How To Become A Field Researcher: What It Is and Career Path

What is a field researcher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Phillis Sheppard Ph.D.

Field researchers are responsible for recognizing patterns and aligning methodologies with research goals. They use a wide range of tools to acquire information and interpret data, write up reports, and present findings and schedules to management and other stakeholders. They also conduct desktop research and use books, journal articles, newspaper sources, questionnaires, and interviews to gather data.

Field researchers earn an average salary of $19,000 annually or $9 per hour. They perform a wide range of duties which include maintaining and protecting electronic databases, assisting management with budget and time schedules, and anticipating research issues, and promptly resolving them. They also follow a strict code of ethics and protect any confidential information at all times while writing proposals and delivering presentations when required.

Field researchers typically hold a bachelor's degree in biology, environmental science, or other related fields from an accredited university. They are expected to have some years of experience in a similar role. Some employers prefer candidates with attention to detail and exceptional written, verbal, and telephonic communication skills.

What general advice would you give to a field researcher?

Phillis Sheppard Ph.D.

E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Chair Professor of Religion, Psychology, and Culture and Womanist Thought, Vanderbilt University

I tell recent graduates to read the contract and the faculty manual. Make sure you understand the long term implications of your early salary. Second, plan for retirement now; do not wait until you are making the salary of your fantasies. Take advantage of opportunities to learn about financial health and management. Third, position yourself. Write and publish directly and clearly in your field of study and adjacent areas. Fourth, create a plan with vision for the career you think you want. Finally, one way or the other, you will carve out a career or job, but a vocation is nurtured by paying attention to where you experience passion and a deep sense of belonging. A vocation is where your heart and intellect find a meaningful place in responding to the world's needs. Your salary best positions you when it supports your whole life and commitments.

ScoreField ResearcherUS Average

Salary

2.0

Avg. Salary $25,347

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.1

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.09%

Asian 7.87%

Black or African American 6.86%

Hispanic or Latino 14.01%

Unknown 6.44%

White 63.73%

Gender

female 54.02%

male 45.98%

Age - 40

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 40

Stress level

6.1

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.0

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a field researcher

Explore field researcher education requirements

Most common field researcher degrees

Bachelor's

74.2 %

Master's

12.9 %

Associate

6.6 %

Start to develop specific field researcher skills

Skills	Percentages
Research Data	31.75%
GPS	30.31%
Data Entry	7.24%
Public Health	6.36%
Data Collection	6.29%

Complete relevant field researcher training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New field researchers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a field researcher based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real field researcher resumes.

Research field researcher duties and responsibilities

Create Linux shell scripts to automate common process which severely reduce manual work load and processing time for the entire lab.
Perform data entry in compliance with FDA guidelines.
Utilize GPS technology in the field to conduct remote field surveys.
Collect field, literary and GIS data, perform analysis and prepare a report of findings.

Prepare your field researcher resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your field researcher resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a field researcher resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable field researcher resume templates

Build a professional field researcher resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your field researcher resume.