Research Associate Jobs Overview
Research associate jobs are for professionals with a master’s degree or beyond. In this role you are expected to spend most of your time conducting research, analyzing data, and attending program meetings. You will also have to assist with operational tasks like laboratory maintenance. In most jobs for research associates, you work alongside colleagues, hence having a great teamwork spirit and attitude is typically a must.
There are several reasons why you might want to look for research associate jobs, including:
- get more work experience
- expand your professional network
- get papers published
- obtain grants and fellowships
This position is a career in education with multiple advancement options into roles like senior research associate, research scientist, senior research scientist, principal research scientist and head of research.
On Monster you can find more than only jobs for research associates. Check out all our other higher ed jobs, including:
Education and Skills for a Research Associate Job
Having a master’s degree is the minimum educational requirement to be considered for a research associate job. In certain circumstances a Ph.D. is also necessary. Research associates need to also have one to two years of experience in roles like research assistant, intern, or teacher assistant.
To increase your chances of getting employed as a research associate, you can also obtain certifications like the Certified Clinical Research Professionals (CCRP). Read our career advice article dedicated to how to become a clinical research associate to learn more about this specialty career path.
Skills that make you a great candidate for a job as a research associate include:
- analytical thinking
- strong verbal and written communication
- superior organizational skills
- statistical and graphical data analysis
- attention to detail and quality control
Update Your Resume for Research Associate Jobs
To get results in your job hunt and get seen by your ideal employers, you have to create an attractive resume and a customized research associate cover letter. While many jobs for research associates might be similar in terms of requirements and duties, don’t assume they are all looking for the same type of candidate. Take your time to carefully read the job descriptions and edit your resume to include the right keywords to describe the skills you have that the company is looking for.
Apply our resume tips and cover letter tips to make sure your job applications get noticed. And if you don’t want to start writing your resume from a blank page, download one of our many resume samples and substitute the example data with yours.
Interviewing for a Research Associate Job
There is no reason to fear the job interview process with Monster by your side. Pass your job interview with flying colors using our extensive selection of job interview questions to practice your answers. You can also check out our guide on how to use the STAR method to create complete and satisfactory answers that tell a compelling story while emphasizing your best skills.
How Much Do Research Associate Jobs Pay?
The average research associate salary in the U.S. is $61,261 and ranges from $36,351 to $100,818. High-demand job locations paying above average for this role include San Francisco (CA), Boston (MA) and New York (NY). Visit our salary tool to discover and compare more salaries for related jobs. When evaluating a job offer, also remember to take into consideration more than just its pay, but also benefits like flexible working or unlimited PTO.
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