How to hire a contract researcher

How to hire a contract researcher, step by step

Here's a step-by-step contract researcher hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The contract researcher hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A contract researcher's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, contract researchers 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of contract researchers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Contract Researcher	Description	Hourly rate
   Contract Researcher	Market research analysts study market conditions to examine potential sales of a product or service. They help companies understand what products people want, who will buy them, and at what price.	$9-58
   Marketing Department Internship	A marketing department internship is a marketing degree program requirement in most colleges. This is the work experience period where interns get to apply the knowledge they acquire in the real world... Show more	$12-18
   Marketing Internship	Marketing interns are usually marketing students or fresh graduates who are interested in getting actual work experiences before taking on a full-time job. They usually have an interest or academic background related to marketing... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • R
   • Database Management
   • Data Collection
   • Market Research Data
   • Quantitative Data
   • Statistical Analysis
   • Clinical Trials
   • Sops
   • Conduct Data Analysis
   • Research Findings
   • Research Projects
   • Chemistry
   • PCR
   • FDA

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage placental research for high-risk obstetric patients with the purpose of determining relationship between the altitude and birth weight.
   • Attain and practice medical insurance information rapidly and correctly; including main carriers and Medicaid.
   • Analyze water chemistry (i.e.
   • Perform DNA analysis on applicable samples to include extractions, amplifications, and processing of amplify DNA.
   • Used SAS data steps, procedures and functions to create analysis datasets, tabulation datasets and listing datasets.
   • Assist research on the biological and environmental impacts of on-site construction using HPLC, GC-MS as an environmental engineer assistant.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your contract researcher job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A contract researcher salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, contract researchers' average salary in mississippi is 69% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level contract researchers earn 84% less than senior-level contract researchers.
   • Certifications. A contract researcher with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a contract researcher's salary.

   Average contract researcher salary

   $50,230yearly

   $24.15 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level contract researcher salary

   $20,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

4. Writing a contract researcher job description

   A contract researcher job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a contract researcher job description:

   Contract researcher job description example

   Time Type: Full time
   Minimum Clearance Required to Start: Public Trust
   
   Employee Type: Regular
   
   Percentage of Travel Required: Up to 10%
   
   Type of Travel: Local
   
   CACI is currently looking for a wide range of Information Technology professionals with Agile methodology experience to join our Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Land Border Integration (LBI) Integrated Traveler Initiative II (ITI2) team in Northern Virginia! Join this passionate team of industry-leading individuals supporting the best practices in Agile Software Development and hardware integration for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
   
   As a member of the ITI2 Team, you will support the men and women charged with safeguarding the American people and enhancing the Nation's safety, security, and prosperity. CBP Officers and Border Patrol agents are on the front lines, every day, protecting our national security by combining customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection into one coordinated and supportive activity.
   
   CACI agile programs thrive in a culture of innovation and are constantly seeking individuals who can bring creative ideas to solve complex problems, both technical and procedural at the team and portfolio levels. The ability to be adaptable and to work constructively with a technically diverse and geographically separated team is crucial.
   
   We are looking for experienced individuals with the following skills to join our program (positions may be available with various levels of experience), not all positions may be available at any time but may be available in the future:
   
   * Technical Leads
   
   * Product Architects
   
   * Scrum Masters
   
   * Business Analysts
   
   * Developers (.Net, Java, ServiceNow)
   
   * Test Engineers
   
   * Hardware Engineers
   
   * Data Analytics Engineers
   
   * Quality Assurance Specialists
   
   * Master Schedulers
   
   * Program Operations Analysts
   
   * Supply Chain/Procurement Specialists
   
   * Warehouse/Logistics Specialists
   
   * Enterprise Service Desk Technicians
   
   * Field Support Engineers
   
   All positions will require the ability to obtain and maintain an approved Background Investigation as required through CBP. This clearance process takes on an average between 3-4 months.
   
   What We Can Offer You:
   
   * We've been named a Best Place to Work by the Washington Post.
   
   * Our employees value the flexibility at CACI that allows them to balance quality work and their personal lives.
   
   * We offer competitive benefits and learning and development opportunities.
   
   * We are mission-oriented and ever vigilant in aligning our solutions with the nation's highest priorities.
   
   * For over 55 years, the principles of CACI's unique, character-based culture have been the driving force behind our success.
   
   Company Overview: At CACI, you will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact by providing information solutions and services in support of national security missions and government transformation for Intelligence, Defense, and Federal Civilian customers. CACI is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Females/Minorities/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities.
   
   As a federal contractor, CACI is subject to any federal vaccine mandates or other customer vaccination requirements. All new hires are required to report their vaccination status.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find contract researchers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any contract researchers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level contract researchers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your contract researcher job on Zippia to find and attract quality contract researcher candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as swipe files, exit five, marketinghire, american marketing association.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting contract researchers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 contract researcher

   Once you've decided on a perfect contract researcher 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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