What is a Postdoc Research Associate?

Postdoc research associates are professionals who are responsible for helping postdoctoral researchers in their research after completing their doctoral studies. They must train and mentor undergraduate and graduate students with their ongoing research projects to aid timely completion. They perform data analysis and prepare scientific and technical reports. This may be presented at scientific conferences. Also, they conduct literature reviews. Additionally, they may collect and analyze laboratory results based on the topic they are researching. Moreover, they may work independently or under the guidance of an adviser or supervisor.

Candidates must have excellent communication skills and be creative, highly motivated, and able to work independently. You must have experience in writing and executing grants. The educational requirement for this role is a doctoral degree. Education and health care companies are where postdoc research associates can find jobs. Their annual salary varies from $38,000 to $67,000, with an average yearly salary of $51,066 or $24.55 per hour.

What Does a Postdoc Research Associate Do

When it comes to the most important skills required to be a postdoc research associate, we found that a lot of resumes listed 9.1% of postdoc research associates included data analysis, while 7.9% of resumes included mouse model, and 7.7% of resumes included research projects. Hard skills like these are helpful to have when it comes to performing essential job responsibilities.

Learn more about what a Postdoc Research Associate does

How To Become a Postdoc Research Associate

If you're interested in becoming a postdoc research associate, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 25.6% of postdoc research associates have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 17.1% of postdoc research associates have master's degrees. Even though most postdoc research associates have a college degree, it's impossible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Top Postdoc Research Associate Jobs Near You

Postdoc Research Associate Career Paths

As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a postdoc research associate can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as research scientist, progress to a title such as senior scientist and then eventually end up with the title principal scientist.

Postdoc Research Associate

Average Salary for a Postdoc Research Associate

Postdoc Research Associates in America make an average salary of $56,259 per year or $27 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $78,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $40,000 per year.
Average Postdoc Research Associate Salary
$56,259 Yearly
$27.05 hourly
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Roles and Types of Postdoc Research Associate

There are several types of postdoc research associate, including:

Researcher

Role:

A researcher is someone who studies how to apply the scientific method within their chosen field.

Their primary responsibilities can be performing systemic investigations, overseeing internal research, or serving as the lead author on reports or articles. They are often tasked with things like collecting data (either quantitative or qualitative) and using that data to solve problems.

They can work in academic settings or in areas like the industrial, government, or private sectors. They need to have exceptional attention to detail and be both accurate and specific in their findings. They also need to ensure that their research is complete and thorough.

It is also important for a researcher to have a curious mind and to question why things are the way they are. Soft skills that can be important for a researcher include communication, leadership, and moderation. They must be able to lead project teams, moderate discussions, and communicate their knowledge clearly and persuasively.

To become a researcher, you will typically need to have a Ph.D. or similar degree. Researchers can work in a wide array of areas including sociology, medicine, and psychology. There are also researchers who work in the sciences like biology, chemistry, and physics.

  • Average Salary: $67,145
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Fellow

Role:

A fellow's duties will be based on the organization or company they are engaged in. However, several times, your job will center around carrying out research and examination, leading discussions, turning up for negotiations, and taking care of lectures while regarding the principle or effort laid by supervisors. You are also to aid in different projects and events. As a fellow, you are required to stick to the company or organization rules and regulations every time, satisfy all the conditions and output involved, and cooperate with every person in the labor force.

Additionally, you are expected to take part in analyzing the standard of learning made available by the program. You must exhibit excellent observation, communication, and interpersonal skills to suit the role of a fellow. Also, you must have studied political science, law, or psychology and hold a bachelor's degree or a master's degree in them. With this, you will be able to earn a decent average salary of $66,381 per year or $31.91 per hour.

  • Average Salary: $66,364
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Research Fellow

Role:

As the name implies, as a Research Fellow, you will be conducting research and analysis of comprehensive results, literature, and data. You will be supervising research assistants and recruiting study participants for specific studies.

For the educational requirement, a Research Fellow needs to have a doctorate relevant to the discipline and should have published papers that are peer-reviewed. As a Research Fellow, you can be supervised or independent.

The top skills Research Fellow applicants include in their resumes include Molecular Biology, Data Analysis, Cell Culture, Research Projects, and Ph.D. You might want to brush up your knowledge on these things and make sure you are knowledgeable in the field you will be applying to.

You can earn an average annual salary of $49,120 with a job growth rate of 8%. You can also explore other careers like being a Research Scientist, a Scientist, and a Senior Scientist.

  • Average Salary: $53,823
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree
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States With The Most Postdoc Research Associate Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active postdoc research associate jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where postdoc research associates earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Postdoc Research Associate Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California4,257$79,703
2Texas1,697$49,852
3Massachusetts1,498$64,552
4Pennsylvania1,345$63,150
5Florida1,314$51,360
6Illinois1,055$55,702
7New Jersey1,033$65,946
8New York948$60,564
9North Carolina865$50,395
10Virginia849$51,482
11Ohio806$49,956
12Michigan718$47,920
13Georgia715$49,808
14Minnesota673$59,644
15Colorado673$59,871
16Oregon570$59,132
17Missouri539$42,958
18Tennessee526$79,085
19Arizona482$66,981
20Indiana469$65,568
21Washington451$51,023
22Wisconsin396$48,612
23Maryland310$59,101
24Connecticut309$67,303
25Utah289$43,734
26New Mexico247$49,559
27Nebraska219$49,147
28Oklahoma215$52,922
29Iowa204$47,834
30Louisiana196$42,171
31Kansas195$46,937
32Kentucky181$45,985
33South Carolina174$40,278
34New Hampshire169$51,461
35Alabama152$47,835
36Rhode Island147$55,543
37Maine130$63,979
38Mississippi128$44,070
39Arkansas125$52,120
40Idaho119$52,031
41West Virginia117$51,061
42Delaware114$59,978
43Nevada107$65,671
44South Dakota104$49,298
45Vermont100$53,945
46Montana97$67,293
47North Dakota65$43,116
48Hawaii60$112,222
49Wyoming50$53,938
50Alaska9$70,527

Postdoc Research Associate Education

Postdoc Research Associate Majors

Chemistry
22.7 %
Physics
11.6 %
Materials Science And Engineering
7.9 %

Postdoc Research Associate Degrees

Doctorate

57.3 %

Bachelors

25.6 %

Masters

17.1 %

Top Colleges for Postdoc Research Associates

1. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-State Tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

4. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$13,226

Enrollment

31,568

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

6. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

7. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

9. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

10. University of California, Irvine

Irvine, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$13,700

Enrollment

29,722

Top Skills For a Postdoc Research Associate

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 9.1% of postdoc research associates listed data analysis on their resume, but soft skills such as communication skills and observation skills are important as well.

Postdoc Research Associate diversity

Postdoc Research Associate Gender Distribution

Male
Male
73%
Female
Female
27%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among postdoc research associates, 26.9% of them are women, while 73.1% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among postdoc research associates is Asian, which makes up 45.4% of all postdoc research associates.

  • The most common foreign language among postdoc research associates is Chinese at 46.2%.

Online Courses For Postdoc Research Associate That You May Like

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1. Foundations of Health Equity Research

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Introduces students to the core principles of health equity research. Covers topics such as defining health equity, engaging community and policy stakeholders, patient-centeredness, cultural competence, and dissemination of research findings. Content will recognize different geographic, cultural, and social contexts where health inequities occur...

2. Data Management for Clinical Research

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This course presents critical concepts and practical methods to support planning, collection, storage, and dissemination of data in clinical research. Understanding and implementing solid data management principles is critical for any scientific domain. Regardless of your current (or anticipated) role in the research enterprise, a strong working knowledge and skill set in data management principles and practice will increase your productivity and improve your science. Our goal is to use these...

3. Research Methodology: Complete Research Project Blueprint

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4.7
(535)

Research Methodology From A-Z. A Step-by-Step Guide Through Research Design, Data Collection, Analysis, & Interpretation...

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Best States For a Postdoc Research Associate

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a postdoc research associate. The best states for people in this position are Hawaii, California, Tennessee, and Alaska. Postdoc research associates make the most in Hawaii with an average salary of $112,222. Whereas in California and Tennessee, they would average $79,703 and $79,085, respectively. While postdoc research associates would only make an average of $70,527 in Alaska, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. California

Total Postdoc Research Associate Jobs: 4,257
Highest 10% Earn:
$120,000
Location Quotient:
1.58

$79,703

Avg. Salary

View 4,257 Postdoc Research Associate Jobs In CA

2. Tennessee

Total Postdoc Research Associate Jobs: 526
Highest 10% Earn:
$113,000
Location Quotient:
0.97

$79,085

Avg. Salary

View 526 Postdoc Research Associate Jobs In TN

3. Massachusetts

Total Postdoc Research Associate Jobs: 1,498
Highest 10% Earn:
$98,000
Location Quotient:
1.77

$64,552

Avg. Salary

View 1,498 Postdoc Research Associate Jobs In MA
Full List Of Best States For Postdoc Research Associates

How Do Postdoc Research Associates Rate Their Jobs?

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Top Postdoc Research Associate Employers

Most Common Employers For Postdoc Research Associate

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1TRI-AD$77,830$37.424
2Oak Ridge National Laboratory$73,054$35.1247
3Los Alamos National Laboratory$72,962$35.087
4Michigan State University$58,214$27.996
5Washington State University$54,185$26.0511
6University of Notre Dame$53,878$25.904
7Western Michigan University$53,501$25.724
8Iowa State University$53,379$25.6636
9University of North Carolina$53,009$25.4932
10The Ohio State University$52,728$25.354
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Updated April 6, 2023