Behavioral Science Specialist

Cornerstone Research is a leading economic and financial consulting firm with more than 900 staff members across nine offices. Together with an extensive network of internationally prominent faculty, we conduct rigorous, objective research applying the highest standards from academia to address complex financial, economic, accounting, and marketing issues that arise in litigation and regulatory investigation.

Cornerstone Research is involved in a broad variety of high-profile projects. Current exemplary matters include claims of anticompetitive conduct, potential mergers and their impact on competition, allegations of the use of dark patterns, misleading marketing, or false claims, actions involving data privacy and data breach, and the impact of alleged intellectual property infringement.

The Applied Research Center at Cornerstone Research is a team of specialists in highly technical areas of economics, finance, behavioral science, and technology, and offer clients cutting-edge analysis and greater efficiency by applying their depth of knowledge where needed on complex cases, complementing the work of case teams. The Applied Research Center helps the firm innovate and drive progress, with our specialists employing techniques at the forefront of academia and to provide the most impactful analysis for the firm and our clients.

The Applied Research Center is recruiting a behavioral science specialist to expand our capabilities in conducting complex behavioral and marketing analyses, such as surveys, conjoint analysis, field and online experiments, content analysis, consumer behavior analysis, and analysis of marketing messages.

The specialist will work alongside existing specialists, case teams, and experts to:

1. Lead survey design and implementation. Develop study design for affirmative surveys and qualitative studies, including conducting interviews, drafting questionnaires, and developing timelines for survey development, testing, and fielding. Support case teams in survey-specific analyses, including sample size determination, power calculations, and techniques and best practices for analysis of survey data, including analysis of open-ended responses. Evaluate surveys and conjoint analyses conducted by other experts.
2. Advise on and implement approaches from behavioral science and marketing. Apply theory and techniques from behavioral science to analyze data from various sources. Provide thought leadership and guidance on the application of state-of-the-art content analysis approaches to analyze data, including textual data such as marketing messages, public press, social media content, and consumer reviews. Work with case teams and other Applied Research Center specialists to design field experiments, and collect and analyze data on consumer behavior issues.
3. Conduct research and tool-building activities. Research and develop cutting-edge tools and techniques for use in case work, including by engaging with experts through conference participation, presentations at Cornerstone, and one-on-one relationship development. Apply innovative approaches to case work, for example by collaborate with our Data Science Center to leverage the use of cutting-edge machine learning and language modeling techniques.
4. Develop institutional knowledge. Assist in developing reference materials and conducting training sessions to share knowledge and best practices for various behavioral analyses, such as surveys, online and field experiments, and content analysis. Contribute to horizon-scanning work to identify and document the use of behavioral analysis in litigation and regulatory contexts, and conduct research work to help ensure the firm remains at the technical forefront.
5. Contribute to thought leadership efforts. Track case law developments relevant to surveys, conjoint analysis, marketing analyses, experiments, and other questions on consumer behavior and behavioral science. Collaborate with Cornerstone Research consultants and academic experts to publish client-focused articles on the use of these analyses in litigation.

Candidates for this role will have a strong entrepreneurial attitude, be able to work effectively in teams, manage multiple stakeholders, be good at time management and handling multiple competing priorities.

We are looking for candidates who have a Ph.D. or ABD in marketing, behavioral science, quantitative survey methodology, or a related quantitative social science field, as well as candidates who have a Ph.D. or ABD in Economics and specialize in the fields of behavioral or experimental economics. Candidates with Master’s degrees are also welcome to apply with extensive prior experience working on complex surveys and/or field experiments in a research organization.

Cornerstone Research provides Equal Employment Opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to legally protected categories, such as age, sex, gender, gender identity, race, color, creed/religious belief, medical condition, predisposing genetic characteristics or genetic information or testing, disability, marital status, pregnancy status, military status, veteran status, arrest or conviction record (except where permitted by law), sexual orientation, ethnic background, citizen status, ancestry, national origin, or any other consideration protected by federal, state or local law.

Cornerstone Research’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is embedded in our values. Our culture is one of acceptance and belonging, where every individual in every role feels valued and can contribute authentically and fully. We intentionally nurture, embrace and celebrate diversity, provide equal access and opportunity, and actively engage with each other to understand and appreciate how our differences contribute to our success, both individually and as a Firm. Learn more about our commitment to DEI via our website.

Cornerstone Research offers a market-leading compensation and benefits package. The base salary for the Behavioral Science Specialist ranges from $230,000 to $302,500. In addition to the base salary, Behavioral Science Specialists will be eligible for a signing bonus depending on skills, education, and experience. Behavioral Science Specialists are eligible for discretionary bonuses based on performance, firm contributions, and other factors. Information about our benefits, including health and wellness and family support, can be found on the Careers page of our website.

Candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and a sample research paper through our careers website. Please be sure to rank our offices in order of your location preferences, if any. We are currently hiring in our Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, Bay Area (San Francisco & Silicon Valley), and Washington, D.C. offices. Cornerstone Research will provide immigration assistance to eligible foreign nationals in accordance with the firm’s immigration policy and applicable law.