering a wide range of political, social and public opinion polling in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. Clients will include major media organisations, academics, political parties, NGOs, government, charities, pressure groups and think tanks. Throughout the twelve-month placement you can expect to gain unrivalled experience of conducting primary quantitative research for one of the country’s most successful, innovative and well-known research organisations.

The position is best suited to a confident, well-organised, outgoing individual who has an understanding of primary research and a desire to pursue a career in either politics or political and social research.

The role will run from August 2026 to August 2027 and is ideal for sandwich year students and 2nd year undergraduates looking for a placement year.

Responsibilities

• Producing results for publication
• Writing reports for the YouGov website and clients
• Producing questions and proposing topics for research
• Creating surveys using our in-house software
• Working with social media to disseminate news and results

Essentials for interview

• Excellent written and spoken English accompanied by good numerical skills
• A strong interest in and knowledge of British politics
• An understanding of quantitative data and statistics
• A full working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Word
• An ability to meet strict deadlines
• A keen eye for detail

To apply, please send a CV and COVERING LETTER saying why you are interested and what you would bring to the role. Please note that applications without a covering letter will not be considered.

Closing Date

Closing Date: Sunday, 8th February 2026

Why join YouGov?

Join our global team to help us achieve our social mission: to make millions of people’s opinions heard for the benefit of our local, national, and international communities.

Understanding diversity of opinion requires diversity of background. Although our global panel of millions of people worldwide powers our research, our biggest asset is our people. If our research is to be truly representative of what the world thinks, we need people from all walks of life to be part of the team to bring their perspective to the work we do.

Life at YouGov

We are driven by a set of shared values. We are fast, fearless, and innovative. We work diligently to get it right. We are guided by accuracy, ethics, and proven methodologies. We respect and trust each other, bringing these values into everything that we do.

We strive to provide YouGovers with best-in-class benefits to support their physical, financial, and emotional wellbeing. We want our employees to have a sense of belonging and uniqueness in a supportive workplace, so they can bring their full selves to work.

Equal Opportunity Employer

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity or expression, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, HIV status, political affiliation, socioeconomic background, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law or in line with our responsibilities as a fair and ethic employer. All employment decisions are made based on occupational qualifications, merit, and business need.

Data Privacy

To find out how we collect and use your personal data when you apply for a role at YouGov, please read our privacy notice at https://jobs.yougov.com/privacy