How to hire a health researcher

How to hire a health researcher, step by step

Here's a step-by-step health 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 health researcher job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new health researcher
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a health researcher do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a health researcher, 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 health researcher's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, health 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of health researchers.

   Type of Health Researcher	Description	Hourly rate
   Health Researcher	Medical scientists conduct research aimed at improving overall human health. They often use clinical trials and other investigative methods to reach their findings.	$27-58
   Fellow	A fellow's responsibility will depend on the organization or industry where one belongs. However, most of the time, a fellow's duty will revolve around conducting research and analysis, presiding discussions and attending dialogues, handle lectures while complying with the guidelines or tasks set by supervisors, and assist in various projects and activities... Show more	$22-44
   Staff Scientist	The primary role of a Staff Scientist is to develop and manage scientific research projects with minimal supervision. They are also responsible for the technical and budgetary aspects of scientific research projects.	$30-65

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Health Services
   • Data Collection
   • Data Analysis
   • Research Findings
   • Health Economics
   • Health Insurance
   • MPH
   • Mental Health
   • Health Outcomes
   • PowerPoint
   • Literature Reviews
   • SAS
   • Clinical Trials
   • Statistical Analysis

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead Inovalon's team of biostatisticians and SAS programmers.
   • Manage database of test responses and conduct data analyses for NIH technical report.
   • Manage site assessment, initiation, monitoring, query resolution and site closure done by several CRO's and sponsors.
   • Create Linux shell scripts to automate common process which severely reduce manual work load and processing time for the entire lab.
   • Acquire and analyze clinical data (SAS programming).
   • Coordinate an FDA document retrieval system which decrease time and costs in filing new drug applications.

   More health researcher duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the health researcher job description is a good way to get more applicants. A health researcher salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a health researcher in South Carolina may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level health researcher. Additionally, a health researcher with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average health researcher salary

   $83,787yearly

   $40.28 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level health researcher salary

   $57,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average health researcher salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$111,603	$54
   2	Connecticut	$108,623	$52
   3	California	$104,575	$50
   4	Maryland	$101,507	$49
   5	Pennsylvania	$97,540	$47
   6	District of Columbia	$95,298	$46
   7	New York	$93,279	$45
   8	Massachusetts	$91,634	$44
   9	Virginia	$91,612	$44
   10	Washington	$83,858	$40
   11	Illinois	$82,384	$40
   12	Ohio	$78,613	$38
   13	Colorado	$76,495	$37
   14	North Carolina	$75,570	$36
   15	Michigan	$71,162	$34
   16	Minnesota	$68,878	$33
   17	New Mexico	$66,086	$32
   18	Utah	$63,864	$31
   19	Wisconsin	$61,933	$30
   20	Texas	$59,392	$29

   Average health researcher salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$135,951	$65.36	11
   2	Netflix	$114,895	$55.24	3
   3	General Dynamics Mission Systems	$105,676	$50.81
   4	Amazon	$104,682	$50.33	27
   5	Stanford Health Care	$94,063	$45.22
   6	American Board of Emergency Medicine	$93,532	$44.97
   7	American Institutes for Research	$91,371	$43.93
   8	Inovalon	$91,041	$43.77	4
   9	Stanford University	$90,478	$43.50	5
   10	Highmark	$90,057	$43.30	1
   11	Mathematica	$89,020	$42.80
   12	Unitedheath Group	$88,112	$42.36
   13	AVMA	$86,791	$41.73
   14	University of Massachusetts Medical School	$86,330	$41.50	1
   15	Optum	$84,781	$40.76	7
   16	Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Inc.	$84,744	$40.74
   17	Alaka`ina Foundation Family Of Companies	$83,891	$40.33
   18	General Dynamics	$83,271	$40.03	3
   19	Hennepin Healthcare	$83,248	$40.02
   20	*n/a*	$82,617	$39.72

4. Writing a health researcher job description

   A job description for a health researcher role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a health researcher job description:

   Health researcher job description example

   AIR is currently seeking a Managing Researcher to join AIR's Health Division.
   
   AIR's Health Division specializes in research, evaluation, and technical assistance in the areas of patient and consumer engagement, evaluation, quality and performance measurement, delivery systems improvement, financing and cost of care, and behavioral health (i.e., substance abuse and mental health). Major clients include the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), private foundations, and state governments.
   
   Candidates hired for the position might initially start working remotely but will eventually have the option to work from one of our U.S. office locations or continue to work remotely based in the U.S.
   
   About AIR:
   
   Established in 1946, with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to solve some of the most urgent challenges in the U.S. and around the world. We advance evidence in the areas of education, health, the workforce, human services, and international development to create a better, more equitable world.
   
   AIR's commitment to diversity goes beyond legal compliance to its full integration in our strategy, operations, and work environment. At AIR, we define diversity broadly, considering everyone's unique life and community experiences. We believe that embracing diverse perspectives, abilities/disabilities, racial/ethnic and cultural backgrounds, styles, ages, genders, gender identities and expressions, education backgrounds, and life stories drives innovation and employee engagement. Learn more about AIR's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy and hear from our staff by clicking here.
   
   The responsibilities for the position include but are not limited to:
   
   + Serves as thought leader in project execution and business development, specifically towards work conducted for CMS and the CMS Innovation Center (CMMI).
   
   + Directs execution of large complex projects or portfolio of smaller projects; oversees the planning, design, and implementation of project procedures;
   
   + Leads proposal efforts including review of proposals for sound practices and techniques, briefings, and client relation/development activities; and
   
   + Serves as industry expert for alternative payment models, value-based reimbursement, or Medicare payment policies.
   
   + Effectively coach and manage others to promote their development; set developmental goals and measurements for staff.
   
   + Foster an environment that embraces diverse perspectives, abilities, racial/ethnic and cultural backgrounds, ages, gender identities and expressions, educational experiences, and life stories
   
   Education, Knowledge, and Experience:
   
   + P.H in a related field with a minimum of 15 years of relevant work experience managing and conducting research or related work or a Ph.D. with 10 or more years of related experience.
   
   + Minimum of 10 years project management experience.
   
   + Direct experience on prior or current CMMI alternative payment model contracts preferable.
   
   + Proven track record of winning new business with CMS, AHRQ, or other HHS agencies.
   
   + Extensive knowledge of Medicare payment policy, Medicare Advantage, or the CMS Market place
   
   + Knowledge of Medicare claims, provider claims, survey data, and other publicly available datasets.
   
   Skills:
   
   + Must possess strong leadership, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
   
   + Extensive success in writing, conceptualizing, analyzing, and consulting on large-scale federally funded projects.
   
   + Strong communication skills with the ability to communicate complex technical material succinctly and accurately using plain language.
   
   Disclosures:
   
   AIR requires all new hires to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or receive a legally required exemption from AIR, as a condition of employment. AIR will ask candidates to verify their vaccination status only after a conditional offer of employment is made. Applicants should not provide information about their vaccination status or need for exemption prior to receiving a conditional offer of employment from AIR
   
   Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for this position. Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet certain residency requirements.
   
   All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.
   
   AIR adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
   
   #LI-DC1 #LI-Remote
   
   ID: 12434
   
   External Company Name: American Institutes for Research

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right health researcher for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with health researchers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit health researchers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with health researcher 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 health researcher

   Once you've selected the best health researcher candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new health researcher first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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