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This question is about research technician.
Do you need a Ph.D. to be a research technician?
No, you do not need a Ph.D. to be a research technician. No higher education is required for a role as a research technician, though most laboratories prefer someone with a bachelor's or master's degree or someone with prior lab experience.
It is very common to find pre-med and other Ph.D. students working as research technicians, but this isn't because the career requires it. Ph.D. students need to work a certain number of lab hours in order to attain their degrees, which makes them perfect for the role of research technician.
As with most careers, the higher your level of education, the more likely you are to attain a job within the field. While you may not need a Ph.D. to be a research technician, you will be at a disadvantage when applying compared to someone who does have one.
Other forms of experience to consider would be an internship at a lab or possibly pursuing work as a research assistant. Someone with practical experience and a preexisting understanding of the lab environment will have a leg-up in applications compared to someone who has no practical experience within such an environment.
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