How to hire a research support specialist

How to hire a research support specialist, step by step

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

What does a research support specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a research support specialist, 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

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

   This list shows salaries for various types of research support specialists.

   Type of Research Support Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Research Support Specialist	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.	$15-33
   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
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Research Support
   • Data Collection
   • Research Projects
   • Analyze Data
   • Biomedical
   • Data Entry
   • IRB
   • Research Data
   • Data Analysis
   • FDA
   • Molecular Biology
   • Laboratory Equipment
   • Informed Consent
   • Technical Support

   Check all skills

   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.
   • Execute protocol for current NIH fund study collecting data from couples in conflict and their adolescent children.
   • Analyze DNA instability elements to the initiation of DNA replication within oriP of Epstein - Barr virus.

   More research support specialist duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, research support specialists' average salary in mississippi is 57% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level research support specialists earn 54% less than senior-level research support specialists.
   • Certifications. A research support specialist 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 support specialist's salary.

   Average research support specialist salary

   $47,994yearly

   $23.07 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level research support specialist salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average research support specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Maryland	$56,802	$27
   2	New York	$56,013	$27
   3	Washington	$54,120	$26
   4	Minnesota	$53,423	$26
   5	Connecticut	$47,655	$23
   6	Illinois	$46,928	$23
   7	Colorado	$46,250	$22
   8	California	$45,151	$22
   9	Iowa	$42,247	$20
   10	Pennsylvania	$41,084	$20
   11	Texas	$38,102	$18
   12	West Virginia	$38,089	$18
   13	Hawaii	$36,759	$18
   14	Nebraska	$36,356	$17
   15	Florida	$34,902	$17

   Average research support specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Sandia National Labs	$73,306	$35.24	75
   2	The Rockefeller University	$59,369	$28.54
   3	Pfizer	$57,350	$27.57	6
   4	Sharp Decisions	$56,310	$27.07	1
   5	Yale University	$56,275	$27.06	29
   6	Integrated Resources	$54,214	$26.06	99
   7	Cornell University	$53,486	$25.71	28
   8	Children's Hospital of Philadelphia	$53,194	$25.57	19
   9	The Research Foundation for SUNY	$52,966	$25.46	1
   10	US Tech Solutions	$52,316	$25.15	38
   11	State University of New York College at Cortland	$52,226	$25.11	1
   12	BNSF Railway	$51,408	$24.72
   13	National Business Research Institute	$51,387	$24.71
   14	Town of Bay Harbor	$50,422	$24.24
   15	HUB International	$50,353	$24.21	25
   16	Alliant Credit Union	$49,944	$24.01	3
   17	PSEA	$47,907	$23.03	39
   18	Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Inc.	$47,402	$22.79
   19	Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University	$47,214	$22.70	11
   20	Charles River Labs	$46,331	$22.27	103

4. Writing a research support specialist job description

   A research support specialist 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. Below, you can find an example of a research support specialist job description:

   Research support specialist job description example

   SUMMARY DESCRIPTION:
   
   Under direction of the Supervisor, responsible for supporting the design and execution of research studies and program evaluations of educational programs and district initiatives. Supports the systematic collection, cleaning, coding, and analysis of data. Designs surveys, interview protocols, and other data collection instruments. Constructs quantitative and qualitative data files. Performs statistical analyses using IBM SPSS software and Excel. Generates data visualizations and communicates results clearly, concisely, and compellingly via presentations, reports, and data storytelling.
   
   CERTIFICATE LICENSE:
   
   None
   
   KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES:
   
   Knowledge of educational research and evaluation, including survey and other data collection methods. Knowledge of software for statistical analysis and data management, such as SPSS, SAS, Stata, R, or Python. Ability to organize and manage complex data sets and extract data from various types of data files. Knowledge and skills in the use of word processing, spreadsheets, and database software. Skill in proofreading numbers and text for data summaries and reports. Capacity to identify and solve problems using analysis, experience, and judgment. Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-office staff, stakeholders, and school-based staff. Ability to collect and analyze data to support the preparation of data summaries and reports. Knowledge of and the ability to meet the seven core competencies of the MCPS Supporting Services Professional Growth System (SSPGS). Excellent interpersonal, time management, and project management skills.
   
   EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE:
   
   Bachelor's degree required with a minimum of 3 years of education research experience. Master's degree preferred with a minimum of 1 year of education research experience. Coursework or training in research methods and statistics is required. Experience analyzing data, developing data tables and data visualizations, and report writing is required. At least one year experience using SPSS, SAS, Stata, R, Python, or other statistical software is required. Additional coursework in evaluation, measurement, or data science is preferred. Experience working in K-12 educational research, including applied research, organizational learning, program design, and program evaluation, is strongly preferred. Experience developing and fielding data collection instruments including surveys, interview protocols, observation protocols, and focus group instruments is preferred. Experience with longitudinal student data and familiarity with SQL is desirable.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find research support specialists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your research support specialist job on Zippia to find and attract quality research support specialist candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as swipe files, exit five, marketinghire, american marketing association.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with research support specialist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 support specialist

   Once you've decided on a perfect research support specialist 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 also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new research support specialist. 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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How much does it cost to hire a research support specialist?