How to hire a research aide

How to hire a research aide, step by step

Here's a step-by-step research aide hiring guide:

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

What does a research aide do?

Post a research aide job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the research aide you need to hire. Certain research aide roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a research aide to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a research aide that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of research aide salaries for various roles:

   Type of Research Aide	Description	Hourly rate
   Research Aide	Market research analysts study market conditions to examine potential sales of a product or service. They help companies understand what products people want, who will buy them, and at what price.	$10-22
   Marketing Coordinator	A marketing coordinator supports the marketing department on deciding strategies and business efforts to develop the brand image and boost customer satisfaction. Marketing coordinators' duties include assisting in advertising campaigns, scheduling promotional events, monitoring sales status, researching current market trends, maintaining a record of existing and potential clients, and contributing ideas to improve the brand's profitability... Show more	$16-32
   Marketing Internship	Marketing interns are usually marketing students or fresh graduates who are interested in getting actual work experiences before taking on a full-time job. They usually have an interest or academic background related to marketing... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Collection
   • Data Entry
   • Lab Equipment
   • Laboratory Equipment
   • Research Data
   • Animal Handling
   • Sample Collection
   • Chemistry
   • Research Projects
   • Research Study
   • R
   • Data Analysis
   • Community Outreach
   • Statistical Analysis

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage social media publications to spread awareness and notifications on Facebook.
   • Assist in the success of AALAS certification, FDA, USDA, and IACUC inspections.
   • Collaborate with a team to submit IRB updates.
   • Assist with maintenance, documentation, and submission of IRB materials.
   • Enter, verify, and run descriptive analysis from surveys in SPSS.
   • Analyze DNA sequences, mutations, multiple sequence alignments, mRNA sequences and translation products.

   More research aide duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your research aide job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A research aide salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, research aides' average salary in mississippi is 55% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level research aides earn 53% less than senior-level research aides.
   • Certifications. A research aide with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a research aide's salary.

   Average research aide salary

   $15.49hourly

   $32,225 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level research aide salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average research aide salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$39,222	$19
   2	Texas	$31,926	$15
   3	Maryland	$31,619	$15
   4	Alabama	$27,791	$13
   5	Idaho	$27,536	$13
   6	Ohio	$26,784	$13
   7	West Virginia	$26,092	$13
   8	Utah	$25,888	$12
   9	Kansas	$25,334	$12
   10	Missouri	$24,117	$12

   Average research aide salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Columbia University in the City of New York	$51,239	$24.63	48
   2	The University of Alabama in Huntsville	$40,101	$19.28	21
   3	Texas Tech University	$36,269	$17.44	10
   4	Cornell University	$35,798	$17.21	24
   5	University of Idaho	$33,607	$16.16	8
   6	West Virginia University	$31,494	$15.14	17
   7	Johns Hopkins University	$31,113	$14.96	173
   8	Huntsville Hospital	$30,987	$14.90	19
   9	WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA	$30,881	$14.85	159
   10	The University of Kansas Health System	$30,321	$14.58	12
   11	Cottonwood Heights	$29,732	$14.29
   12	Ohio State University Medical Center	$29,689	$14.27
   13	Nationwide Children's Hospital	$29,335	$14.10	19
   14	The Ohio State University	$27,659	$13.30	26
   15	Kansas State University	$24,609	$11.83	2

4. Writing a research aide job description

   A good research aide job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a research aide job description:

   Research aide job description example

   Research Aide - RI CIRP Zhu
   
   Provides assistance in research experiments under direction of Research Assistant; obtains supplies and equipment needed for research projects; maintains laboratory records.
   
   Why Nationwide Children's Hospital?
   
   The moment you walk through our doors, you feel it. When you meet our patient families, you believe it. And when you talk with anyone who works here, you want to be part of it. Welcome to Nationwide Children's Hospital, Where Passion Meets Purpose.
   
   Here, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are integrated into our core values and practices. We are passionate about building, sustaining and evolving an inclusive and equitable environment. We are seeking individuals who live these values and want to share their experiences and efforts in support of our collective mission.
   
   We're 14,000 strong. And it takes every one of us to improve the lives of the kids we care for, and the kids around the world we'll never meet. Kids who live healthier, fuller lives because of the knowledge we share. We know it takes a Collaborative Culture to deliver on our promise to provide the very best, innovative care and to foster new discoveries, made possible by the most groundbreaking research. Anywhere.
   
   Ask anyone with a Nationwide Children's badge what they do for a living. They'll tell you it's More Than a Job. It's a calling. It's a chance to use and grow your talent to make an impact that truly matters. Because here, we exist simply to help children everywhere.
   
   Nationwide Children's Hospital. A Place to Be Proud.
   
   Responsibilities
   
   PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
   
   1. Assists with research experiments for specific area.
   
   2. Conducts laboratory analyses; assists in assay studies and tests on substrates of materials used in research.
   
   3. Performs cell bacterial and viral cultures utilizing sterile techniques. Grows and harvests research specimens, as applicable.
   
   4. Obtains supplies and equipment needed for research projects and ensures equipment is in proper working condition. Draws items from inventory supplies.
   
   5. Prepares special instruments and monitoring devices used to record test results.
   
   6. Maintains laboratory records and completes required charts. Records patient information in log books. Files charts and patient slides and ensures appropriate disbursement of reports.
   
   7. Assists with preparation of laboratory reports by collecting and collating research data. Prepares drafts of laboratory reports under direction of Research Assistant and conducts library research to obtain supporting research data. Prepares charts, graphs, and related data.
   
   8. Maintains clean laboratory area. Replaces instruments after use and ensures slides, test tubes, glassware, and other items used in analyses are cleaned. Adheres to proper safety techniques and procedures.
   
   9. Performs miscellaneous related duties
   
   Qualifications
   
   Reports to: Principal Investigator
   
   Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:
   
   * High School graduate with two years accredited college coursework majoring in science preferred.
   
   Minimum Physical Requirements:
   
   Percent of time spent on:
   
   * 50% Typing on computer
   * 25% Answering phones
   * 11% Miscellaneous paperwork associated with research and OSU faculty appointment
   * 10% Acting as liaison
   * 02% Xeroxing
   * 02% Filing
   * 100% Kneeling / reaching
   * 100% Finger dexterity
   * 100% Talking / hearing / seeing
   * The above list of duties is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by individuals assigned to this classification.
   
   EOE M/F/Disability/Vet

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right research aide 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 research aides they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit research aides 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.

   To find research aide candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as swipe files, exit five, marketinghire, american marketing association.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting research aides requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 research aide

   Once you've selected the best research aide 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 research aide 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a research aide?