How to apply for Research Analyst

About Animal Ask

Animal Ask is a specialized research consultancy that helps animal advocacy organizations make better strategic decisions by conducting in-depth, cross-comparative research on the most promising opportunities for animals. Unlike many advocacy groups, they don't run campaigns themselves—they empower other organizations with rigorous, decision-relevant analysis. This makes them an ideal place for someone who wants to influence the movement through evidence and strategic thinking rather than direct activism.

About the role

As a Research Analyst at Animal Ask, you'll evaluate corporate and public policy reforms to estimate their impact on farmed and wild animals, producing reports and policy briefs that directly shape advocacy strategies. You'll conduct literature reviews, expert interviews, and cost-effectiveness analyses across multiple regions, synthesizing complex information into clear, actionable summaries. This role is impactful because your research will help animal advocacy organizations prioritize the interventions with the greatest potential to reduce animal suffering.

A typical day

A typical day might involve reviewing recent scientific literature on wild animal welfare, conducting a phone interview with a policy expert, and drafting a section of a cost-effectiveness report comparing two corporate campaign strategies. You'll also attend a virtual team meeting to discuss prioritization of research requests and provide input on a colleague's draft brief. The work is largely self-paced, with a focus on deep analysis and clear writing.

Who Animal Ask is looking for

• Strong analytical skills with experience in cost-effectiveness analysis, literature reviews, and critical assessment of scientific evidence.
• Excellent written communication skills, able to distill complex research into concise, decision-relevant briefs for non-expert audiences.
• Self-directed and comfortable working autonomously in a remote environment, with a track record of managing research projects end-to-end.
• Bonus: background in animal welfare science, public policy research, law, campaigning, or cost-effectiveness analysis, and familiarity with farmed or wild animal issues.

Tips for this application

• Demonstrate your ability to conduct cost-effectiveness analyses by including a concrete example in your application—e.g., a past project where you compared interventions and quantified impact.
• Show familiarity with Animal Ask's research approach: mention specific reports or methodologies from their website (e.g., their cross-comparative analyses) and explain how your skills align.
• Highlight any experience with expert interviews or synthesizing diverse sources, as this is a core part of the role—provide a brief example of how you turned interviews into actionable insights.
• Tailor your cover letter to emphasize your ability to work autonomously and manage research projects remotely; include a specific instance where you self-directed a complex analysis.
• If you have experience in animal welfare, public policy, or law, explicitly connect it to the role—e.g., how you've assessed policy reforms for impact on animals or evaluated corporate initiatives.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your ability to conduct rigorous, decision-relevant research that prioritizes interventions by impact—use a specific example of a cost-effectiveness analysis or comparative research project.', "Your written communication skills: describe how you've translated complex findings into clear, concise briefs for advocacy strategy, ideally with a sample or link.", 'Your autonomy and remote work capability: share a concrete example of managing a research project independently, including how you handled challenges.', "Your motivation for Animal Ask's mission: explain why you want to support advocacy organizations through research rather than direct campaigning, and how your background aligns with their cross-comparative approach."]

Research before applying

• Read Animal Ask's published reports and blog posts to understand their research methodology, focus areas, and how they define 'impact'—this will help you tailor your application.
• Explore their 'Research' page and note the types of interventions they've analyzed (e.g., corporate campaigns, policy reforms) and the regions they cover.
• Learn about key organizations they support (e.g., The Humane League, Mercy For Animals) and the broader effective altruism/animal advocacy landscape to contextualize their work.
• Familiarize yourself with cost-effectiveness analysis in animal welfare, such as the work of GiveWell or Open Philanthropy, to speak their language in interviews.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you assess the impact of a corporate commitment to cage-free eggs across different regions? Walk us through your analytical process.
• Describe a time you conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis. What metrics did you use, and how did you handle uncertainty?
• How do you critically evaluate scientific evidence when sources conflict? Provide an example from your experience.
• How would you prioritize research requests from multiple advocacy organizations with limited time? What criteria would you use?
• What do you think are the most promising policy reforms for farmed animals globally, and how would you go about evaluating their potential impact?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention Animal Ask's specific research approach or how your skills apply to their cross-comparative analyses.
• Failing to provide concrete examples of past research or analysis—abstract claims like 'I'm analytical' without evidence won't stand out.
• Ignoring the remote aspect: not demonstrating your ability to work autonomously or manage projects without close supervision.
• Overemphasizing direct activism or campaigning experience without connecting it to research and analysis, which is the core of this role.