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Graduate research associate skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

6 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Jelena Sanchez Ph.D.,

Harriet Phinney Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical graduate research associate skills. We ranked the top skills for graduate research associates based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 8.4% of graduate research associate resumes contained r as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a graduate research associate needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 graduate research associate skills for your resume and career

1. R

R is a free software environment and a language used by programmers for statistical computing. The R programming language is famously used for data analysis by data scientists.

Here's how graduate research associates use r:

Performed analyses and visualized results in SAS and R on several ongoing projects for a clinical psychology faculty and his lab.
Analyzed with R and SAS statistical packages.

2. Technical Reports

Technical reports are a type of document that is used to indicate either the progress, result, or process of scientific research or the state of problems occurring within such research. A technical report may also showcase the report's overall conclusion and may also include recommendations. This kind of report does not require a peer review and isn't published officially but distributed within the organizations where it was formed.

Here's how graduate research associates use technical reports:

Drafted one technical report (RT 316), and created numerous CII presentation materials.
Produced and presented technical reports for Area Array Consortium members.

3. Cell Culture

Here's how graduate research associates use cell culture:

Carry out cell culture, tomato propagation, protein analysis, PCR, DNA sequencing and analysis.
Conducted mammalian cell culture and cell dosing for testing novel compounds in ALS and Parkinson's disease research

4. Research Projects

Here's how graduate research associates use research projects:

Managed research projects involving computing intensive simulations, large data set analysis, and extensive collaboration with laboratory experimental scientists.
Directed undergraduate research projects involving kinetic assays, molecular biology, and X-ray crystallography.

5. Chemistry

Chemistry is the branch of science that tells us about the composition, properties, and structure of elements and compounds. The processes these elements undergo and how they undergo change all come under the branch of chemistry.

Here's how graduate research associates use chemistry:

Supervised general and organic chemistry undergraduate labs and discussion classes.
Published four peer-reviewed articles in leading chemistry journals.

6. Protein Expression

Here's how graduate research associates use protein expression:

Perform protein expression, purification and quantification by using different strains of E.coli.
Analyzed the mRNA and protein expression in clinical isolates using RT-PCR and western blot technique.

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7. Data Analysis

Here's how graduate research associates use data analysis:

Participate in data acquisition, database management, and data analysis.
Managed complex data set and performed quantitative data analysis using SPSS.

8. Graduate Research

Graduate research is work and studying done by someone pursuing a masters or doctorate degree.

Here's how graduate research associates use graduate research:

Supervised two master students and four undergraduate research assistants
Trained and managed undergraduate researchers.

9. Molecular Biology

Here's how graduate research associates use molecular biology:

Performed independent molecular biology research and taught a single term undergraduate genetics lab.
Gained proficiency in multitude of molecular biology techniques.

10. Data Collection

Data collection means to analyze and collect all the necessary information. It helps in carrying out research and in storing important and necessary information. The most important goal of data collection is to gather the information that is rich and accurate for statistical analysis.

Here's how graduate research associates use data collection:

Assisted with chart review, chemotherapy and radiation therapy dose intensity calculation, data collection and management.
Performed silicone molding, assembled prototypes/test setups, and performed testing/data collection.

11. Synthesis

Synthesis refers to the process of combining a number of things to become something new. Depending on the field of work, this may mean combining ideas, products, and new influences into a new service or product. Overall, the process is focused on reviewing and analyzing different data points to make something new.

Here's how graduate research associates use synthesis:

Commissioned and tested state-of-the-art Sputter Deposition Tool that enabled the synthesis of metallic and semiconductor thin films.
Designed and implemented unified strategies toward the synthesis of highly oxidized complex cembrenolides.

12. Statistical Analysis

Here's how graduate research associates use statistical analysis:

Involved with study coordination, experiment execution, data management, statistical analysis, and conceptualization of scientific material.
Worked with formulation development team for accelerated stability study design, execution and statistical analysis for different clinical formulations.

13. C++

C++ is a general-purpose programming language that is used to create high-performing applications. It was invented as an extension to the C language. C++ lets the programmer have a high level of domination over memory and system resources. C++ is an object-oriented language that helps you implement real-time issues based on different data functions

Here's how graduate research associates use c++:

Developed a code in C++ to create interface between process plan and tolerance analysis module in MPVA.
Implemented real time computer animation software on UNIX with C++, X/Motif, OpenGL.

14. Research Findings

Here's how graduate research associates use research findings:

Published peer-reviewed journal articles and presented research findings at various platforms.
Presented significant research findings at different level scientific meetings.

15. Literature Reviews

Here's how graduate research associates use literature reviews:

Grant and technical report writing including data visualization and performing literature reviews.
Utilized a literature review to understand the effects of coating materials and processes on thermally cycled electronic samples.

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What skills help Graduate Research Associates find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on graduate research associate resumes?

Dr. Jelena Sanchez Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Spanish, North Central College

Currently, multilingual skills shine bright in resumes. Finally, the pandemic reality will validate the global currency of languages.

What soft skills should all graduate research associates possess?

Harriet Phinney Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Seattle University

Understanding human diversity, effective communication (speaking and writing: the ability to convey complex ideas respectfully to a diverse audience) across differences, adept at working in groups, yet also independent thinkers.

What hard/technical skills are most important for graduate research associates?

Harriet Phinney Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Seattle University

Empirical data collection: Research skills for collecting original data, analyzing the data, writing up the information collected, and presenting it in a professional manner.

What graduate research associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Tom Solomon

Professor of Physics, Bucknell University

I think that that would depend strongly on the particular student and what they had done at college. As I mentioned above, I think it is important for a person to have a broad education. Of course, I deal mostly with STEM students (being a member of the Department of Physics and Astronomy), but I always strongly encourage them to take courses in other fields as well.

If a graduate is taking a gap year, my recommendation would be to use that gap year to fill in any gaps. For instance, we have some students who discover late in their college career what it is that they want to do after graduation, and a gap year can be helpful to fill in any needed background. For instance, if someone decides late in their college career to go into medicine, they might need a few more chemistry or biology courses. If a student has completed a rigorous STEM education in college, they might benefit from a gap year that emphasizes working with people, e.g., teaching for a year, working abroad, or even doing an internship on policy. On that last note, I had a student who had majored in physics and chemistry, but she wasn't sure what she wanted to do post graduation. She took a job with a science policy think tank in Washington, D.C. She enjoyed that work, but left after a year or two and decided to pursue a Ph.D. in physics. She is now at Lincoln Labs working on quantum computers.

A gap year can also be useful for someone to try out a particular field before making the commitment to pursue postgraduate degrees; for example, spending a year in a lab before going on to graduate school. I have had several students pursue that route as well.

What type of skills will young graduate research associates need?

Bart Elmore

Associate Professor of Environmental History, Ohio State University

There really is no profession that does not lean on history. Politicians speak of what the "Founding Fathers" believed in trying and getting legislation passed. Business leaders have to look back at old annual reports and financial records to understand economic trends and predict problems that might arise in the future. Even doctors have to learn how to examine health data compiled decades ago to understand how best to treat their patients. I'm not sure people think of history this way, but the truth is, knowing how to digest historical data and translate it into useful information that can help guide decisions in the present is what historians do. I cannot think of a more powerful discipline when it comes to learning skills that will help young graduates live better lives once they leave the university.

What technical skills for a graduate research associate stand out to employers?

Sya Kedzior Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Towson University

The ability to understand technical or complex scientific processes and communicate that information with the public is one of the most attractive skills for an entry-level worker to possess. Many employers may not have staff skilled in the latest GIS technologies or social media trends. While the ability to use last year's software or network via Instagram might not seem particularly novel to recent graduates, these are skills less likely to be found in the workforce of even 10 years ago. Geographers are particularly well prepared for today's workforce because they've often had coursework across the "hard" and social sciences, along with training in technical skills (usually GIS or quantitative analysis) and written and oral communication skills. Another skill in high demand today is data collection and analysis. I often talk with potential employers who want to hire people who can develop and administer a public survey, and then analyze and write up the results. That requires understanding human behavior, public communication, and different forms of data analysis. But, these are skills that can be developed in perhaps only a few classes as part of a major or minor in Geography and other cognate fields.

Do you want to know more?

List of graduate research associate skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a graduate research associate resume and required skills for a graduate research associate to have include:

R
Technical Reports
Cell Culture
Research Projects
Chemistry
Protein Expression
Data Analysis
Graduate Research
Molecular Biology
Data Collection
Synthesis
Statistical Analysis
C++
Research Findings
Literature Reviews
Independent Research
RT-PCR

HPLC
DNA
SEM
Python
SPSS
NMR
Journal Articles
SAS
NSF
Elisa
Analyze Data
Flow Cytometry
UV-Vis
PI
Electrophoresis
Experimental Design
NIH

Experimental Data
Nanoparticles
Cell Lines
Mass Spectrometry
SDS-PAGE
LabVIEW
Cell Biology
Pharmacology
XRD
Abaqus
Mechanical Properties
IRB
Alzheimer
Western Blotting
SQL

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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