How to hire a biology research assistant

How to hire a biology research assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step biology research assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a biology research assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new biology research assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a biology research assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a biology research assistant, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A biology research assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, biology research assistants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of biology research assistant salaries for various roles:

   Type of Biology Research Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Biology Research Assistant		$15-37
   Laboratory Internship	A laboratory intern is responsible for assisting laboratory operations and perform examinations and experiments under the supervision of tenured laboratory staff. Laboratory interns shadow all the laboratory processes, document their observations, and conduct an in-depth analysis of the results... Show more	$12-23
   Research Laboratory Technician	Research laboratory technicians play a vital role in scientific laboratories. They perform varied duties and responsibilities, which include setting up, operating, and maintaining the laboratory equipment, assisting in laboratory-based research activities such as sampling, testing, and analyzing results, and providing technical support to the laboratory team members... Show more	$14-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Laboratory Equipment
   • Laboratory Techniques
   • Cell Culture
   • Analyze Data
   • Data Collection
   • Animal Handling
   • Research Projects
   • Tissue Culture
   • Lab Equipment
   • Laboratory Procedures
   • Data Analysis
   • PowerPoint
   • Lab Notebook
   • DNA

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead experiments to assess survivor behavior differences in zebrafish contaminate with dietary mercury.
   • Perform lab assistant activities including preparing solutions, DNA extraction, DNA sequencing preparation
   • Conduct ELISA and pcr-base research in inflame mouse thyroid tissue.
   • Project include culturing own cells, designing/carrying out experiment, analysis using staining and ImageJ, RT-PCR using own primer design
   • Coordinate genotyping of mouse colonies.
   • Prepare agarose gels and conduct electrophoresis daily.

   More biology research assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your biology research assistant job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A biology research assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a biology research assistant in Ohio may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level biology research assistant usually earns less than a senior-level biology research assistant. Additionally, a biology research assistant with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average biology research assistant salary

   $50,800yearly

   $24.42 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level biology research assistant salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

   Average biology research assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$72,357	$35
   2	Massachusetts	$71,314	$34
   3	California	$61,728	$30
   4	District of Columbia	$59,773	$29
   5	North Carolina	$57,665	$28
   6	Pennsylvania	$56,547	$27
   7	Maryland	$55,119	$27
   8	Minnesota	$55,041	$26
   9	Missouri	$52,096	$25
   10	Florida	$51,385	$25
   11	Montana	$49,958	$24
   12	Virginia	$49,880	$24
   13	Wisconsin	$49,656	$24
   14	North Dakota	$49,540	$24
   15	Oregon	$49,267	$24
   16	Tennessee	$48,208	$23
   17	Ohio	$43,942	$21
   18	Texas	$36,570	$18

   Average biology research assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Battelle	$76,397	$36.73	16
   2	Salk Institute for Biological Studies	$70,590	$33.94
   3	Rutgers University	$64,585	$31.05	98
   4	Tufts University	$63,289	$30.43	8
   5	Teva Pharmaceuticals	$63,246	$30.41	3
   6	Amherst College	$62,631	$30.11	1
   7	Florida International University	$61,110	$29.38
   8	The Catholic University of America	$60,895	$29.28	1
   9	Massachusetts General Hospital	$60,175	$28.93	2
   10	Georgetown University	$59,207	$28.46	2
   11	Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center	$58,138	$27.95	20
   12	Sam Houston State University	$56,449	$27.14	29
   13	Thomas Jefferson University	$56,441	$27.14
   14	PSEA	$54,979	$26.43	101
   15	Stefanini	$53,876	$25.90	2
   16	ICONMA	$53,527	$25.73
   17	Dartmouth	$52,210	$25.10	37
   18	Alliance for Sustainable Energy	$51,319	$24.67
   19	The Texas A&M University System	$50,766	$24.41
   20	Northwestern State University	$50,589	$24.32

4. Writing a biology research assistant job description

   A good biology research assistant job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a biology research assistant job description:

   Biology research assistant job description example

   RESEARCH ASSISTANT III - Molecular Cardiovascular Biology - Vanhoutte Lab-136630Description SUBFUNCTION DEFINITION: The Vanhoutte Lab is hiring a highly motivated Research Assistant to conduct independent and directed scientific studies that are focused on (i) testing novel gene therapeutic strategies to treat muscular dystrophy and (ii) the molecular underpinnings of cardiac disease. This position will be in close collaboration with the Molkentin Lab.
   REPRESENTATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
   ·Serve as a Resource
   Demonstrate competence in specific knowledge, skills and behaviors. Effectively communicate with team members and contribute to their growth by sharing knowledge, experience, and skills. Stay abreast of changes in key systems. Serve as a resource to the department in specific area(s).
   ·Perform experiments and record data
   Follow established research protocols. Understand the scientific principles involved in the research. Apply those principles to troubleshoot and modify procedures and techniques when appropriate. Maintain accurate and detailed records of all laboratory work and experiments. Analyze data and perform statistical and graphical analysis of data. Design and execute daily laboratory experiments in coordination with senior laboratory personnel. Apply standard protocols to specific experiments. Assists in training post doctoral fellows, graduate students, and junior laboratory personnel in laboratory techniques and equipment. Capable of directing an undergraduate trainee in simple, well-established procedures. Maintains an active role in laboratory's meetings, presentations, and publications. Contributes material for reports, publications, journal articles, and abstracts. Able to orally present data in group presentations.
   ·Research and improve current methods
   Utilize internal and external resources to reproduce, evaluate, research, and improve techniques, bring in new techniques or modify existing techniques. Evaluate innovative techniques.
   ·Lab Administration
   Troubleshoot and correct erroneous results or problems with laboratory equipment. Troubleshoot and/or make modifications as necessary to established procedures. Maintain inventory of laboratory supplies and equipment. Maintain mouse colony and cell cultures. Operate standard laboratory equipment. Willing and able to assist in daily operations of the laboratory including answering phone, maintaining lab supplies, organization, and cleanliness. Maintains optimal protocol and assay accuracy by conducting regular quality checks. Provides appropriate safety monitoring checks as assigned (radiation safety, biosafety, etc.)
   
   Qualifications EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
   
   Required:
   ·Bachelor's degree in a related field
   
   · 1 year of work experience in a related job discipline OR Master's degree in a related field
   
   Preferred:
   
   Prior experience with managing a mouse colony, animal models of disease, histology and/or molecular biology techniques are a plus.
   
   Cincinnati Children s is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and treasures Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We are committed to creating an environment of dignity and respect for all our employees, patients, and families (EEO/AA).
   
   Job ResearchPrimary LocationUnited States-Ohio-Cincinnati-Burnet Building Location SSchedule Full-time Shift Day JobJob Type Standard Department 575000 - Mol. Cardio. BiologyEmployee Status RegularFTE 1Weekly Hours 40Salary Range 22.34-32.11

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find biology research assistants for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your biology research assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit biology research assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with biology research assistant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new biology research assistant

   Once you've decided on a perfect biology research assistant candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new biology research assistant. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a biology research assistant?