How to hire a research fellow

How to hire a research fellow, step by step

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

What does a research fellow do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the research fellow you need to hire. Certain research fellow 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

   A research fellow's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, research fellows 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of research fellows and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Research Fellow	Description	Hourly rate
   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.	$18-34
   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
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Research Projects
   • Data Analysis
   • Cell Culture
   • Immunology
   • CRISPR
   • Cell Biology
   • Python
   • RNA
   • Chemistry
   • NIH
   • Data Collection
   • C++
   • Public Health

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Collaborate with software engineers to automate identification of 15N- and 13C- labele LC-MS features.
   • Process and manage GIS databases to contribute towards research in human transportation behavior.
   • Manage investigator initiate and cooperative group correlative studies to identify biomarkers to ascertain tumor burden and clinical outcomes in lymphoma.
   • Analyze quantitative and qualitative data through statistical software SAS and SPSS.
   • Conduct sampling, PCR, data analysis and oral presentations of the work
   • Implement python and C++ codes for numerical computation of transport properties in models and materials.

   More research fellow duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your research fellow job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A research fellow can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, research fellows' average salary in louisiana is 49% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level research fellows 46% less than senior-level research fellows.
   • Certifications. A research fellow with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a research fellow's salary.

   Average research fellow salary

   $53,823yearly

   $25.88 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level research fellow salary

   $39,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average research fellow salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$68,206	$33
   2	Alaska	$62,846	$30
   3	Connecticut	$60,605	$29
   4	Maryland	$59,804	$29
   5	Indiana	$56,890	$27
   6	Minnesota	$56,450	$27
   7	Arizona	$56,421	$27
   8	Massachusetts	$54,053	$26
   9	Illinois	$53,009	$25
   10	Washington	$52,676	$25
   11	Pennsylvania	$52,074	$25
   12	New York	$51,081	$25
   13	Oklahoma	$50,825	$24
   14	North Carolina	$50,728	$24
   15	District of Columbia	$50,429	$24
   16	Colorado	$49,105	$24
   17	Michigan	$48,941	$24
   18	Virginia	$48,081	$23
   19	Arkansas	$47,993	$23
   20	Florida	$46,540	$22

   Average research fellow salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	McKinsey & Company Inc	$76,751	$36.90	10
   2	Competitive Enterprise Institute	$76,252	$36.66
   3	IBM	$75,577	$36.34	59
   4	Argonne National Laboratory	$74,386	$35.76	116
   5	Peterson Institute for International Economics	$73,942	$35.55
   6	Pacific Northwest National Laboratory	$73,707	$35.44	173
   7	Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory	$72,809	$35.00	25
   8	HP	$72,764	$34.98	10
   9	Battelle	$72,453	$34.83	11
   10	Public Policy Institute of California	$71,773	$34.51
   11	The Heritage Foundation	$70,951	$34.11	2
   12	Boehringer Ingelheim	$70,164	$33.73	3
   13	Novartis	$69,628	$33.48
   14	AbbVie	$69,312	$33.32	68
   15	Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory	$68,699	$33.03	9
   16	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$68,628	$32.99	37
   17	American Enterprise Institute	$68,014	$32.70	6
   18	Biogen	$67,985	$32.69	2
   19	Amgen	$67,855	$32.62	38
   20	Novo Nordisk	$67,768	$32.58

4. Writing a research fellow job description

   A good research fellow 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 fellow job description:

   Research fellow job description example

   The Quincy Institute (QI) seeks a Research Fellow with a high degree of expertise in Japanese military and national security policy to join its East Asia program. Knowledge of Chinese security issues is also very desirable. The expert's key responsibility is to produce a high volume of original analysis and public communication on US policy toward Japan, China and East Asia, including research papers, policy proposals, op eds, and media engagement to advance QI's goal of a US national security strategy based on diplomatic engagement and military restraint.
   
   This position entails promoting QI's work among decision-makers and contributing expert commentary to various media outlets. The Research Fellow will respond to events of the day with rapid analysis to frame the media narrative. S/he will also build or maintain strong connections with the relevant policy and media communities.
   
   ResponsibilitiesHelp build a cohesive, rational and strategic response to challenges in the realms of US security and military policy vis-a-vis Japan and China, with the goal of reshaping the parameters of debate around US foreign policy. In collaboration with other team members, develop concrete foreign policy proposals aligned with the grand strategy of Restraint and build support for those positions through a high level of original scholarship, policy analyses and briefs, opinion columns, talking points and other materials for public dissemination. Use knowledge from the program's research and Congress's legislative agenda to effectively influence policy. Connect QI's work to relevant scholars and activists.Have or develop strong relations in the relevant policy community, including the Defense and State Departments and National Security Council and on Capitol Hill, and promote QI's work and agenda among decision-makers.Work with communications colleagues to develop positions quickly on issues of the day to benefit from a first-mover's advantage in framing the policy and media narrative; provide expert commentary and represent QI in the media.Organize and lead panels, roundtables, study groups, and workshops at QI.Support and brief leadership as needed. Direct and coordinate research assistants and interns to support output.Direct and coordinate research assistants and interns to support output.
   
   Education and ExperiencePhD preferred. Minimum of three years as an academic or policymaker, preferably at a university, think tank, nonprofit, or government.Competence in Japanese required and in Chinese preferred. Demonstrated familiarity with the US foreign policy landscape and a strong record of scholarship or policy work in the fields of IR/security studies, modern East Asian diplomatic/military history, or other relevant areas.Strong understanding of and commitment to the principles of a US foreign policy based on the IR theory of Restraint.Experience representing an organization and its agenda to high level and public audiences.
   
   Knowledge and SkillsAbility to produce detailed, original analytical reports on military and national security policies of East Asia, with a focus on Japan, and US responses.Exceptional, clear and compelling writing and strong editing skills.Ability to translate foreign policy concepts into clear and engaging content.Strong organizational and interpersonal skills and comfort working within a small team in a start-up environment.Ability to speak and write knowledgeably and comfortably about public policy research and findings to news media; key partners including state, local and federal policymakers as well as general audiences. Ability to conceive and lead projects and complete them on time, on budget, and with attention to detail.A high level of energy, commitment, and enthusiasm for the Quincy Institute's mission, program, and goals.
   
   Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and three writing samples demonstrating different forms of communication (scholarly, expert media, popular media). The deadline for applying is November 1, 2022.
   About the Quincy Institute
   
   Quincy Institute is a newly formed public policy think tank in Washington, DC, whose mission is to promote ideas that move US foreign policy away from endless war and toward vigorous diplomacy in the pursuit of international peace. It envisions a world where peace is the norm and war the exception. The Institute operates independently of any political party.
   
   Quincy Institute is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, ability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation or any other legally protected status.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting research fellows 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.

   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 research fellow

   Once you've decided on a perfect research fellow candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new 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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