How To Become A Junior Research Assistant: What It Is and Career Path

What is a junior research assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Slavko Komarnytsky,

Shelly Lesher

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a junior research assistant. For example, did you know that they make an average of $26.23 an hour? That's $54,557 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 19% and produce 150,300 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a junior research assistant?

Slavko Komarnytsky

Associate Professor, North Carolina State University

Stay current on research developments and industry trends. Strongly consider a relevant master's degree or at least a certificate program in the area of your interest to stand out and gain in-depth knowledge, networks, and technical skills. Seek writing and speaking opportunities to establish visibility and credibility to your name. For many recent graduates, it takes six months in the current economic climate to secure a career opportunity, so plan for it accordingly. Hire a headhunter even if it costs you a few months of your future salary, as the first job placement is often the most difficult one. Apply early to graduate Ph.D. programs if you intend to continue your career in academia, but do not view a Ph.D. program as a placeholder to overwinter the pandemic and economic meltdown. The Ph.D. is a lot of original independent work that will make you overqualified to many technical jobs, especially in the recession.

ScoreJunior Research AssistantUS Average

Salary

4.3

Avg. Salary $54,557

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.5

Growth rate 19%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.03%

Asian 16.44%

Black or African American 8.47%

Hispanic or Latino 15.12%

Unknown 6.00%

White 52.93%

Gender

female 59.88%

male 40.12%

Age - 35

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 - 35

Stress level

4.5

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.8

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a junior research assistant

Explore junior research assistant education requirements

Most common junior research assistant degrees

Bachelor's

67.7 %

Master's

15.8 %

Associate

5.3 %

Start to develop specific junior research assistant skills

Skills	Percentages
Patient Care	13.61%
Data Analysis	10.16%
Cell Culture	8.26%
Behavioral Data	6.67%
Vital Signs	6.16%

Complete relevant junior research assistant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New junior research assistants 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 junior research assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real junior research assistant resumes.

Research junior research assistant duties and responsibilities

Evaluate patients' study eligibility via medical history, obtain informed consent, enroll patients, and achieve enrollment quotas.
Perform cDNA cloning and DNA sequence analysis.
Train staff in DNA techniques and teach graduate level laboratory classes.
Proofread research report for accuracy and consistency.

Prepare your junior research assistant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your junior research assistant 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 junior research assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable junior research assistant resume templates

Build a professional junior research assistant 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 junior research assistant resume.

Apply for junior research assistant jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a junior research assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do junior research assistants rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Junior research assistant reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019

Pros

I like to explore more in community health related field and benefit the future generations from avoidable diseases and help them with information related to health aspects.

Cons

None