How to hire a junior research fellow

How to hire a junior research fellow, step by step

Here's a step-by-step junior research fellow hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a junior research fellow, 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

   Hiring the perfect junior research fellow also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of junior research fellows.

   Type of Junior Research Fellow	Description	Hourly rate
   Junior Research Fellow	Medical scientists conduct research aimed at improving overall human health. They often use clinical trials and other investigative methods to reach their findings.	$22-43
   Scientist	A scientist is responsible for researching and analyzing the nature and complexities of the physical world to identify discoveries that would improve people's lives and ignite scientific knowledge for society. Scientists' duties differ in their different areas of expertise, but all of them must have a broad comprehension of scientific disciplines and methods to support their experiments and investigations... Show more	$32-67
   Research Laboratory Technician	Research laboratory technicians play a vital role in scientific laboratories. They perform varied duties and responsibilities, which include setting up, operating, and maintaining the laboratory equipment, assisting in laboratory-based research activities such as sampling, testing, and analyzing results, and providing technical support to the laboratory team members... Show more	$14-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Cell Culture
   • R
   • Molecular Techniques
   • Molecular Biology
   • Chemistry
   • Research Projects
   • Synthesis
   • RNA
   • RT-PCR
   • C++
   • Scholarship
   • Data Analysis
   • DNA
   • Cell Lines

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage social media publications to spread awareness and notifications on Facebook.
   • Work on synthesis of D-Serine from N-Acetyl-D-glucose using microorganisms, immobilize enzymes, and microbial cells in the key steps.
   • Estimate cytokines levels in human patient samples using ELISA methodology.
   • Assist in routine analysis using radio immuno assays such as ELISA.
   • Involve in the multi-step synthesis of bio-active natural products and also involve in the development of novel synthetic methodologies.
   • Construct a preliminary testing platform for a collaborative $3MM NSF grant between biology and electrical engineering exploring molecular communication theory.

   More junior research fellow duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your junior research fellow job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A junior research fellow salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a junior research fellow in West Virginia may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level junior research fellow usually earns less than a senior-level junior research fellow. Additionally, a junior research fellow with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average junior research fellow salary

   $64,677yearly

   $31.09 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level junior research fellow salary

   $46,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average junior research fellow salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$94,751	$46
   2	Virginia	$75,839	$36
   3	Hawaii	$75,477	$36
   4	District of Columbia	$69,711	$34
   5	Arizona	$68,960	$33
   6	Massachusetts	$67,825	$33
   7	New York	$65,230	$31
   8	Alabama	$55,248	$27
   9	Missouri	$53,199	$26
   10	Texas	$45,402	$22

   Average junior research fellow salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Colfax Corporation	$95,347	$45.84
   2	University of Hawaii Foundation	$70,395	$33.84	14
   3	HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology	$65,885	$31.68	2
   4	Atlantic Council	$65,197	$31.34
   5	Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation	$64,239	$30.88
   6	Brigham and Women's Hospital	$63,695	$30.62	115
   7	New York University	$63,158	$30.36	32
   8	HHMI	$62,145	$29.88	14
   9	Harvard University	$61,780	$29.70
   10	The University of Kansas Health System	$55,327	$26.60	10
   11	The University of Kansas	$54,111	$26.01	125
   12	UTHealth	$52,733	$25.35	54
   13	UT Health San Antonio	$46,489	$22.35	56
   14	Search for Common Ground	$45,819	$22.03

4. Writing a junior research fellow job description

   A junior research fellow 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 junior research fellow job description:

   Junior research fellow job description example

   Note: If you are CURRENTLY employed at Children's and/or have an active badge or network access, STOP here. Submit your application via Workday using the Career App (Find Jobs).
   Work Shift
   
   Variable
   
   Work Day(s)
   
   Variable
   
   Shift Start Time
   
   Variable
   
   Shift End Time
   
   Variable
   
   Worker Sub-Type
   
   PRN
   
   Being an employee at Children's is more than just protocols and medication rounds-it's knowing when a hug is the most important thing in the world to a child. It's knowing that sometimes laughter really is the best medicine. But, most important, it's giving patients and families exactly the care they need, when they need it.
   
   Job Description
   
   To plan, implement and evaluate the provision of high quality medical care, with appropriate resource management, to children and adolescents in the respective clinical area.
   
   Experience
   
   No minimum experience required
   
   Preferred Qualifications
   
   Experience in respective clinical area
   
   Education
   
   Medical Degree
   
   Appropriate Fellowship completed
   
   Certification Summary
   
   Board certified and licensed to practice medicine in the state of Georgia
   
   Current DEA registration
   
   BLS certification is required. PALS or NRP certification
   
   Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
   
   Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with patients and families and as a team member
   
   Demonstrates the following skills in accomplishing job duties and responsibilities:
   
   o Personal organization and time management
   
   o Human relations and teamwork
   
   o Personal adaptability
   
   o Personal motivation
   
   o Listening
   
   Meets eligibility requirements for credentialing as part of the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Professional Staff
   
   Job Responsibilities
   
   Provides patient care within the respective clinical area which complies with the Professional Staff Bylaws, rules and regulations and Children's policies and procedures.
   
   Participates in and incorporates Quality Improvement and research findings into practice.
   
   Provides and/or serves as a resource for patient/family and staff education.
   
   Provides an authenticated report of all physician services rendered and maintains accurate and complete records in an acceptable manner.
   
   Completes necessary documentation and ensures communication to facilitate patent care and appropriate reimbursement
   
   Participates in meetings/activities as required to support operations of the clinical area.
   
   Participates in activities that enhance professional development, complete and maintain certification in BLS, PALS, or NALS (by 12/31/01) and maintains any additional specialty training/certifications as required by the area assigned.
   
   Performs other responsibilities as required.
   
   Primary Location Address
   
   1405 Clifton Rd NE
   
   Job Family
   
   Physician

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find junior research fellows 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 junior research fellows they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level junior research fellows 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 junior research fellow job on Zippia to find and recruit junior research fellow candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit junior research fellows, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 junior research fellow

   Once you have selected a candidate for the junior research fellow position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new junior research fellow. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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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