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Research Assistant Job Description

Research assistants are typically senior students at a university who assist professors with their research in a particular field.

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Research Assistant Job Description Template

We are looking for a focused and detail-oriented research assistant to aid our research project by preparing interviews, summarizing results, and supervising undergraduate students who are involved in the research project.

To be successful as a research assistant you must be able to multitask. A good Research Assistant manages multiple tasks by prioritizing more important duties and creating a schedule in which to complete tasks.

Research Assistant Responsibilities:

• Preparing interview questions and summarizing results.
• Performing literature reviews.
• Conducting research and summarizing findings.
• Responding to emails relating to research.
• Attending project meetings.
• Updating website content.
• Preparing progress reports.
• Checking the work progress of undergraduate students involved in the project.
• Monitoring the project budget.

Research Assistant Requirements:

• Currently studying as a senior student or postgraduate student.
• A degree in a field related to the study.
• Excellent administration skills.
• Knowledge of research methods.
• Ability to multitask.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Excellent time management skills.

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Research assistant interview questions, clinical research coordinator job description, clinical research coordinator interview questions, clinical research associate job description, clinical research associate interview questions.

Job Description Templates

Research Assistant Job Description Template

Need help onboarding international talent.

The role of Research Assistant is instrumental in supporting research teams, contributing to academic projects, and advocating for effective research methodologies.

Below is a job description template crafted specifically for the Research Assistant role. Feel free to use it and tailor it to your specific needs.

About [Company]

This section convinces candidates to apply for a role at your Company instead of another. Include practical information about the Company, as well as details about its culture and values.

[Company] helps [Target] do [x].

[Company] consists of over [x] employees spanning over [x] countries. Our culture combines unity and diversity of culture to drive learning and innovation, improving ourselves and our products.

Delivering unparalleled products in the market is made possible by our cutting-edge technology, unmatched expertise, and a global team, all of which are vital to our success and ensuring customer satisfaction.

Why should you be part of [Company] success story?

• To work with a talented and passionate team dedicated to positively impacting the [Target] industry.
• To grow your skills and knowledge through ongoing training and development opportunities.
• To work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment that rewards creativity, innovation, hard work, and continuous improvement.

We envision a world of [x].

We offer [Target] all the tools they need.

There’s never been a more exciting time to join [Company].

About the Research Assistant role

Consider whether you need a description of the role or prefer to list duties and responsibilities directly as a bullet-point list.

As our Research Assistant at [Company/Organization], you'll play a vital role in supporting research endeavors, ensuring the smooth execution of projects, and contributing to the advancement of knowledge. You will be a key member of the research team, assisting in various aspects of research activities.

As a Research Assistant at [Company/Organization], you'll be tasked with:

• Assisting in the planning and execution of research projects
• Conducting comprehensive literature reviews and synthesizing relevant information
• Collecting, analyzing, and interpreting research data using appropriate methodologies
• Collaborating with researchers, project leaders, and other stakeholders to contribute effectively to research objectives
• Maintaining accurate records of research processes and results
• Assisting in the preparation of research reports, presentations, and publications
• Staying informed about advancements in the field and incorporating relevant findings into ongoing research projects
• Adhering to ethical guidelines and standards in research practices
• Supporting the team in administrative tasks related to research activities
• Fostering a collaborative and productive research environment
• Continuously looking for opportunities for professional development and growth in the field of research

About compensation

The more openly you talk about compensation and benefits, the more honest and attractive your job listing will be. We suggest a brief introduction about the values behind your compensation package, followed by a bullet-point list with the details of what is offered.

• Personal development budget
• Health and wellness budget
• Pension plan
• Insurance contribution
• Off-sites or events

Independent contractors or full-time employees?

Take your picks. Find the best talent for your team and leave the rest to Deel.

Research Assistant Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree (ideally in a relevant field such as computer science, data science, or a related field)
• At least [x] years of experience working as a Research Assistant or in a related research capacity (Research Assistant certification or relevant research experience is preferred)
• A proven track record of contributing to high-quality research projects using rigorous methodologies
• Experience collaborating with interdisciplinary research teams in a dynamic environment
• Demonstrated familiarity with research principles and practices, as well as an understanding of various research methodologies
• Relevant certifications, such as Certified Research Assistant (CRA) or any other relevant research certification
• Proficiency with statistical software, research tools, and platforms like [insert relevant tools/platforms]
• Experience with literature reviews, data collection, and analysis in a research context
• Strong organizational skills to manage research tasks and deadlines effectively

Research Assistant Skills

• A solid understanding of research methodologies and their application
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills within research projects
• Proven problem-solving skills, especially in addressing challenges encountered during the research process
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in data collection and analysis
• Adaptability and the ability to thrive in a research environment with evolving requirements
• A results-oriented mindset with a focus on contributing to impactful research outcomes
• Excellent time management skills to meet research project deadlines
• Positive and proactive attitude towards addressing research-related challenges
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to summarize information from diverse sources
• Capacity for independent work within the context of collaborative research projects

How much does a Research Assistant make?

Determining the exact salary of a Research Assistant can be challenging, as several factors, including geographical location, level of experience, industry, and organizational size, contribute to the overall compensation. Here is a general overview of median salaries for Research Assistants in different regions.

North America:   In North America, particularly in the United States and Canada, Research Assistants typically earn a median annual salary ranging from $40,000 to $60,000.

Europe:   In countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands, median Research Assistant salaries can range from €25,000 to €45,000 annually.

Middle East and North Africa:   Median Research Assistant salaries in countries like the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, or Saudi Arabia can range from $30,000 to $50,000 annually.

Asia-Pacific:   In countries like Australia, Singapore, or Japan, median Research Assistant salaries can range from $35,000 to $55,000.

Additional salary-related considerations

While these figures provide a general indication, it is crucial to consider other factors when comparing salaries across regions:

Cost of living (CoL):   The cost of living can significantly impact the real value of a salary. A higher salary in one region may be offset by a higher cost of living, affecting the overall lifestyle.

Taxes:   Tax rates vary widely between countries and can significantly affect take-home pay. Understanding local tax regulations is essential for an accurate salary comparison.

Social welfare:   Some regions offer robust welfare programs, impacting the overall compensation package. Benefits such as healthcare, retirement plans, and other perks should be considered alongside the base salary.

Market demand:   The demand for Research Assistants can vary, influencing salaries. Salaries may be more competitive in regions with a high demand for research expertise.

While these salary ranges provide a helpful reference point, individuals considering a career as a Research Assistant should conduct thorough research and evaluate each region's broader economic and lifestyle factors.

How to become a Research Assistant

Becoming a Research Assistant involves a combination of education, research skills, and a keen interest in the subject matter. While there isn't a strictly defined path for becoming a Research Assistant, certain common steps can guide individuals aspiring to excel in this role.

Common pathways to becoming a Research Assistant

A strong educational background in a relevant field, such as the natural sciences, social sciences, or humanities, is often essential for aspiring Research Assistants. Formal education provides foundational knowledge and research methodologies.

Research skills

Successful Research Assistants possess strong research skills. This involves understanding research methodologies, literature reviews, and data collection techniques. Building these skills through coursework and hands-on research experience is crucial for career advancement.

Academic writing

Research Assistants should have proficiency in academic writing. Courses or training in writing research proposals, academic papers, and reports can enhance their communication skills in a scholarly context.

Research Assistant education

A bachelor’s or master’s degree in a relevant field is often beneficial for Research Assistants. Specialized coursework in research methods, statistics, and the specific subject area of interest can be particularly valuable.

Research methodologies

Developers should have a solid foundation in various research methodologies. Courses or certifications in qualitative and quantitative research methods, experimental design, or case study analysis can enhance their capabilities.

Data analysis

Understanding data analysis techniques is fundamental for Research Assistants. Formal education or training in statistical analysis software, data interpretation, and visualization is essential for processing research findings.

Academic collaboration

Research Assistants often work closely with academic professionals. Courses or experiences that emphasize collaboration, effective communication, and teamwork can prepare individuals for collaborative research environments.

Alternative career paths

While the conventional path involves education and experience in a specific field, individuals can transition into the role of a Research Assistant from alternative career paths.

Industry experience

Professionals with practical experience in a relevant industry may transition into Research Assistant roles. Their industry-specific knowledge and skills can contribute valuable insights to academic research projects.

Individuals with teaching experience may transition into Research Assistant roles, leveraging their pedagogical skills and understanding of educational research. Their expertise in disseminating information can complement the research process.

Public policy

Professionals with a background in public policy may transition into Research Assistant roles, utilizing their knowledge of policy analysis and research methodologies. Their practical insights can contribute to research in areas such as social sciences and public affairs.

What educational background is typically expected of aspiring Research Assistants?

Research Assistants often have a bachelor's or master's degree in a relevant field, depending on the nature of the research. Fields may include social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, humanities, etc. Research Assistants pursuing advanced research roles may benefit from pursuing a Ph.D.

How important is prior research experience for a Research Assistant role?

While prior research experience is valuable, it's not always mandatory for entry-level Research Assistant positions. Many roles offer on-the-job training, making them suitable for individuals with limited relevant experience. Emphasize relevant coursework, skills, and any internships or projects demonstrating your ability to contribute to research endeavors.

What responsibilities can I expect as a Research Assistant?

Research Assistant responsibilities vary widely based on the field and project. They may involve literature reviews, data collection, experiment design, statistical analysis, and supporting the research team. A good Research Assistant may also contribute to grant writing, and other tasks critical to the research process.

How can I showcase my research skills in a job application or interview?

Showcase your research skills by highlighting relevant coursework, projects, or internships on your resume. Provide details about data analysis tools, methodologies, and statistical techniques you are familiar with. During an interview, discuss your role in research projects, your approach to problem-solving, and any publications or presentations.

Is there a preferred format for a Research Assistant's resume?

While there is no one-size-fits-all format, a Research Assistant's resume should emphasize education, relevant coursework, research experience, and technical skills. Include details about research methodologies, tools used, and any specific contributions to research projects. Tailor your resume to the specific requirements of the job application.

Are there opportunities for career advancement for Research Assistants?

Yes, Research Assistants often have opportunities for career advancement. With additional experience and skills, you may progress to roles with more responsibilities, such as Senior Research Assistant or Research Coordinator. Pursuing further education, obtaining certifications, and actively contributing to research projects can enhance your career prospects.

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Research Assistant Job Description

Research assistant duties & responsibilities.

To write an effective research assistant job description, begin by listing detailed duties, responsibilities and expectations. We have included research assistant job description templates that you can modify and use.

Sample responsibilities for this position include:

Research Assistant Qualifications

Qualifications for a job description may include education, certification, and experience.

Licensing or Certifications for Research Assistant

List any licenses or certifications required by the position: CITI, HIPAA, BLS, CSPO, HTL, HT, IRB, SRS

Education for Research Assistant

Typically a job would require a certain level of education.

Employers hiring for the research assistant job most commonly would prefer for their future employee to have a relevant degree such as Bachelor's and Master's Degree in English, Chinese, Communication, Molecular Biology, Science, Computer, Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Management, Statistics

Skills for Research Assistant

Desired skills for research assistant include:

Desired experience for research assistant includes:

Research Assistant Examples

• Microsoft Word (.docx) .DOCX
• PDF Document (.pdf) .PDF
• Image File (.png) .PNG
• Performs basic statistical data analysis
• Presents at research laboratory meetings and contributes to writing of manuscripts
• Works under supervision and may perform some assignments independently as discussed and approved by Principal Investigator
• Organizes and maintains laboratory
• Maintains mouse colony including record keeping, husbandry, and genotyping
• Performs and supports laboratory research including solution preparation, stereotaxic surgeries, immunohistochemistry, and mouse behavior
• Assists the research team in developing a culturally competent evaluation protocol
• Meets with community leaders to identify opportunities and barriers for implementing protocol
• Develops a social network page for the project and maintains content to keep the page active
• Attends community events to recruit members to the social network
• Familiarity with HIPAA, PHI/PII compliance, is highly desired
• Skills should include a foundational and theoretical understanding of general scientific principles
• Experience working with RNA plant viruses
• Cloning experience
• 3-5 years experience in Medical Device Clinical Affairs or Product Development, in a fast paced environment
• Master’s Degree in the Sciences / Public Health / Management required
• Conduct interviews with subject matter experts
• Perform web-based literature reviews
• Design and create electronic surveys
• Perform qualitative and quantitative data analysis
• Create summary reports of data collection activities
• Attend and provide support at subject-matter expert meetings (some travel required)
• Manage project schedule
• To undertake a research project, in discussion with the grant-holders and other collaborators, including participation in regular planning meetings
• To recruit participants to the study from a database of eligible patients and meet targets for recruitment and study completion
• To perform MEG and MRI scanning, whilst ensuring good quality MRI data is collected using test objects (phantoms) on a regular basis
• Highly organized with the ability to multitask and work under time pressure
• Highly motivated and quantitative-oriented college graduate with excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Able to demonstrate excellent attention to detail, good multi-tasking and problem solving skills, and demonstrated ability to comply with strict deadlines
• Passing CFA exams
• Experience at a financial services company with knowledge of fixed income or equity instruments
• The investigation of a new redesigned chlorination sensor that utilizes colorimetry
• Order and organize lab supplies and equipment, keep records and maintain databases
• Provide clean, sterile glassware and supplies to labs
• Ensure that labs have designated supplies including sterile water
• Train part time/temporary employees on glassware work to be performed
• Responsible for calling in service when needed and communications to team and labs when equipment is in need of repair
• Update lab documentation to ensure glassware labeling is accurate and that services performed are documented for specific labs
• Actively ensure a safe working environment for yourself and teammates
• Transport bagged Bio-Hazard waste via cart and/or truck
• Decontaminate bagged Bio-Hazard waste
• Provide coverage for teammates when needed and participate in building and maintaining a strong team working environment
• 6 months research experience in a biological science or neurobiological science field is required
• High degree of attention to detail and organizational skills is required
• Experience with molecular biology approaches through academic coursework and molecular biology lab experience
• Experience in animal models of traumatic brain injury, including histologic and behavioral outcome measures
• A bachelor’s degree in a field relevant to life science or medical research such as molecular biology, genetics, or biology or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Minimum of one year of progressively responsible experience in a research environment is required
• Participate in laboratory meeting and seminars
• Prepare materials for reports and grant applications
• Perform general laboratory maintenance
• Requisition supplies, specimens and materials
• Organize work areas and care of equipment and maintain inventories of general supplies
• Interact with and help train graduate and undergraduate students
• Work with or train other laboratory personnel or students in research techniques or procedures
• Seek opportunities to enhance one’s own professional knowledge, skills and abilities as they relate to the position
• Perform experiments on mouse vision including surgical induction of elevated intraocular pressure
• Perform histochemical and immunohistochemical evaluation of ocular tissue
• Experience enrolling human participants in research studies
• Must be willing to commute to UW Tacoma campus weekly and data collection sites when needed
• Able to work effectively with people of diverse backgrounds
• Experience developing content to distribute via online social networks
• Experience conducting outreach or recruitment
• Robust understanding of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms
• Actively surveys the scientific / technical literature in his/her area of expertise
• Help to set up test fixtures for mechanical and electrical experiments
• Carry out analyses and interpretation of results
• Participate in other R&D experiments if/as needed
• Analyze satellite data and relate them to health
• Ensure all materials necessary for conducting laboratory or field experiments are prepared properly and promptly
• Assist with tasks such as cleaning, handling, packaging and storing field or laboratory material
• Assist with various other tasks as requested from your work group
• Plan and implement corn nurseries activities with accuracy in close supervision with the Corn-RA
• Give training, develop and supervise temporary employees in field activities, and ensure that the work is performed in safe and efficient manner
• Self-motivated and able to work successfully alone or as a member of a team
• Some knowledge of practical farm operations and the ability to withstand prolonged exposure to various weather conditions are a must
• Must be able to carry out routine oral and written instructions with limited supervision
• Ability to lift up to 75 pounds on a routine and continual basis
• One growing season of related farm or agricultural research support experienced preferred
• General understanding of social psychological, marketing, or organizational behavior scientific theory and methods

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Research Assistant Resume: Sample Job Description & Skills

Research assistants play a vital role in the research process by helping researchers to collect, analyze, and interpret data. They are responsible for conducting experiments, organizing and maintaining data, writing reports, and helping to present research findings. Without their support, researchers would find it difficult to carry out their work effectively.

Brief overview of the article’s purpose and structure

The purpose of this article is to provide guidance to individuals looking to land a job as a research assistant. It explores the job description and skills required for the role, as well as the best practices for crafting an effective resume that will attract the attention of recruiters. The article is structured as follows:

• Section II: Job Description – Describes the roles and responsibilities of a research assistant, including duties such as data analysis and report writing.
• Section III: Skills Required – Outlines the soft and hard skills that research assistants need to possess, including critical thinking, attention to detail, and proficiency with research software.
• Section IV: Resume Writing Tips – Offers advice on crafting an effective resume that highlights relevant skills and experience.
• Section V: Sample Resume – Provides a sample resume that can be used as a template for creating a customized resume.
• Section VI: Conclusion – Summarizes the key takeaways from the article and emphasizes the importance of tailoring one’s application materials to the specific needs of the position.

This article provides both a comprehensive overview of the research assistant role and practical advice for those looking to land a job in this field. By following the tips and guidelines outlined in this article, job seekers can increase their chances of securing a position as a research assistant.

Research Assistant Job Description

In this section, we will define the role and responsibilities of a research assistant.

A. Definition and Scope of a Research Assistant

A research assistant is a professional who aids the research process by collecting and analyzing data, as well as organizing and managing research projects. They work in a range of fields, including academia, industry, government, and non-profit organizations. Research assistants carry out both qualitative and quantitative research methods and help researchers to interpret findings accurately.

B. Types of Research Assistants and their Respective Duties

There are different types of research assistants, each with their specific duties. Research assistants can work in laboratories, academic institutions, or in fields such as healthcare, social sciences, and sciences, among others. The following are some common types of research assistants:

Clinical Research Assistants: Clinical research assistants help collect, organize, and analyze data for medical research studies. They work in healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinical trial sites, and medical centers.

Laboratory Research Assistants: Laboratory research assistants work in the scientific field, assisting laboratory scientists in conducting experiments, data analysis, and report writing. They are responsible for keeping the laboratory equipment and instruments in good condition.

Social Science Research Assistants: Social science research assistants work in the social sciences field, which includes sociology, psychology, and anthropology, among others. They help collect and analyze data, prepare reports, and assist researchers in interpreting their findings.

C. Essential Tasks and Responsibilities of a Research Assistant

Research assistants are expected to carry out different tasks and roles, depending on their field of work. Some of the crucial tasks and responsibilities of a research assistant include:

• Conducting literature reviews and compiling research papers
• Collecting and analyzing data using various tools and methods
• Organizing and managing research projects, including preparing budgets and timelines, and coordinating meetings and communication among team members.
• Administering surveys and questionnaires, as well as conducting or assisting with interviews and focus groups
• Preparing and presenting reports, including data visualization and charts, as well as assisting with writing reports and manuscripts.

Research assistants play an essential role in ensuring the successful completion of research projects. They are responsible for collecting and analyzing data, managing projects, and providing support with research communication, among others. It is essential that research assistants have excellent organizational, critical thinking, and communication skills, as well as familiarity with research tools and methods.

Key Skills Required by Research Assistant

Research assistants are key members of the research team who perform a vital role in supporting academic and scholarly research. The skills required to be a successful research assistant can be grouped into three broad categories:

A. Soft skills and personal qualities

Successful research assistants must possess a range of soft skills and personal qualities that are essential to the research process, such as:

• Attention to detail  is a critical skill as research data needs to be accurate and free of errors.
• Time management skills  are essential as research projects often have tight deadlines.
• Effective communication skills  are necessary as the research assistant will be required to communicate findings, discuss research methods, and present data to their supervisors and team members.
• Organization skills  are vital to keeping track of important deadlines, managing data, and following protocols.
• Work ethic  is crucial as the job requires diligence, hard work, and dedication.

B. Technical skills required for research assistance

Research assistants require both technical and research-specific skills to effectively support research projects. Technical skills required include:

• Proficiency in relevant computer software  such as Microsoft Office, statistical software like SPSS, and other data analysis applications.
• Data management skills  necessary to efficiently compile, store, and analyze research data in various formats.
• Research methodology knowledge  is important to gain a better understanding of the research process, design, and methodology.
• Critical thinking and analytical ability  to support research projects through evaluating data and results, spotting trends, and making recommendations.

C. Educational qualifications and experience required

To become a successful research assistant, certain educational qualifications, and experience are mandatory. These include:

• A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field  such as psychology, sociology, economics, public policy or a field related to the specific research project. A master’s or doctoral degree may also be required for more advance research roles.
• Prior research experience  in a related area is preferred, but not always required.
• General knowledge and understanding of the subject matter . Specialization in a specific area shines a light on the applicant as an ideal candidate for the role.
• Attention to detail and ability to follow instructions  are critical in research for producing accurate results required for research-based publications and presentations.

Successful research assistants not only need the technical skills required for research, but also the intellectual curiosity, attention to detail, and interpersonal skills necessary to work effectively with other researchers.

Research Assistant Resume Writing

Research assistants play a crucial role in the field of academic research, but their contributions often go unnoticed due to the lack of impressive resumes. Whether you are a fledgling researcher or an experienced professional, a well-tailored resume can make or break your job prospects.

A. Importance of a Well-Tailored Resume

A well-crafted resume is your first and sometimes only chance to leave a lasting impression on a potential employer. It should quickly highlight your key strengths, accomplishments, and qualifications while conveying your enthusiasm for the position. A generic resume that fails to address the specific needs and requirements of the job in question is unlikely to make an impact.

B. Elements of a Research Assistant Resume

The most effective research assistant resumes are tailored to the needs of the employer and industry. The following elements should be included:

• A strong headline or objective statement that effectively summarizes your qualifications and career goals.
• A well-organized and concise summary of your academic qualifications and relevant work experience.
• A list of your technical skills, including software programs, lab equipment, and research methodologies.
• A summary of any publications, presentations, or other academic achievements.
• Any relevant extracurricular activities or volunteering experience that demonstrate your passion for the field.

C. Common Mistakes to Avoid in Resume Writing

With so much riding on a single document, it is easy to make simple mistakes that can derail your job search. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid:

• A lack of attention to detail, including common spelling and grammar errors.
• Failing to tailor your resume to the specific needs of the job in question.
• Overclaiming or exaggerating your skills and accomplishments.
• Failing to highlight your relevant qualifications and experience.
• Including irrelevant information or personal details.

A well-crafted research assistant resume can set you apart from the competition and increase your chances of landing your dream job. By avoiding common mistakes, highlighting your key strengths, and tailoring your resume to the needs of the employer, you can make a strong impression and open doors to exciting career opportunities.

Dos and Don’ts of Writing a Research Assistant Cover Letter

When it comes to applying for a research assistant position, the cover letter is just as important as the resume. The cover letter gives you the opportunity to showcase your writing skills, highlight your qualifications, and make a great first impression on the hiring manager.

A. Explanation of cover letter importance

The cover letter is your chance to introduce yourself to the employer and explain why you are the right fit for the job. It’s important to remember that the cover letter is your first point of contact with the employer, so make sure it’s well-written, tailored to the job, and showcases your enthusiasm for the position.

Your cover letter should explain why you’re interested in the position, what you can bring to the table, and how you can contribute to the team. It should also address any specific requirements or qualifications listed in the job description.

B. Dos and don’ts of writing a cover letter for a research assistant position

• Address your cover letter to the hiring manager by name
• Tailor your cover letter to the job and company
• Begin with a strong opening that catches the employer’s attention
• Highlight your skills and experience relevant to the job
• Provide specific examples to support your qualifications
• Express your enthusiasm for the job and company
• End with a call to action, such as requesting an interview or further discussion
• Use a generic or non-specific opening
• Submit a cover letter that’s too long or too short
• Include irrelevant or unnecessary information
• Use a casual or unprofessional tone
• Neglect to proofread for errors and typos

C. Guidelines for customizing a cover letter for a job application

When customizing your cover letter, make sure to:

• Review the job description and company information thoroughly
• Identify the specific skills and qualifications the employer is looking for
• Highlight your relevant experience and accomplishments
• Use keywords and phrases from the job description to ensure your cover letter gets through any automated resume screening software
• Personalize your cover letter by addressing the employer by name and mentioning specific details about the company, such as recent successes or projects

Remember that your cover letter should be a professional introduction that showcases your qualifications and potential contribution to the employer. Follow these dos and don’ts to ensure your cover letter stands out and puts you on the path to landing your dream job as a research assistant.

Essential Tips for Crafting Research Assistant Resume

If you’re looking for a job as a research assistant, then crafting a well-crafted and compelling resume is key to landing the job you want. Here are some essential tips to help you craft a winning research assistant resume.

A. Relevant Format and Layout for a research assistant resume

The format and layout of your resume are essential to how it is received by hiring managers. Your resume should be clear, concise, and easy to read. A chronological resume format is ideal for research assistants because it highlights the work experience you have in chronological order, showcasing your growth and achievements. Make sure your resume is easy to read by using bullet points, clear section headers, and white space.

B. Tips for showcasing skills and experiences

Your research assistant resume should highlight your experience and skills as well as showcase how they can be applied in a research setting. Start by highlighting any relevant research experience you have, highlighting the position, department, and duration. Then focus on your technical skills and competencies, especially in areas like data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Also, highlight your ability to collaborate with different professionals and the ability to work independently.

C. Details that should be mentioned in a research assistant resume

Your resume should also highlight any relevant skills, certifications, and qualifications you have that would make you a great candidate. This could include your education, coursework, or research experience, including any research projects, publications, or presentations you were part of. In addition, be sure to highlight any relevant social media skills, experience conducting online research, and other forms of digital literacy that would be relevant to the job. Finally, include any volunteer work, internships, or extracurricular activities that highlight your interests and skills.

Sample Job Description for Research Assistant

As a research assistant, your role is to provide support to researchers in their work, ranging from conducting experiments and collecting data to managing documents and analyzing results. Below is an overview of a sample job posting for a research assistant, along with an analysis of the required skills and qualifications, as well as the expected responsibilities mentioned in the job posting.

A. Overview of a Sample Job Posting for a Research Assistant

Job Title: Research Assistant Employer: XYZ Institution Location: Anytown, USA

Job Summary: We are seeking a highly motivated individual with strong research skills to join our team as a research assistant. The successful candidate will work on a range of research projects in the fields of biology and neuroscience, providing technical and administrative support to our principal investigators.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct experimental procedures, including data collection and analysis
• Manage laboratory equipment and ensure proper procedures are followed
• Prepare and maintain laboratory documents and records
• Collaborate with other researchers to troubleshoot experimental issues
• Prepare research reports and presentations for dissemination

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (biology, neuroscience, psychology, etc.)
• Familiarity with laboratory procedures and equipment
• Strong organizational and communication skills
• Proficiency in statistical analysis software (e.g. SPSS)
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment

B. Analysis of the Required Skills and Qualifications

To be considered for this research assistant position, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in a related field and familiarity with laboratory procedures and equipment. Strong organizational and communication skills are also required, as well as proficiency in statistical analysis software like SPSS. Additionally, the candidate should be able to work both independently and within a team environment, collaborating with other researchers to troubleshoot experimental issues.

C. Expected Responsibilities Mentioned in the Job Posting

The job posting for a research assistant at XYZ Institution outlines several expected responsibilities for the successful candidate. These include conducting experimental procedures, managing laboratory equipment, maintaining laboratory documents and records, and preparing research reports and presentations for dissemination. The successful candidate will also be expected to collaborate with other researchers to troubleshoot experimental issues, demonstrating their ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

This sample job posting for a research assistant role requires a candidate with a Bachelor’s degree in a related field, familiarity with laboratory procedures and equipment, strong organizational and communication skills, proficiency in statistical analysis software, and the ability to work independently and as part of a team. The expected responsibilities include a range of tasks related to supporting research projects in the fields of biology and neuroscience.

Sample Resume for Research Assistant

A. example of a research assistant resume.

Below is an example of a research assistant resume:

Name:  Emily Johnson

Contact:   [email protected]  | (555) 123-4567

Summary:  Detail-oriented and dedicated Research Assistant with two years of experience in conducting research in the fields of psychology and sociology. Proficient in data collection and analysis, literature review, and research report writing. Seeking to leverage my skills and experience in a challenging research role.

Bachelor of Science in Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Master of Arts in Sociology, University of California, Berkeley

Experience:

Research Assistant   University of California, Los Angeles   February 2019 – Present

Collect and organize research data using various software programs such as SPSS and Qualtrics

Conduct literature reviews and summarize findings

Assist in writing research reports and manuscripts for publication

Present research findings at conferences and meetings

Research Intern   University of California, Berkeley   May 2018 – August 2018

Designed and implemented surveys for data collection

Conducted data analysis using SPSS

Assisted in organizing and conducting interviews with research participants

Created visual aids for research presentations

B. Explanation of the structure and elements included in the sample resume

This sample research assistant resume follows a clear and concise structure that highlights the candidate’s skills and experiences. It starts with a brief summary that showcases the candidate’s strengths and what they bring to the role.

The resume includes relevant education and work experience, starting with the most recent position. It provides insight into the applicant’s responsibilities and accomplishments, and highlights skills that are relevant to research work.

C. Key skills and experiences that the sample resume highlights

Emily’s resume highlights several key skills and experiences, including:

Demonstrated experience in data collection and analysis using software programs such as SPSS and Qualtrics

Experience in conducting literature reviews and summarizing findings

Proficiency in writing research reports and manuscript for publication

Experience in presenting research findings at conferences and meetings

Strong communication and presentation skills

Ability to design and implement surveys for data collection

Knowledge of research interviewing techniques

This sample research assistant resume demonstrates the candidate’s strengths and experience in conducting research in various fields. The clear structure and focus on key skills and experiences make it an effective tool for prospective employers to assess the applicant’s suitability for the role.

Summary of Research Assistant Job Market

The job market for research assistants is expanding at a fast pace, with an increasing demand for skilled and experienced professionals in this field. The role of a research assistant is to support primary researchers in conducting research activities and analyzing results.

A. Overview of the Job Market for Research Assistants

Research assistants typically work in industries such as academic research, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. The job market for research assistants is highly competitive, with many candidates possessing relevant degrees in fields such as science, social science, and healthcare.

B. Explanation of Trends and Outlook for Research Assistant Positions

The trends in the research assistant job market indicate a significant growth in demand for skilled professionals in this field. The use of big data and analytics in various industries has increased the need for research assistants who can help analyze large data sets and interpret results. Additionally, with the outbreak of COVID-19, the healthcare industry has seen a surge in demand for research assistants to help develop vaccines, drugs, and therapies.

The outlook for research assistant positions is positive, with an expected job growth rate of 9% from 2019 to 2029, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This growth rate is higher than the average for all occupations, making research assistant positions an attractive career option.

C. Comparison of Salaries and Employment Opportunities Across Different Industries

The salaries for research assistant positions can vary greatly depending on the industry, location, and level of experience. According to Glassdoor, the average annual salary for a research assistant in the United States is $39,813 per year. However, this can range from $26,000 to $62,000 per year, depending on the factors mentioned above.

When it comes to employment opportunities across different industries, academic research and healthcare offer the most opportunities for research assistants. Non-profit organizations and government agencies also offer employment opportunities, albeit on a smaller scale.

The research assistant job market offers great opportunities for skilled and experienced professionals with backgrounds in science, social science, and healthcare. With the expected job growth rate and attractive salaries, research assistant positions are a great option for individuals seeking a fulfilling and challenging career in research.

How to Prepare for a Research Assistant Interview

As a research assistant, you’ll be responsible for helping researchers in their quest for knowledge. In order to land a job as a research assistant, you’ll likely need to prepare for an interview. Here’s an overview of the interview process, tips for preparing, and common interview questions you may encounter:

A. Explanation of a Research Assistant Interview Process

The interview process for a research assistant position will typically involve one or more interviews with the hiring team. These interviews might be conducted in person, via telephone, or through video conferencing software. During the interview, you can expect to be asked questions about your qualifications, research experience, and your ability to work independently.

B. Tips for Preparing for an Interview

To prepare for an interview as a research assistant, you should:

• Research the company, the role, and the research field thoroughly.
• Review the job description and make sure you have a good understanding of the skills required for the job.
• Prepare to discuss projects you’ve worked on and any research experience you have.
• Anticipate common interview questions and prepare thoughtful responses.
• Consider preparing questions to ask the interviewer about the role and the company at large.
• Dress appropriately and get a good night’s sleep before the interview.

C. Common Interview Questions for a Research Assistant

During an interview for a research assistant position, you may encounter these common interview questions:

• Why are you interested in this role as a research assistant?
• How do you manage time and stay organized when juggling multiple projects?
• Can you explain a time when you had to troubleshoot a problem during a research project?
• What computer programs and software packages are you comfortable using for data analysis and management?
• How do you ensure accuracy and attention to detail in your work?
• Can you explain a research project you worked on from start to finish?
• How do you plan to contribute to our team and research in this role?

Preparing thoughtful responses to these and other common interview questions can help you leave a great impression on the hiring team and increase your chances of getting the job.

Sample Interview Questions & Answers

As a research assistant, it’s important to be prepared for common interview questions that may come your way. Here are some examples of common interview questions that you may encounter:

A. Examples of common interview questions:

• What inspired you to pursue a career in research?
• What experience do you have in conducting research?
• How do you stay current with the latest research trends?
• Can you describe a time when you had to work under a tight deadline?
• What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses as a research assistant?
• How do you prioritize your tasks and manage your time effectively?
• Can you give an example of a research project you worked on and what you contributed to it?

B. Corresponding answers to each question:

• I have always been curious about how things work and enjoy problem-solving. Research allows me to explore these interests while making meaningful contributions to the advancement of knowledge.
• I have experience conducting literature reviews, collecting and analyzing data, and presenting findings. For example, in my previous role as a research intern, I assisted in a project that looked at the effects of climate change on plant populations.
• I regularly read academic journals and attend conferences to stay up-to-date with the latest research and methodologies. Additionally, I am part of a research group where we discuss current trends and collaborate on projects.
• In my previous role, we were tasked with completing a report for a deadline that was only two weeks away. To ensure we met the deadline, we divided up the workload and set specific milestones to complete each day.
• I believe my biggest strength is my attention to detail, which helps me catch errors that may otherwise be missed. However, my weakness is that I sometimes struggle with delegating tasks as I like to have full control of the project.
• I prioritize my tasks by assessing their level of urgency and importance. I also use a planner to organize my to-do list and schedule specific time slots for completing each task.
• I worked on a research project that looked at the effectiveness of different teaching methods in a local elementary school. My contribution was conducting classroom observations and analyzing the data to identify trends and patterns.

C. Analysis of how to prepare better answers for interview questions:

Preparing for an interview is key to making a good impression and showcasing your skills and abilities as a research assistant. Here are some tips on how to prepare better answers for interview questions:

• Research the company: Before your interview, research the company to gain an understanding of its values, mission, and work culture. This will help you tailor your answers to align with the company’s goals and objectives.
• Practice your responses: Practice your responses to common interview questions with a friend or family member. This will not only help you feel more confident but also allow you to refine your answers based on feedback.
• Highlight your relevant experience: Review your past research experiences and identify specific projects or tasks that demonstrate your skills and qualifications for the position. Be prepared to discuss these experiences and highlight the impact you made.
• Quantify your achievements: Whenever possible, quantify your achievements to provide tangible evidence of your abilities. For example, if you contributed to a research project that resulted in a publication, mention the number of citations or the impact factor of the journal.
• Show your adaptability: Research environments can be dynamic and require flexibility. Discuss instances where you adapted to changing circumstances, embraced new methodologies or technologies, and successfully overcame challenges.
• Demonstrate your teamwork skills: Research often involves collaboration and teamwork. Share examples of projects where you worked effectively in a team, highlighting your communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution skills.
• Ask questions: Prepare a few thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer about the research team, ongoing projects, or the company’s future direction. This demonstrates your interest and engagement in the role.

Remember to be confident, enthusiastic, and genuine during the interview. By thoroughly preparing and showcasing your skills and experiences, you’ll increase your chances of impressing the interviewer and landing the research assistant position you desire.

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You are not doing enough to advance your career if you’re doing next to nothing to improve your research assistant resume.

Experts will tell you that to compete in the job market, you need to step up and up-skill.

While this is true, it isn’t the full story.

Having all the skills in the world will do nothing for you if your resume does not articulate these skills enough to attract the attention of the recruiter.

Without the recruiter’s attention, you will never get the shortlist that you want.

So your goal is to create an impactful research assistant resume that sufficiently and efficiently talks about your skills & capabilities.

Here’s a summary of our Research Assistant Resume 2022 Blog:

• Use the reverse chronological order across all sections in your research resume: this resume format is the preferred format for writing resumes.
• Compose the professional experience section of your research resume with crisp one-liner points to enhance the readability of your research assistant resume.
• Try to organically incorporate the keywords used by the recruiter in your target job-listing wherever possible in your research assistant resume. This enhances your chances of a shortlist as you can demonstrate to the recruiter that you have the skills that they are looking for.

Our Research Assistant Resume 2022 Guide will leave no stones unturned to make you self-sufficient at writing a resume so powerful, that no recruiter will have the heart to turn it away.

By the end of this blog, you will be able to write a job-winning research assistant resume while simultaneously learning:

• Why is a research assistant resume important?
• What is the ideal resume format to create your research assistant resume?
• How to highlight your research experience on resume in the best possible manner.
• How to correctly include your personal details in a research assistant resume.
• How to optimize your skills section to effectively highlight your core strengths.

. . . All so you can get the job that you want!

This blog will get into the specifics of each element in your resume, which will help you write a power-packed resume so flavorful, that it will be overflowing with perfection.

In the meanwhile, you can use Hiration's Online Resume Builder to write a masterpiece of a resume for a hassle-free experience.

Our Resume Builder is stocked with a huge library of examples and a research assistant resume sample that will blow your mind!

All you have to do is fill the details and you’re done. Your perfect research assistant resume is good to go. It’s that simple.

Here’s a list of all that you will learn in this blog:

Research Assistant Job Description

[ Back to Table of Content ]

Research Assistants compile information, make reports, write research papers, conduct surveys, do fieldwork, organize seminars, etc.

They are primarily responsible for providing research support and assistance to the organizations or individuals that they work with. This is the mainstay of their work.

They are also responsible for a lot of other roles & responsibilities which may vary according to the type of research setting they work in.

Research Assistants are often employed by:

• medical research centers
• think tanks
• consulting firms
• public interest groups
• polling organizations
• market research firms

Research Assistant Sample Resume

Before we begin, take a look at our research assistant resume sample to know what an ideal research assistant resume should look like:

• Data Collection & Compilation
• Conducting Seminars
• Organizing Workshops
• Fact Finding
• Conducting Surveys
• Drafting Research Proposals
• Research Assistance
• Writing Research Papers
• Assisted in the envisioning, planning, implementation & coordination of 10+ seminars & workshops
• Conducted 5+ surveys and went for field work to find facts to support research with authentic information
• Submitted research papers on "the nature of globalization of terror" which featured in many university journals
• Compiled information from journals, research papers , e-books, etc., and read primary sources to support research
• Awarded as the " Best Research Assistant" of the decade for my extraordinary & consistent contribution in research
• Top 10% of the class
• Languages : English, Spanish, Mandarin and French

Research Assistant Salary Analysis: How much money do research assistants make?

Mentioned below is a list of a research assistant salary according to the information given on various websites:

• Glassdoor : $20.8k – 45.5k per year
• Payscale : $29.9k – 52.1k per year
• Ziprecruiter : $20.5k – 53k per year

What is a Research Assistant Resume & why do you need it?

To make it in life as a research assistant, you need to first bag the research assistant job. And to get your ideal job as a research assistant, you need a highly impressive research assistant resume.

Without your research assistant resume, you’re like a lost duck with no head.

But why is your research resume important?

Your research resume is important because it summarizes the highlights of your career and gives a quick overview of your skills and accomplishments.

It communicates this information to the recruiter. Based on this information, a recruiter decides if you are worthy of the job in question or not.

In today’s world, you can’t just waltz into the office of your dreams without prior appointment.

Hiring in today’s world involves a step-by-step process wherein the recruiter first goes through your resume, shortlist you for the job, gives you an interview call, and based on how the interview goes, rolls out an employment offer.

The recruiter goes through your resume as part of the initial process. You can’t jump the first step and get to the final round.

Hence, your resume is important.

When we talk about the importance of your resume in all this, we are talking about the need for a thoughtfully structured ATS-targeted resume that will get you the shortlist that you want.

ATS or Applicant Tracking System, as it is famously called, is a recruitment tool that recruiters use to shortlist candidates. The higher you rank in the ATS, the higher are your chances of a shortlist.

A mere resume is not the need of the day. You need an ATS-targeted research assistant resume.

And here’s the best part: we are here to teach you how to write it!

In the meanwhile, get your existing research assistant resume professionally reviewed by Hiration’s Resume Review Service.

Keep an eye out on the bottom left corner of this page for out AI-powered resume review service to get an in-depth review of your resume within seconds!

Research Assistant Resume Sections

To write the ideal research assistant resume, you need to objectively fill out each section. Given below is a list of the sections that you should write in your research assistant resume:

• Personal Information
• Profile Title
• Summary/Objective
• Professional Experience
• Certifications (if any)
• Additional Information (if any)

In the meanwhile, read more about resume sections on Hiration's Guide to sections in a resume .

Additionally, you can use Hiration’s Online Resume Builder to stand a high chance of getting shortlisted for the research assistant job of your dreams.

It comes with a huge library of pre-filled research assistant resume templates that you can personalize to suit your specific qualifications and work history.

How to write a Research Assistant Resume

When it comes to writing the perfect research assistant resume, you are expected to abide by certain rules & regulations. As part of these rules, there are 3 stages in resume writing that you should follow. We have listed them below:

Master Research Assistant Resume

• First draft of your Research Assistant Resume
• Final draft of your Research Assistant Resume

Drafting the master research assistant resume is the first stage in the 3-stage resume writing process.

In this stage, all you have to do is compile all your work-related information in one place. This includes your internships, volunteering activities, your education, and your work experience in all the previous organizations that you have worked with.

When you compile all the information in one place, you eliminate the need to explicitly look for information.

This makes it easy to cherry-pick and single out the relevant information, which further helps you compose your resume in the present, and update it in the future.

First Draft of Research Assistant Resume

As part of the second stage of resume writing, you need to compose the first draft of your research assistant resume.

In this stage, you have to compose the following sections:

• Personal information
• Profile title
• Work experience
• Certification
• Awards & recognition
• Additional information

Final draft of Research Assistant Resume

As part of the third and final stage of writing your research assistant resume, you need to compose two sections. We have listed them below:

• Compose the key skills section : To do justice to this section, all you have to do is identify your core skills from the professional experience section of your research assistant resume and objectively single them out in the “key skills” section of your resume.
• Compose the summary or objective section : Write a research assistant resume summary if you have over 3 years of work experience. If you don’t, write a research assistant resume objective instead.

How to write a Research Assistant Resume: Conclusion

Follow the three stages that we have mentioned above to write a research assistant resume with the perfection that you strive for.

You can also use Hiration's Online Resume Builder to effortlessly build a research assistant resume without any dilly-dally.

Our Resume Builder is stocked with ready-to-use research assistant resume templates that you can personalize to suit your needs and requirements.

Ideal resume format for your Research Assistant Resume

There are 3 types of resume formats:

Reverse Chronological Resume : This resume format which approaches time from a reverse order i.e. from the most recent to the least recent. In this format style, your most recent work experience comes first followed by the second recent, and so on. Functional Resume Format : This is the best resume format for those professionals who have a gap in their work experience. In this resume format, you have to simply make a summary of your skills without getting into the details of the timeline of your work experience. By focusing on your key skills, this resume format hides the potential gaps in your work experience. Combination/Hybrid Resume Format : This resume format is ideal for most working professionals. It is a combination of the reverse-chronological and functional resume format. In this format, you have to highlight your work experience section in reverse chronological order and replace your conventional summary with a summary of your key skills using points and bucketing & bolding.

Writing a perfect research assistant resume demands that you perfect each element of your resume. This includes the resume format.

Which resume format is best for you depends on a lot of factors.

For instance, for those with gaps in their work experience, the ideal resume format is the functional resume format.

But for most professionals, a reverse chronological resume format is the ideal format.

It is easy to compose, and it also has the added benefit of being ATS-targeted.

Resume experts around the world are also of the opinion that the Reverse Chronological Order is the most ideal format for writing resumes.

Hiration Pro Tip : To stand a better chance at getting shortlisted, use the Reverse Chronological Format.

This resume format prioritizes your most recent work experience.

By giving it #1 priority, this resume format sees to it that the most relevant work experience of your career is the first thing that the recruiter notices while going through your resume.

Moreover, the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) also prefers this format over other resume formats.

Conclusion: Use the Reverse Chronological Resume Format to write a research assistant resume that is both relevant and ATS-targeted.

To know more about resume formats, you can read Hiration’s Blog on Resume Formats .

Research Assistant Resume: Professional Experience

The professional experience section of your research assistant resume is important.

It communicates the following things to the recruiter:

• The name of the organizations that you have worked with.
• Your designation in these organizations.
• Your roles & responsibilities.
• Your skills and areas of proficiency.
• The highlights of your career.

The points that we have mentioned above are relevant details of your identity as a professional. These details are summarized in the professional experience section of your research resume.

The way you describe your professional experience, the words you use to describe it, and the structure you use – they are important. They ensure that you can communicate the above information in an efficient and impactful manner.

So, you should prioritize this section and try to perfect it.

Here are three ways that you can accomplish this:

• Use the STAR format.
• Use points to communicate your roles & responsibilities.
• Use bolding & bucketing alongside points for maximum impact.

Before we get into the details of these points, read Hiration's Blog on how to compose the work experience in your resume for a richer and more-detailed guide on how to tackle the professional experience section.

STAR Format

The STAR in your STAR format stands for:

• S stands for Situation : Talk about the situation in which you were assigned a task.
• T stands for Task : Discuss the task that was assigned to you.
• A stands for Action : Communicate the action you took to accomplish the task.
• R stands for Result : Discuss the result of your actions using performance figures.

When you write your resume, you need to establish a concrete cause-effect relationship in every one-liner point of your resume. This is accomplished when you use the STAR format resume.

The cause-effect relationship helps you direct the recruiter’s attention to the quantifiable aspects of your contribution to the organizations that you have worked with.

Quantifying your contribution makes your resume more informative and grabs the recruiter's attention as he gets a fair idea of your skills and the promising aspects of your skills.

This makes you an interesting candidate in the eyes of the recruiter, which further enhances your chances of a shortlist.

Our advice?

Use the STAR format to compose the professional experience section of your research assistant resume.

Framing Points in your Research Assistant Resume

There are two types of people when it comes to making resumes:

• Person 1: Uses long paragraphs
• Person 2: Uses points to talk about their roles & responsibilities

If you are person 1, you are probably in the habit of talking about your professional work experience in the form of paragraphs.

If this is the case, it is high time that you stop the use of paragraphs and start using points to get into the details of your work experience.

You probably don’t know this yet, but, the use of paragraphs can kill your chances of a shortlist. Moreover, paragraphs are difficult to read and comprehend.

Here are two examples to demonstrate this point.

"As part of my past work experience as a research assistant, I assisted in the envisioning, planning, implementation & coordination of seminars & workshops while simultaneously conducting surveys and going for fieldwork to find facts to support the think tank’s research undertaking with authentic information. I also wrote and submitted research papers on "the nature of globalization of terror" which featured in many university journals, which gave more exposure to the think tank’s research, which contributed to building authority for the work that we have done. I was also part of fact-finding as my role in the organization demanded that I compile information from journals, research papers, e-books, etc., and read primary sources to support research. The biggest highlight of my career at the think tank was when I was awarded the title of the "Best Research Assistant of the decade” for my extraordinary & consistent contribution in research".

• Assisted in the envisioning, planning, implementation & coordination of seminars & workshops
• Conducted surveys and went for fieldwork to find facts to support research with authentic information
• Submitted research papers on "the nature of globalization of terror" which featured in many university journals
• Compiled information from journals, research papers, e-books, etc., and read primary sources to support research
• Awarded as the "Best Research Assistant" of the decade for my extraordinary & consistent contribution in research

Framing points: Analysis

If you carefully observe both examples, you will find that:

• Example 1 uses paragraphs while example 2 uses points to communicate the same message. They are both saying the same things.
• Example 2 is more organized, reader-friendly, and easier to comprehend than example 1.
• Example 1, which is in the form of a paragraph, is hard to read vis-à-vis example 2, which is easy to read.
• The bulkiness of the paragraph used in example 1 discourages the reader from reading the example all the way through.
• The reader is more likely to read example 2 in its entirety as compared to example 1.
• Conclusion: when you write your research assistant resume, use points. Do not use paragraphs.

Bucketing & Bolding in your Research Assistant Resume

Here’s something we haven’t told you:

Using points to describe the details of your roles & responsibilities makes your research assistant resume more readable.

However, it does absolutely nothing to enhance the effectiveness of your resume.

If your research assistant resume is not effective, it will not be impactful.

If it isn’t impactful, you cannot impress the recruiter, which means you will not get shortlisted for the job.

Framing points makes your resume more readable, while bucketing & bolding makes your resume more effective, and in turn, more impactful.

Here are two examples to demonstrate this:

Conducting Surveys & Workshops

• Conducted surveys and went for field work to find facts to support research with authentic information

Data Compilation & Writing Research Papers

Key Achievements

Bucketing & Bolding: Analysis

• While both examples are readable, example 2 is more organized and more readable than example 1. It is also more effectively articulated than example 1.
• In example 2, bucketing & bolding is used. Points are more neatly organized under specific subheadings and the key highlight of your work is emphasized using bolding.
• This draws the reader’s attention to certain words under each point. This eliminates the need to read each point: one after another.
• The bucketing & bolding method that we have used in example 2 enables the reader to quickly identify the core strengths of the applicant without going through the trouble of reading each point.
• Conclusion: Using points is not enough. Use bucketing & bolding alongside points to enhance the effectiveness of your research resume.

Take a glimpse at our research assistant resume sample to know what a perfect research resume professional experience section should look like:

Research Assistant Resume: Header

Your resume header is an important section of your research assistant resume.

Make one mistake, and your resume might get confused or mixed up with the piles and piles of resumes that are clustered in the recruiter’s files.

Thus, your resume header should be accurately composed.

Hiration Pro Tip : Your full name should always feature as the resume header of your resume. Do not write 'CV/Resume' on the top

Given below is a list of things that you should remember while composing this section:

• Your full name is the de-facto resume header of your research assistant resume.
• It should be written on the extreme top of your research assistant resume.
• Give a single space between your first name and last name and write them in the font range of 16-20 font size.
• If your name is Allen Harper, write it on your resume header as Allen Harper.
• If your name is Allen Charlie Harper, write it as Allen C. Harper.
• The correct format of writing your resume header if you have a middle name is: write your first name, followed by a space, followed by the first initial of your middle name in capital letter, followed by a full stop, followed by a space, followed by your last name

Would you like to learn more about composing on-point resume headers?

If the answer is yes, head straight away to our Hiration’s Guide To Writing The Perfect Resume Header .

Do you have an existing resume that is not getting you shortlisted?

Find the flaws in your research resume and learn how to rectify them by getting your existing research assistant resume professionally reviewed by our resume experts using Hiration’s Resume Review Service!

Moving on, here's a research assistant resume example demonstrating the ideal resume header for your researcher resume:

Research Assistant Resume: Personal Information

The personal information section of your research assistant resume is the most basic section of your resume.

It should feature the following elements:

• Updated mobile number
• Professional email address

Here’s something no one has told you:

This section should be accurately composed. You cannot afford to make the simplest of mistakes in this section because the personal information section gives away your contact-related information such as your mobile number, email ID, and your location.

This information enables the recruiter to get in touch with you.

Without this information, the recruiter cannot get in touch with you.

Write one letter or number wrong, and you will never get a call-back from the recruiter, even if the recruiter desperately wants to hire you!

Hiration Pro Tip : The personal information section of your research assistant resume should be accurately filled to ensure that your contact information: both email and mobile number is within reasonable reach of the recruiter

Curate an accurate personal information section that reflects professionalism with Hiration's Guide to composing your contact information to ensure that you never miss an interview call from the recruiter.

Check out our research assistant resume sample to get a sense of how to perfect the personal information section of your researcher resume:

Updated Mobile Number

Write your mobile number with the following guidelines in mind:

• Use your country’s ISD code as a prefix before your phone number
• Put a plus sign (+) before the ISD code
• Write your updated mobile number after the ISD code
• Eg: +1 65232 31981

E-mail Address

The best and only way of correctly writing your email address in your research assistant resume is mentioned below:

[email protected]

You should follow the following guidelines to correctly compose the location of your research assistant resume:

• In the language of resume, location means your current city of residence. It does not mean your house address, street name, or locality name.
• The location should be written on the rightmost corner of your research resume.
• Write your city name and state name if you’re looking for a job in the same country.
• Write your city name and country name if you’re looking for a job in another country.

Research Assistant Resume: Profile Title

You should follow the guidelines that we have mentioned below to write your profile title with perfection:

• Write your resume title in the size range of 14-16 font size.
• Your resume title is the second-largest text in your resume after your resume header.
• For example: If you are a research assistant, your profile title should be written as “Research Assistant” in 14-16 font size.

Research resumes with impeccable profile titles should look this:

Research Assistant Resume: Education

When it comes to composing the education section of your research resume, you should mention the elements that we have mentioned below:

• Name of the school/university you have attended
• Name of the courses you have pursued
• The location of your school/university
• Enrollment and graduation dates in the month and year format

The point is the education section of your research assistant resume matters. Learn to perfect it by reading an in-depth explanation of Hiration's Guide on how to list education on your resume .

Education sections of perfect research resumes look like this:

Research Assistant Resume: Certifications

When you apply for a job, everything matters.

The certifications you have done are just as important as the rest of the sections of your resume. It gives you an extra edge over others who may not have done the same certifications as you.

Recruiters are always on the lookout for talented people who go the extra mile to build credibility.

Certifications are a great way of proving your credibility.

Mentioned below is a list of what you should write in the certifications section of your research assistant resume:

• Name of the certification
• Name of the institution of affiliation
• Location of the certifying body
• Enrollment and completion date in the month and year format

Arrange these points in the format that we have mentioned below:

{Name of certification} | {Affiliating Institution} | {Location} | {Date} (in month and year format)

Learn more about the certification sections and how to put research on resume by reading all about it on Hiration's Guide on listing certifications on a resume to learn the art of perfecting this section.

Research Assistant Resume Key Skills Sections

The key skills section of your resume can make or break your job application.

Do it perfectly, and you’ll have the world to your name.

Recruiters tend to scan through the key skills section of your resume to look for target qualities and skills in a job applicant.

Perfecting this section at all costs is the need of the hour.

Here’s what you can do to perfect this section:

• Go through your professional experience section, identify your core skills and list them down in the key skills section of your research assistant resume in not more than 2 – 3 words
• Highlight your key skills in bold
• Analyze the keywords used by the recruiter in your target job listing, then replicate them in the key skills section of your resume if it matches your work responsibilities in the past

Perfecting the key skills section of your research assistant resume is the best thing that you can do to get closer to getting shortlisted for your target job.

Learn how to put research on resume in the key skills section with Hiration's Guide on what skills to put on a resume .

In the meanwhile, use Hiration’s Online Resume Builder to write an impeccable research assistant resume without going through the trouble of having to perfect each section.

Given below is a research assistant resume example showcasing what an ideal skills section for research resumes should ideally look like:

Research Assistant Resume Summary

Your research assistant resume summary is a conclusion of your entire professional life. It is an overview of your qualifications as a professional.

You need to cleverly manipulate your resume summary and talk about the highlights of your career, your key achievements, and communicate the unique career points of your professional life.

Through your resume summary, you need to demonstrate that you’re the best fit for the job.

Listed below is a compilation of the things that you can do to curate the perfect research assistant resume summary:

• To effectively draft this section, pick out the key highlights of your resume and summarize them in your research assistant resume summary
• Replicate the keywords that the recruiter has used in your target job listing in your resume summary by linking them with your past roles & responsibilities
• Restrict your research assistant resume summary to 3 – 5 lines
• Write a research assistant resume summary if you have over 3 years of work experience
• Write a research assistant resume objective if you have 0 to less than 3 years of work experience

To learn how to impeccably compose the resume summary of your research assistant resume, read Hiration's Resume Summary Guide .

Take a look at our research assistant resume sample below to learn what an impactful research assistant resume summary should look like:

Research Assistant Resume Objective

If you are an experienced research assistant with over 3 years of relevant work experience, then a research assistant resume objective is not for you.

You should write a research assistant resume objective only if you have 0 – 3 years of work experience.

Just like a resume summary, the goal of your resume objective is to get you shortlisted.

As such, they are both similar in motive.

Through your research assistant resume objective, you need to effectively communicate your capabilities to the recruiter. You need to show that you bring something new and exciting to the table that other people don’t.

When you write your resume objective, you need to distinguish yourself and demonstrate to the recruiter that you are unique and highly skilled.

Your resume objective is your platform for glory.

If you do it right, you will be able to get recruiters to notice you, which then goes on to advance your chances of getting you shortlisted for the job of your dreams.

Read Hiration's Guide on Resume Objectives to learn the art of objectively curating your research assistant resume objective.

Resume Review

Use Hiration’s Resume Review Service to get your research resume professionally reviewed by our resume experts. We will review your work, keeping in mind the below-mentioned parameters:

• Compliance with industry norms
• Content Relevance
• Recruiter Friendliness
• Design Compatibility
• Conversion Scope
• ATS Compliance
• Global Compatibility
• Performance Assessment
• Resume Formatting (font, margins, the order of sections, etc.)

What’s more: You will receive 2 research assistant resume templates for free!

Resume Builder for Research Assistant Resume

Here’s something exciting about our online resume builder that we haven’t told you before.

Our Online Resume Builder is professionally designed to build an ATS-targeted job winning research assistant resume and comes with the below-mentioned resources:

• Option to save unlimited resumes
• 25+ resume designs
• Full rich-text editor
• Unlimited PDF downloads
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• 1-click design change
• A sharable link
• Live resume editor

If you want to get shortlisted for your target job listing, make use of Hiration’s Online Resume Builder now!

Key Takeaways

• Write the dates in the month and year format across all sections in your research assistant resume
• Use reverse chronological order across all sections in your research assistant resume
• Begin all the points of your work experience with a power verb.
• Use power verbs in the past tense for past profiles and projects.
• Use power verbs in the present continuous tense for present profiles and projects.
• Use bucketing & bolding alongside points to enhance the effectiveness of your research resume.
• Write a research assistant resume objective if you have worked for less than 3 years.
• Write a research assistant resume summary if you have worked for more than 3 years.
• Write the location in city/state format if you are applying for a job in the same country.
• Write the location in city/country format if you are applying for a job in another country.

You have reached the end of our Research Assistant Resume 2022 Guide.

If you have gone through each step from beginning to end, you will be able to engineer a power-packed and highly impactful research assistant resume from scratch.

You can use our Online Resume Builder to simplify your resume writing experience.

Go to Hiration resume builder and create a professional resume for yourself. Additionally, reach out to us at [email protected] and you can get 24/7 professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries.

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Personal Assistant Job Description [Updated for 2024]

In the hustle and bustle of today’s fast-paced world, the role of personal assistants has never been more crucial.

As the world evolves, the need for dedicated, organized, and versatile individuals who can manage, facilitate, and simplify the lives of busy professionals becomes increasingly essential.

But let’s delve deeper: What’s truly expected from a personal assistant?

Whether you are:

• A job seeker trying to understand the true nature of this role,
• A hiring manager crafting the perfect candidate profile,
• Or merely curious about the behind-the-scenes of personal assistance,

You’re in the right place.

Today, we present a versatile personal assistant job description template, designed for effortless posting on job boards or career sites.

Let’s dive right into it.

Personal Assistant Duties and Responsibilities

Personal Assistants provide administrative, clerical, and personal support to a manager or executive.

They are responsible for helping their employer with day-to-day tasks, managing their schedule, and facilitating effective communication.

The duties and responsibilities of a Personal Assistant often include:

• Managing and organizing the employer’s calendar, including scheduling meetings, appointments, and events
• Handling correspondence on behalf of the employer, including emails, letters, and phone calls
• Maintaining files and documents, both physical and digital, in an organized manner
• Conducting research and providing information upon request
• Preparing reports, memos, invoices, and other documents
• Coordinating travel arrangements, including flights, hotel bookings, and transportation
• Assisting with personal tasks, such as running errands or personal shopping
• Facilitating communication between the employer and other staff members or clients
• Maintaining the employer’s privacy and confidentiality at all times
• Handling any other tasks or duties as required by the employer

Personal Assistant Job Description Template

We are searching for a highly organized and attentive Personal Assistant to support a high-level executive in our team.

Responsibilities include managing calendars, making travel arrangements and preparing expense reports.

To be successful in this role, you should be well-organized, have excellent time management skills, and act with honesty and integrity.

The ideal candidate should be able to multitask and prioritize tasks, while maintaining professional interactions with individuals at all levels of the organization.

Responsibilities

• Act as the point of contact between the executive and internal or external colleagues
• Manage information flow in a timely and accurate manner
• Manage executives’ calendars and set up meetings
• Make travel and accommodation arrangements
• Rack daily expenses and prepare weekly, monthly or quarterly reports
• Oversee the performance of other clerical staff
• Take minutes during meetings
• Screen and direct phone calls and distribute correspondence
• Organize and maintain the office filing system

Qualifications

• Proven work experience as a Personal Assistant
• Knowledge of office management systems and procedures
• MS Office and English proficiency
• Outstanding organisational and time management skills
• Up-to-date with latest office gadgets and applications
• Ability to multitask and prioritize daily workload
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• Discretion and confidentiality
• High School degree
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Retirement plan
• Paid time off
• Professional development opportunities

Additional Information

• Job Title: Personal Assistant
• Work Environment: Office setting with some flexibility for remote work. Some travel may be required for business trips or meetings.
• Reporting Structure: Reports to the Executive.
• Salary: Salary is based upon candidate experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.
• Pay Range: $30,000 minimum to $60,000 maximum
• Location: [City, State] (specify the location or indicate if remote)
• Employment Type: Full-time
• Equal Opportunity Statement: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
• Application Instructions: Please submit your resume and a cover letter outlining your qualifications and experience to [email address or application portal].

What Does a Personal Assistant Do?

A Personal Assistant, often referred to as a PA, usually works in a private or corporate setting providing administrative support to an individual, typically a senior executive or a high-profile individual.

They are responsible for organizing and managing the individual’s schedule, which includes booking appointments, meetings, and travel arrangements.

PAs are also often in charge of dealing with incoming email, regular mail, and phone calls, filtering them based on priority and responding on behalf of the individual when necessary.

A Personal Assistant also undertakes various administrative tasks such as creating reports, presentations, and briefing papers.

They also manage, organize, and update relevant data using database applications.

Moreover, PAs might also handle personal duties for employers like shopping, dry cleaning, and other personal errands.

In some cases, they might be asked to attend meetings on behalf of the individual and take notes or dictate minutes.

Part of their role can include public relations and networking – making connections, arranging dinners, and maintaining relationships with clients.

Overall, a Personal Assistant plays a vital role in freeing up an individual’s time so that they can focus on their primary duties.

Personal Assistant Qualifications and Skills

A competent Personal Assistant should possess the following skills and qualifications that align with the job description:

• Exceptional organizational skills to manage schedules, appointments and deadlines effectively.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, to liaise with various people, ranging from employees to high-level executives and clients.
• Proficiency in the use of office software such as Microsoft Office Suite for tasks such as managing databases, presentations, reports and document management.
• Strong time management skills to prioritize tasks and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion at all times, considering the sensitive nature of information handled.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to deal effectively with diverse personalities and to build strong relationships with clients and staff.
• Problem-solving skills to handle unexpected situations or requests efficiently and effectively.
• Ability to work under pressure and adapt to changing circumstances and workloads.

Personal Assistant Experience Requirements

Personal Assistants usually have some background in administrative roles.

This experience may be acquired through internships, part-time roles, or full-time positions in administrative or secretarial roles.

Entry-level candidates often have around 1-2 years of relevant experience.

Candidates with more than 3 years of experience are usually considered as experienced Personal Assistants.

They often have a strong background in office administration, communication skills, and time management.

They may have experience in specific areas such as event planning, travel coordination, or office management.

Those with more than 5 years of experience often have advanced organizational skills, and are proficient at multitasking and prioritizing tasks.

They may also have experience managing other administrative staff, working with executives, and handling confidential information.

Experience in specific industries can also be important for Personal Assistants.

For example, a Personal Assistant to a CEO in the finance industry may be expected to have experience with financial reports and industry-specific terminology.

Similarly, a Personal Assistant in the film industry may need experience in script handling and coordinating with production teams.

Ultimately, the specific experience requirements for a Personal Assistant role will depend on the needs of the employer and the nature of the tasks to be handled.

Personal Assistant Education and Training Requirements

Personal Assistants usually possess at least a high school diploma or equivalent, though many employers prefer candidates with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a field such as business administration, communications, or a related field.

Training in office administration or secretarial skills is highly beneficial in this job role.

This can be achieved through vocational schools, community colleges or even some online courses.

Personal Assistants are expected to have proficiency in a variety of computer software applications including Microsoft Office Suite, email management, and other productivity tools.

Knowledge of a foreign language can be an added advantage in certain settings, particularly for personal assistants to executives with global responsibilities.

Although not mandatory, certification programs such as Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) or Certified Personal Assistant (CPA) are available and can boost credibility and demonstrate commitment to the profession.

Additionally, it is essential for Personal Assistants to continually update their skills in line with new technologies and administrative methods.

This can be achieved through workshops, seminars, or further education courses.

Personal Assistant Salary Expectations

A Personal Assistant earns an average of $39,073 (USD) annually.

However, the actual salary may vary depending on the level of experience, the employer, and the geographical location.

Personal Assistant Job Description FAQs

What skills does a personal assistant need.

A personal assistant needs to have excellent organizational and time management skills as they are often tasked with scheduling and managing their employer’s calendar.

They should be able to multitask and prioritize tasks efficiently.

Good communication and interpersonal skills are crucial for this role to liaise with staff, clients, and other stakeholders.

Basic knowledge of office management systems and procedures, as well as proficiency in MS Office (MS Excel and MS Outlook, in particular) is also important.

Do personal assistants need a degree?

While a degree is not always necessary for a personal assistant position, having a diploma or degree in business administration or a related field can be advantageous.

Employers often value relevant experience more highly.

However, some individuals or companies may prefer their personal assistants to have a degree, particularly if the role involves specialized tasks.

What should you look for in a personal assistant resume?

In a personal assistant resume, look for previous experience in administrative roles or as a personal assistant.

Proven experience in managing professional and personal schedules, coordinating events, and handling correspondence is important.

Proficiency in office management software like MS Office is a plus.

Also, look for soft skills like communication, organizational skills, and the ability to handle confidential information.

What qualities make a good personal assistant?

A good personal assistant is reliable, discreet, and able to maintain confidentiality as they often deal with sensitive information.

They should be adaptable, able to manage their time effectively, and comfortable with multitasking.

Good interpersonal skills are essential as they often act as a point of contact between the employer and external parties.

A proactive approach, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work independently are also valuable traits.

How can personal assistants stay organized?

Personal assistants can stay organized by using digital tools and apps for scheduling, note-taking, and task management.

They should prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance, and regularly review and update their task lists.

Good file management practices and a systematic approach to handling emails and correspondence can also help personal assistants stay organized.

And there you have it.

Today, we’ve delved into the multifaceted world of being a personal assistant.

It’s more than just managing schedules.

It’s about orchestrating a seamless flow of daily tasks, one appointment at a time.

Armed with our comprehensive personal assistant job description template and practical examples, you’re ready to take the next step.

But why halt your journey there?

Venture further with our job description generator . It’s your indispensable tool for creating precision-crafted job listings or polishing your resume to perfection.

Every appointment managed, every task handled, contributes to a larger picture.

Let’s shape that future. Together.

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The Editorial Team at InterviewGuy.com is composed of certified interview coaches, seasoned HR professionals, and industry insiders. With decades of collective expertise and access to an unparalleled database of interview questions, we are dedicated to empowering job seekers. Our content meets real-time industry demands, ensuring readers receive timely, accurate, and actionable advice. We value our readers' insights and encourage feedback, corrections, and questions to maintain the highest level of accuracy and relevance.

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Clinical Research Lab Assistant - 128814

Job description, #128814 clinical research lab assistant.

UCSD Layoff from Career Appointment : Apply by 3/25/2024 for consideration with preference for rehire. All layoff applicants should contact their Employment Advisor.

Special Selection Applicants : Apply by 4/04/2024. Eligible Special Selection clients should contact their Disability Counselor for assistance.

DESCRIPTION

The Department of Pediatrics is one of the largest departments within the School of Medicine with approximately 250 Faculty, 127 postdoctoral fellows (both MDs and PhDs) along with over 320 support staff (not including hospital staff). In addition, the Department has 68 clinical residents distributed across the Divisions. The missions of research, education and patient care are intertwined, and are integral to the goals of the department.

The Department manages a university-affiliated children's health system with the physicians and leadership of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), Rady Children's Hospital, and Rady Children's Specialists of San Diego, a Medical Practice Foundation, unifying pediatric patient care, research, education and community service programs.

Under the supervision of the PI, the incumbent will support the clinical research and quality improvement efforts of the study team. Support the clinical research operation; communicate with research participants, schedule visits, assist in the handling and processing of biological samples; shipping of samples for general lab assays and data entry. May be involved in clinical and quality improvement projects that also involve recruitment, and ensuring performance of protocols according to schedule, including data entry and reporting on data results back to participants. Incumbent will assist in the day-to-day operation of the research team. Responsible for assisting with and ensuring the quality of data collected, maintaining databases, ensuring adequate lab supplies for the function of the lab. Under supervision maintain a sample flowchart of active clinical studies and or quality improvement projects and how participants flow through these project protocols as well as monitoring study/project samples/data collections. Will assist clinical team with participant home study visits to collect questionnaire data and clinical specimens. Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Graduation from high school or a General Education Diploma and one year of laboratory or field experience or two years of college including courses in the natural, physical or social sciences; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience in processing and shipping laboratory specimens-ambient and frozen. Demonstrated experience with guidelines of biohazardous handling. Knowledge and strict utilization of universal precautions when handling laboratory specimens.

Experience managing biological samples, storage, and inventory.

Attention to detail and strong organizational skills.

Proven effective interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.

Ability to prioritize workload and work independently.

Ability to maintain and protect confidentiality of participant information.

Excellent problem-solving skills with ability to propose alternative strategies to resolve issues.

Must be IATA-certified to process and ship human specimens.

Certified in hazardous materials handling.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Graduation from college including courses in the natural, physical or social sciences and Clinical Research experience.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.

Must be willing to work flexible hours to include early morning and weekends.

Must be willing and able to work with biohazardous materials.

Must be IATA certified to process and ship human specimens.

Position will be based in San Diego and may require travel for home visits.

Must be willing to be vaccinated against common diseases encountered in health care.

Must be willing to carry and promptly respond to a cell during working hours.

Pay Transparency Act

Annual Full Pay Range: $40,340 - $46,771 (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)

Hourly Equivalent: $19.32 - $22.40

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).

If employed by the University of California, you will be required to comply with our Policy on Vaccination Programs, which may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements. If applicable, life-support certifications (BLS, NRP, ACLS, etc.) must include hands-on practice and in-person skills assessment; online-only certification is not acceptable.

UC San Diego Health Sciences is comprised of our School of Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, and our Student Health and Well-Being Department. We have long been at the forefront of translational - or "bench-to-bedside" - research, transforming patient care through discovery and innovation leading to new drugs and technologies. Translational research is carried out every day in the hundreds of clinical trials of promising new therapies offered through UC San Diego Health, and in the drive of our researchers and clinician-scientists who are committed to having a significant impact on patient care. We invite you to join our team!

Applications/Resumes are accepted for current job openings only. For full consideration on any job, applications must be received prior to the initial closing date. If a job has an extended deadline, applications/resumes will be considered during the extension period; however, a job may be filled before the extended date is reached.

To foster the best possible working and learning environment, UC San Diego strives to cultivate a rich and diverse environment, inclusive and supportive of all students, faculty, staff and visitors. For more information, please visit UC San Diego Principles of Community .

UC San Diego Health is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://www-hr.ucsd.edu/saa/nondiscr.html

UC San Diego is a smoke and tobacco free environment. Please visit smokefree.ucsd.edu for more information.

UC San Diego Health maintains a marijuana and drug free environment. Employees may be subject to drug screening.

Application Instructions

Please click on the link below to apply for this position. A new window will open and direct you to apply at our corporate careers page. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Posted : 4/5/2024

Job Reference # : 128814

JOIN OUR TALENT COMMUNITY

Interested in working at UC San Diego and UC San Diego Health but can't find a position that's right for you? Submit your resume to our Talent Community to be considered for future opportunities that may align with your expertise. Please note, by joining our Talent Community, you are not applying for a position with UC San Diego Campus and Health. Rather, this is an additional way for our Talent Acquisition team to find candidates with specific credentials, if an opportunity arises. You are still encouraged to regularly check back on our career site or sign up for Job Alerts to apply for openings that are a match for your background.

• Career Sites by Recruiting.com

• Open access
• Published: 11 April 2024

Job description and perception of clinical research personnel working in a network of French intensive care units

• Mireille Adda 1 , 2 ,
• Claire Dupuis 1 , 3 ,
• Gérald Gouby 2 ,
• Claude Dubray 2 ,
• Jean Reignier 4 ,
• Bertrand Souweine 1 , 3 &
• Christian Dualé 5  

Critical Care volume  28 , Article number:  119 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

There is a lack of information about the organisation and management of clinical research personnel in Europe and of their professional activity in intensive care. We therefore conducted a cross-sectional survey among personnel currently working in a French intensive care research network that involves 41 centres nationwide. The aim of the survey was to describe the personnel’s personal and institutional organisation and management, their job perception in terms of satisfaction and stress, and suggestions for improvement.

Over 3 months in 2023, the research personnel received an electronic questionnaire on their personal and professional profile, past and present training, workplace and functions currently performed, personal knowledge about job skills required, job satisfaction and stress by as measured on a rating scale, and suggested ways of improvement.

Ninety seven people replied to the questionnaire (a response rate of 71.3%), of whom 78 (57.3%) were sufficiently involved in intensive care to provide complete answers. This core sample had profiles in line with French recruitment policies and comprised mainly Bachelor/Master graduates, with nurses accounting for only 21.8%. The female to male ratio was 77:23%. Many responders declared to have a shared activity of technician (for investigation) and assistant (for quality control). More than 70% of the responders considered that most of the tasks required of each worker were major. Figures were much lower for project managers, who were few to take part in the survey. On a scale of 10, the median of job satisfaction was 7 for personal work organisation, 6 for training and for institutional organisation, and only 5 for personal career management. The median of job stress was 5 and was inversely correlated with satisfaction with career management. Respect of autonomy, work-sharing activity between investigation and quality control, a better career progression, financial reward for demanding tasks, and participation in unit staff meetings were the main suggestions to improve employee satisfaction.

This nationwide survey provides a new insight into the activity of French clinical research personnel and points to ways to improve the quality and efficiency of this workforce.

Clinical research, which refers to scientific studies performed on human subjects with the aim of furthering biological or medical knowledge, is a major branch of medicine [ 1 ]. In parallel to research conducted by companies to develop drugs or medical devices, academic research improves knowledge, covering a broad range of fields from epidemiology and pathophysiology to clinical trials. Public hospitals are an ideal setting for academic research, in view of their objectives, medical expertise, technical resources, and specific funding. In this context, French academic research has considerably developed over the past decades: about 8000 studies were registered between 2008 and 2017, and during that period the cumulative number of active studies rose from 1493 to 2414 during that period [ 2 , 3 ].

The scientific and technical aspects of drug development have been addressed by the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) since 1990 [ 4 ], and the ethical and scientific quality standard of clinical trials is internationally covered by Good Clinical Practice (GCP), which is set out in laws and regulations worldwide. To comply with these requirements, French public hospitals—especially those affiliated to universities—have provided significant funding. A survey conducted in 2008 by the French Ministry of Health on jobs under pressure in public hospitals established the profiles of those dedicated to clinical research, highlighted the youth of the workers, and identified factors affecting their development [ 5 ]. In 2023, the Ministry of Health updated its definition of clinical research jobs, establishing a list of the tasks required and background training [ 6 ]. The three most important jobs were clinical research assistant (CRA), clinical research technician (CRT), and clinical research project manager (CRPM). A description of the jobs and related tasks is given in Table  1 .

However, very little work has been done on the current organisation and management of research personnel in French public hospitals. We therefore conducted a nationwide survey among a representative sample of academic clinical research personnel working in intensive care medicine (ICM). In clinical research, ICM is a particularly productive field, in which France is ranked fourth in the world according to the H-index, either cumulative 1996–2022 or for the sole year 2022 [ 7 ]. French ICM research is backed up by several registries held by networks such as OutcomeRea (nosocomial infections), REVA (artificial ventilation), and CRICS-TRIGGERSEP (sepsis). Notably, it has significantly contributed to improving knowledge and treatment of COVID-19 [ 8 , 9 ]. Over the whole French territory in 2019, there were 5080 beds in about 340 adult intensive care units (ICU), of which 89% were housed in public or subsidised hospitals [ 10 , 11 ].

We conducted this questionnaire survey within the NUTRIREA network, which currently performs nutritional multicentre clinical trials involving 41 ICUs nationwide [ 12 ]. Our aim was to describe the current organisation and management of human resources for clinical research in the network. We focused our interest on the personnel’s professional profile, their current functions and tasks, the common skills they require, and what continuing education and career opportunities are offered. We also aimed to assess the survey sample’s perceptions about their job in terms of satisfaction and stress. Our long-term aim was to identify ways of improving efficiency and quality and to propose that some of the conclusions drawn could be extended to other medical specialties and other countries.

Materials and methods

The study was approved by the local ethics committee and complied with the French policy of individual data protection. The cross-sectional closed survey was conducted among the clinical research personnel of the French intensive care research network involved in the NUTRIREA3 study, a French multicentre trial [ 13 ]. The 41 ICU centres of the network, of which 27 are affiliated to universities, belong to public hospitals. The coordinating team of this network identified their CRAs, CRTs, and CRPMs and provided the study coordinator (M.A.) with a list of this personnel with their e-mail addresses and phone numbers. The study coordinator then contacted each person by email or telephone to explain the aims and procedure of the survey.

Data were collected by REDCap electronic data capture tools in accordance with the French and European laws and regulations on data protection. Informed consent was implicitly given when the responder agreed to create an account. The data were transferred to a separate datasheet (Microsoft Office Excel 2013, Redmond, WA, USA). If the questionnaire was not completed within 6 weeks, a reminder was sent via email and then up to two other reminders were issued when necessary. The survey started on 18/01/2023 and ended on 03/04/2023.

The survey was developed by the authors following a stepwise procedure. First, the study coordinator interviewed several CRAs, CRTs, staff managers, or clinical researchers in our institution who are currently involved in the job definition, recruitment, and coordination of clinical research personnel. From the content of these interviews, the questionnaire was then drafted by the project leader and the methodologist (C.D.). After correction by the other authors, a new version was drafted and entered in the data capture system and then pre-tested by three CRAs/CRTs currently working in our university hospital, who created an account for this purpose. After corrections of wording or presentation, a final version was validated by the authors.

The questionnaire is fully described in Additional file 1 . After a preliminary section presenting demographic and workplace details, the following sections surveyed, in order of presentation: (i) the job history (training and experience); (ii) the perception of the tasks related to each of the three main clinical research jobs in France (i.e. CRA, CRT, and CRPM); (iii) the current organisation of the job in detail; (iv) the personal definition of the three above-mentioned jobs (supported by the job description published on the Ministry of Health website, see Table  1 ) [ 6 ]; (v) the perception of the positive and negative aspects of the job; (vi) how the person’s career was managed and how it is planned; and (vii) various quantitative and qualitative questions about job stress and job satisfaction within several domains such as organisation, training, and career. The responders were freely invited to make suggestions on how to improve the job. In the current report, only information relevant to an international readership will be presented and hence specifically French aspects of organisation, for example, will not be dealt with.

The dataset was anonymous, and responders were given clear instructions not to duplicate entries. Duplicates were identified by checking if the demographics and workplace variables contained exactly the same data; in such cases, the most recent entry was retained. Missing data were not replaced, and if, for one given responder and within one given domain, attrition made impossible a clear description, the block of data could be discarded from analyses, if appropriate. The primary aim of the statistical analysis was descriptive. Numerical data were expressed as mean ± SD or as quartiles, depending on their distribution. Nominal data were expressed as headcount and proportion of total.

Complementary analyses were conducted to study certain interrelations between variables of interest. Firstly, we studied the interrelations within the four indicators of job satisfaction and job stress and as all were assessed by a numerical rating scale from 0 to 10, we performed Spearman’s correlation analyses. Each correlation was expressed using its own ρ coefficient, and the difference between ρ and 0 was tested. The inferences were made only to highlight the strongest associations, and the type-I error inflation was not corrected. Secondly, we studied the possible influence of several factors on each indicator of job satisfaction and stress using either Spearman’s correlation analyses (when the factor to test was a numerical variable) or a Mann–Whitney test (when the factor to test was a binary variable). To harmonise the effect sizes, binary variables were also treated as numerical, i.e. yes/no variables became 1/0, and “sex” became “male” (1/0). The factors we tested were sex, age group, civil status, type of hospital, educational level, number of years of experience in clinical research, type of current contract, size of the research team in the unit, amount of weekly work, number of studies as supervisor, and level of externality. The last variable was created by estimating the ratio of studies with an external sponsor versus those sponsored by one’s own institution. Thirdly, we studied the relationship between job stress and the responders’ most appreciated and disliked aspects of the job. For this assessment, the responders were categorised according to the aspect they had ranked first (separately for the appreciated positive aspects and the disliked negative ones). We aimed at avoiding small classes, and so for those responders who ranked first an aspect rarely ranked as such by others, the firstly ranked aspect was replaced by the secondly ranked. Finally, job stress was tested against the most appreciated and disliked aspects by a one-way ANOVA followed by a post hoc Tukey’s test.

Statistical analyses were performed with XLStat (Addinsoft, Paris, F). Figures were generated with Microsoft Office Excel 2013 and PowerPoint 2013 (Microsoft, Redmond, USA), and Photoshop Elements 7.0 (Adobe, San Jose, USA).

The initial mailing list contained 151 addressees, of whom 15 did not send a return receipt. The remaining 136 created an account on the REDCap platform: 97 (71.3%) answered the questionnaire, 78 with full completion (57.3% of the 136), and 19 only the initial section dealing with demography and general characteristics of the job setting. No duplicate entries were identified. The data suggested that many of the partial responders were not heavily involved in ICU, as this was only a very small part of their current activity, hence all the following results were obtained from the main core of 78 full responders, whose general characteristics are given in Table  2 . There were no missing data for this sample. Most of the responders were women, middle-aged, Bachelor or Master graduates, had good professional experience in clinical research (about half of which was in ICU), were mostly in full-time employment, and shared the activities of CRT (their main function) and CRA. The number of CRPMs was much lower. Of note, 21.8% of responders were Bachelor graduates in nursing. Full responders also included one dietician, one psychologist, and two laboratory technicians. The most common place of work was a single ICU in a university hospital, but work activities could be spread over several units and not exclusively in ICUs. The type of studies the responders were involved in varied according to setting or sponsoring: the most common activity profile was concomitant work on a few studies sponsored by the employer institution and on various studies with external sponsorship, or of a multicentre nature. The 19 responders who did not fully complete the survey were not greatly different from the core sample, but were slightly older, less often graduates, and more likely to be affiliated to a general hospital (Additional file 2 ).

Figure  1 shows how the responders defined the jobs of CRA, CRT, and CRPM. As the tasks to be rated within each job were actually related to the job—the aim was not to mislead the responder—responses such as ‘major’ or ‘minor’ relationship can be interpreted as levels of agreement on how the task matches the job definition. Hence, the tasks with the highest agreement with the job criteria of a CRA were “checking application of rules, procedures, norms and standards”, “checking conformity/validity of documents”, “checking and monitoring the quality of process(es)”, and “monitoring adverse events”: the agreement was moderate for “organizing events such as meetings, visits, and specialised committees”. Agreement was high for most of the tasks involved in the job of a CRT, but moderate for “informing/advising the caring staff, patients, families, etc.”, “pre-analytical treatment of samples”, and low for “assessing and presenting the clinical activity of the unit”. Agreement was generally lower for most of the tasks presented involved in the job of CRPM than for the functions of CRAs and CRTs, with 30 to 40% of responses that could be considered as inappropriate (i.e. “beyond job scope”, “do not know” or no response).

Responses about the personal definition of the respective jobs of CRA (i.e. working on behalf of the sponsor), CRT (i.e. working on behalf of the centre with the investigating team), and CRPM. Each surveyed person had to define each particular task in terms of relationship with the job as either ‘major’, ‘minor’, or ‘beyond job scope’. An optional ‘do not know’ was also offered. For each job, the tasks are ranked by decreasing rate of ‘major’ responses, or rate of [‘major’ + ‘minor’] in case of equally ranked tasks. The response rate per item and per task is shown by a horizontal stacked bar (black for ‘major’, grey for ‘minor’, striped for ‘beyond job scope’, and transparent otherwise). The percentage values appearing over each bar are those which were considered for the ranking mentioned above. The abbreviations used to describe each task are explained in Table  1

Table 3 and Fig.  2 show the most important aspects of the responders’ job perception. The most appreciated positive aspect of the job was autonomy, and the most disliked negative aspects of the job were lack of time, and administrative procedures and paperwork. The highest job satisfaction was for personal work organisation (median = 7/10). Satisfaction with training received since joining the institution was slightly lower (median = 6/10), and satisfaction with the institution’s overall organisation of clinical research and personal career management was even lower (median = 5/10). For those responders who were currently taking part in unit staff meetings the perception of their participation was 64% positive, especially because it helped identification or selection of patients for inclusion. For those responders with shared workload (for example partly as a CRA and partly as a CRT), managing multiple tasks was perceived positively, with a high personal satisfaction and professional achievement . The median job stress was 5/10, which is average on the scale. Neither the amount of time spent in ICU (vs. other clinical specialties) nor the level of multivalence influenced job satisfaction or job stress (no significant correlation). The responders working in a university hospital were less satisfied with their personal career management than those working in a general hospital (median score = 6 vs. 7, respectively, p  = 0.029). However, the type of institution did not influence any of the other parameters of job satisfaction and stress.

Radar chart of the responders’ job satisfaction ( N  = 78). Satisfaction was assessed with an 11-point numerical scale, from 0 (maximum dissatisfaction) to 10 (maximum satisfaction). Four domains of satisfaction were assessed: training program since joining the institution (‘training’), personal work organisation, institution’s overall organisation of clinical research (‘institution’s organisation’), and personal career management by the institution (‘career management’). The full black lines represent the median values for the sample, and the grey dotted lines represent the 1st (inner) and 3rd quartile (outer)

Details of the tasks currently carried out by the responders are given in Additional file 3 . The most common method used for screening eligible patients for studies sponsored by an external institution was consultation of the patients’ medical records (62.8%), and the most commonly performed tasks in the office were data entry, responses to queries, and reporting SAEs (84.6%), patient follow-up (70.5%), and drafting procedures (62.8%).

The responders’ suggestions to improve the different aspects of their job are detailed in Additional file 4 . Financial reward for demanding tasks was the most often cited (75.6%) as a way to improve career management.

The possible sources of stress identified by the responders are detailed in Additional file 5 . The most often cited sources were institutional disregard of the needs of clinical research personnel (50%) and poor recognition of the job within the institution (60.3%).

Table 4 shows how the indicators of job satisfaction and job stress were interrelated. The four domains of job satisfaction were collinear, with mild to moderate positive correlations. There was a high coherence within job satisfaction, with a Cronbach’s α coefficient of 0.795. Job stress was inversely correlated with satisfaction with career management. A similar trend—albeit non-significant—was also observed for the relation between job stress and satisfaction with training and personal work organisation. No relationship was observed between job stress and satisfaction with the institutional organisation of clinical research.

When testing the factors likely to influence job satisfaction, only one relevant relationship was found: satisfaction with training was lower in the university hospitals than in the general hospitals (median score = 6 and 7, respectively, p  = 0.029). When testing the factors likely to influence job stress, two relevant relationships were found: the size of the research team within the unit negatively correlated with stress ( ρ  = − 0.281; p  = 0.017), and stress was higher in women than in men (median score = 5 and 2, respectively, p  = 0.024).

Finally, the responders who cited lack of time as the most disliked aspect had a higher stress score than those who cited administrative procedures and paperwork as the most disliked aspect (median score = 7 and 3, respectively, p  = 0.008). No relationship was observed between job stress and the responders’ most appreciated aspects of the job.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first broad description of ICU clinical research personnel in Europe, from a country strongly involved in ICM academic research. Although our observations do not necessarily extend beyond France or to other medical specialties, they identify issues and hypotheses that could be relevant to broader fields.

The most typical profile of the clinical research personnel surveyed was that of a middle-aged woman, a Bachelor/Master graduate working full-time or almost full-time as a CRA or CRT in a university hospital, whose activity was fairly equally shared between the two functions. Training in clinical research had been done before and after hiring and completed by an average professional experience of 10 years. This profile is very similar to that of 98 research coordinators recently surveyed in Australasian ICUs [ 14 ]. The high female rate reflects the current sex ratio observed in healthcare professionals [ 15 ] and is probably helped by a favourable work-life balance [ 16 ]. The age distribution reflects a hiring wave that started about 25 years ago, which along with educational level and job functions is in line with French government policies since the creation in 1992 of clinical research offices in public hospitals, accompanied by increased dedicated funding [ 2 , 5 , 17 ].

To comply with GCP, the French Ministry of Health published in 2021 an index of jobs in the public hospital service, including clinical research [ 6 ]. In the index, the main jobs were clearly defined as: (i) launching research protocols and monitoring their quality on behalf of the sponsor (for a CRA); (ii) managing the logistics of research protocols and data collection under the responsibility of investigators (for a CRT); and (iii) managing a set of research projects with regard to their legal, financial, logistical, administrative, organisational, and human aspects (for a CRPM). The required educational level is practically the same for CRAs and CRTs, either a paramedical or other scientific Bachelor diploma, or a specific CRA/CRT university diploma, for which the training frame is less standardised. In practice, a nurse (Bachelor level) could be hired as a CRA/CRT, and about one-fifth of our sample actually had this qualification. This is a low rate compared to that in countries like Australia, New Zealand, UK, and USA [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Policy in French hospitals over the last 30 years has been to restrict nurses to care; education in clinical research has been included in the training syllabus of French anaesthetist nurses since 2014 only.

When our participants were asked to define the relationship between the jobs of CRA, CRT, and CRPM, and a list of predefined tasks—which were actually all supposed to fit to the job profile, significant rates of disagreement were observed for certain tasks. Personnel should, of course, be aware of all the tasks related to their jobs, but their differing perception of what they involve could have been due to the very recent publication of the list of tasks [ 6 ], and hence a limited awareness of their content. For example, ICU CRTs do not generally have to manage pre-analytical treatment of samples, which is usually done by the hospital laboratory resources. The 30-to-40% rate of inappropriate responses regarding the tasks of CRPMs may have been due to the fact that few of the responders were employed in such a position. Of note, the required educational level to be recruited as a CRPM is higher than for CRAs and CRTs, and most CRPMs are former CRAs/CRTs who have been upgraded after years of experience, as posts for CRPMs have only recently been created. As a result, we lack data on the number of CRPMs in French university public hospitals, but as they are more often located in dedicated offices than embedded in ICUs, this could influence several aspects of their job perception.

Most of the responders had the dual function of CRT and CRA and so had to manage studies sponsored by their own institution (mostly single-centre) and studies with external sponsorship (mostly multicentre). This dual function satisfies the principles of independence (from the sponsor for the CRT, and from the investigators for the CRA), provided one individual does not combine both functions in the same study. Although some institutions are reluctant to allow such multivalence, the current survey showed that it was rather attractive to the personnel, who had a positive perception of it, expressed high satisfaction with the organisation of their personal work, and cited autonomy as the most appreciated positive aspect of the job. The respondents also appreciated the variety in the type of studies they had to work on in terms of setting or sponsoring, and sharing activity with ICUs and other hospital units. This last situation was however specific to general hospitals where one specialty unit is not active enough to involve full-time personnel. Finally, taking part in unit staff meetings was positively perceived and should be encouraged in the ICUs where it is not yet common practice. In this regard, heads of department could act as useful motivators.

Studying job satisfaction, dissatisfaction, and stress can provide suggestions to help retain a specialised workforce such as ICU research personnel. The most cited negative aspects of the job (lack of time, administrative procedures, and paperwork) are probably common to any service job, and therefore hard to act on. However, as already reported in the literature, most attention should be given to how institutions manage careers [ 19 ]. Indeed, job satisfaction was average, and the institutional disregard of the needs of CRAs/CRTs and poor recognition of the job within the institution were often cited as sources of stress, and dissatisfaction with career management strongly correlated with job stress.

Some studies performed outside Europe have addressed these issues in research personnel. Two surveys conducted in 2004 and 2009 among 49 research coordinators (RCs) working in Australasian ICUs highlighted the value of autonomy, respect, and intellectual stimulation in the job, while isolation, under-recognition, workload, and under-remuneration were negatively perceived [ 18 , 19 ]. Of note, we did not address the question of incentive bonuses as they do not really exist in the French public health system. Other teams have also studied the relationships between job satisfaction and personal psychological issues. A nationwide survey conducted in 2005 among 252 RCs in the USA showed that job dissatisfaction was a strong predictor of burnout, while satisfaction was moderately correlated with personal accomplishment [ 22 ]. A survey conducted in 2020 among 66 RCs working in Canadian ICUs identified unrealistic workload and weekend/holiday screening as strong stressors, while a positive work environment had the opposite effects [ 23 ]. Of note, RCs in the above-mentioned countries have a greater workload than personnel in France, especially on weekends. A study conducted in 2020 among 438 CRAs from 26 major cities across China showed that 82% manifested signs of occupational burnout, of whom half had moderate burnout. The rate of burnout was favoured by mode of working and workload, support provided by the hospital, and the likelihood of receiving a promotion [ 24 ]. However, these results could have been different in a period less stressful than that of the COVID pandemic. A study conducted in 2021 among 98 Australasian ICU RCs showed better psychological outcomes, with depression, anxiety, and stress scores within the normal range, and 21 to 27% of the respondents defined as positive to one of these three diagnoses [ 14 ]. Conversely, while overall job satisfaction was quite good and close to that in our survey (mean score of 3.5/5), 44% of the respondents exhibited an early symptom of burnout. Unfortunately, we did not assess burnout, but the Maslach Burnout Inventory used in the last two studies above was very sensitive and our observations are consistent with the rest of their results.

Dissatisfaction with training is also correlated with job stress, albeit to a lesser degree, but cannot be neglected because it is closely related to the demand for quality, as stated in the European directive for GCP (chapter 2-1-2) [ 25 ]. As our survey showed, educational levels at hiring and training of research personnel from hiring onwards, vary widely. This can be explained by the broad range of required educational levels for new recruits (see paragraph 3 of the Discussion section), a lack of standardisation of the university diplomas specific to CRA/CRT, and the relative newness of the jobs. Although training courses are offered to clinical research personnel in French hospitals, we now need to guarantee that such programs are easily accessible and that they cover all the essential competences, as described in the Joint Task Force for Clinical Trial Competency: scientific concepts and research design; ethics and safety; investigational products; GCP; study/site management; data management; leadership and professionalism; and communications/teamwork [ 26 ]. In addition, some ways to improve training need to be addressed in the future, such as having experience in data collection prior to work in monitoring, or being trained specifically to research in an ICU.

The main limitation of the current survey is that it targeted only a sample of the clinical research personnel of French ICUs and not the whole population. The situation in other medical specialties was not addressed either, but such a survey would have been more difficult due to the absence of the extensive network that exists between ICUs.

Conclusions

To support the employment and career development of ICU research personnel, we hope that our results will be presented to the French Ministry of Health by representatives of academic clinical research, and that they will inspire stakeholders in clinical research in other countries. Among the ways to improve quality and efficiency and to retain this specialised workforce, our survey highlights respect of autonomy, work-sharing between CRAs and CRTs, better career progression, financial reward for demanding tasks, and the opportunity to participate in unit staff meetings.

Availability of data and materials

Not applicable.

Abbreviations

Clinical research associate/assistant

Clinical research project manager

Clinical research technician

Good Clinical Practice

International Council for Harmonisation

Intensive care medicine

Intensive care unit

Research coordinator

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful: to Lise Laclautre, Dominique Morand, and André Salagnac (DRCI, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, France), Nicolas Macian (CIC, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, France); Lucie Vettoretti (CHU Besançon, France), and Pr Alexandre Boyer (CHU Bordeaux & University of Bordeaux, France) for responding to the preliminary qualitative interview; to Marine Bereiziat and Frédéric Duée (MIR, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, France) and Nicolas Caillot (Clermont-Ferrand, France) for the pilot testing of the questionnaire; to Patrick Devos (CHU Lille) for providing information about clinical research activity in France; and to Jeffrey Watts for revising the English manuscript.

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MA conceptualised the study, designed the survey, managed the administrative aspects, coordinated the survey, managed the data, and drafted the manuscript; CDup conceptualised the study and validated the content of the survey; GG conceptualised the study, validated the content of the survey, and helped interpreting the results; CDub conceptualised the study, validated the content of the survey, and revised the manuscript; JR conceptualised the study, provided the mailing list, and revised the manuscript; BS conceptualised the study, validated the content of the survey, and helped interpreting the results; CDua designed the survey, coordinated the survey, managed and analysed the data, and drafted the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Christian Dualé .

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This study was approved by Institutional Review Board of the University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand (France) ( CHU de Clermont-Ferrand IRB #1 ; IRB00013412, ref. n°2022-CF075) on 28/11/2022.

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Supplementary Information

Additional file 1.

. Details of the survey questionnaire.

Additional file 2

. Description of the 19 registered participants who did not fully complete the survey.

Additional file 3

. Details of the tasks currently carried out by the responders (N = 78).

Additional file 4

. Details of the responders’ suggestions to improve the different aspects of their job (N = 78).

Additional file 5

. Details of the possible sources of stress identified by the responders (N = 78).

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Adda, M., Dupuis, C., Gouby, G. et al. Job description and perception of clinical research personnel working in a network of French intensive care units. Crit Care 28 , 119 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13054-024-04900-8

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