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What is a research support specialist and how to become one
Research support specialists can work in a variety of fields, including medicine, geology, and chemistry. Their job is to research their field and uncover new information. Even though research support specialists focus on a specific area, they may also explore other areas, like market research and intelligence research.
Research support specialists are adept at using various internet tools to retrieve information. The job also involves navigating credible sites to uncover reliable and verified information. The data they find will be used in publishing research papers in academic institutions and online journals.
Research support specialists are also skilled in qualitative and quantitative research. Qualitative research focuses on gathering information through surveys and questionnaires that assess people's opinion on a subject. Quantitative analysis, on the other hand, involves facts like formulas and scientific equations.
To become a research support specialist, an advanced degree is needed in the specific area of research. They also need experience with conducting studies.
What general advice would you give to a research support specialist?
Dr. Glenn Whitehouse
Associate Dean, Associate Professor, Florida Gulf Coast University
-Know the value - and rarity - of your skill set. As you enter the workforce you may encounter peers who walk in knowing business lingo or specialized knowledge you didn't encounter in school. But as a philosophy major, it is likely that you can write clearly, read carefully, think precisely, persuade effectively, imagine alternatives, and assess issues. These are not common skills, and they can be the key to rapid advancement and career mobility. As an entry-level employee, seek out opportunities to showcase your skills, and you won't be in that entry-level position for long.
-Treat your early career as a learning experience. It's very unlikely that your first job will be your forever job, and that means it's OK to try something that will help you develop professionally, even if you don't intend to stay with that employer. You chose a major that called you to do research and stretch your mind to unfamiliar places. Carry that spirit into your first job, and you'll quickly erase any advantage that peers from so-called practical walked in with. You may need to teach yourself some business knowledge and skills as you get started, but I promise nothing you have to learn in the professional world is harder than reading Kant and Hegel!
Avg. Salary $47,994
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 19%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.13%
Asian 12.40%
Black or African American 5.16%
Hispanic or Latino 12.33%
Unknown 5.00%
White 64.98%
Genderfemale 61.54%
male 38.46%
Age - 34American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 34Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Research support specialist career paths
Key steps to become a research support specialist
Explore research support specialist education requirements
Start to develop specific research support specialist skills
Skills Percentages Research Support 26.35% Data Collection 9.24% Research Projects 8.48% Analyze Data 3.94% Biomedical 3.91% Complete relevant research support specialist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New research support specialists 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 research support specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real research support specialist resumes.Research research support specialist duties and responsibilities
- Manage data and perform statistical analyses with SAS.
- Manage social media publications to spread awareness and notifications on Facebook.
- Perform closure interviews while adhering to IRB protocol.
- Serve as liaison to clients, IRB office and other stakeholders.
Prepare your research support specialist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your research support specialist 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 research support specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable research support specialist resume templates
Build a professional research support specialist 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 research support specialist resume.
Apply for research support specialist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a research support specialist 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 did you land your first research support specialist job
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Average research support specialist salary
The average research support specialist salary in the United States is $47,994 per year or $23 per hour. Research support specialist salaries range between $32,000 and $70,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do research support specialists rate their job?
Research support specialist reviews
It's all about getting data, follow up on project, ensuring that jobs are done properly, write reports after a project is done. You travel if the job or project you're handling is out station.
Nothing really, it's just that sometimes getting data can be very difficult
Fundamental Economics
None
Updated January 8, 2025
