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Job outlook for research technicians in the United States
Research technician job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected research technician job growth rate is 9% from 2018-2028.
About 7,700 new jobs for research technicians are projected over the next decade.
Research technician salaries have increased 9% for research technicians in the last 5 years.
There are over 45,526 research technicians currently employed in the United States.
There are 64,786 active research technician job openings in the US.
The average research technician salary is $43,034.
Are research technician jobs in demand?
Research Technician job and salary trends over time
Research Technician jobs over time
Research Technician job growth rate over time
| Year | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 45,526 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 47,220 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 46,652 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 45,144 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 43,031 | 0.01% |
Average research technician salary over time
Research Technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $43,034 | $20.69 | +1.0% |
| 2024 | $42,588 | $20.48 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $41,325 | $19.87 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $40,675 | $19.56 | +3.0% |
| 2021 | $39,486 | $18.98 | +2.1% |
Research Technician jobs by state
Most common states for research technicians
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,385 | 35% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 165 | 24% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 133 | 21% |
| 4 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,008 | 17% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 159 | 17% |
| 6 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 643 | 16% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 205 | 15% |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 160 | 15% |
| 9 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 799 | 14% |
| 10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 794 | 14% |
| 11 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 964 | 13% |
| 12 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 252 | 13% |
| 13 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 168 | 13% |
| 14 | Alaska | 739,795 | 98 | 13% |
| 15 | New York | 19,849,399 | 2,315 | 12% |
| 16 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,092 | 12% |
| 17 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,028 | 12% |
| 18 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 417 | 12% |
| 19 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 366 | 12% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 68 | 12% |
Most common cities for research technicians
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairbanks | 5 | 15% | $33,075 |
| 2 | Baltimore | 81 | 13% | $36,267 |
| 3 | Boston | 55 | 8% | $44,951 |
| 4 | East Lansing | 4 | 8% | $36,833 |
| 5 | Cambridge | 8 | 7% | $44,923 |
| 6 | Rochester | 6 | 5% | $38,255 |
| 7 | Minneapolis | 12 | 3% | $38,590 |
| 8 | Irvine | 4 | 2% | $53,972 |
| 9 | Overland Park | 3 | 2% | $33,168 |
| 10 | Thousand Oaks | 3 | 2% | $55,490 |
| 11 | Anchorage | 4 | 1% | $35,081 |
| 12 | Detroit | 3 | 0% | $37,011 |
| 13 | Phoenix | 3 | 0% | $42,624 |
| 14 | Atlanta | 2 | 0% | $35,934 |
Research Technician job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of research technician experts
Earlham College
Northeastern State University
SUNY Stony Brook
Washburn University of Topeka
University of California, Irvine
California State University - Long Beach
Pepperdine University
San Jose State University
University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Dallas
University of San Diego
Northwestern University
Northern Michigan University
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Christopher Vitek Ph.D.: My research focuses on disease vectors, mostly mosquitoes, so I explore factors that influence how quickly they develop, where they spread, what time of year they are found, etc. I also do research in effective control methods, and even a little bit in disease transmission. Depending on your research area, you may be involved in looking at mathematical models, life history tables, species interactions, and more.
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Christopher Vitek Ph.D.: Population biology, especially biology that focuses on disease vectors, is a great field to pursue. People will always want to get rid of mosquitoes, so there is always a demand for learning when, where, and how to control them, as well as helping to identify risks for disease transmission. Newly available molecular tools help us understand more about the biological underpinnings that control characteristics like population growth and distribution.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Christopher Vitek Ph.D.: I love being a population biologist because it allows me to work with a lot of other people and help public health offices learn how to control vector-borne diseases. The work is interesting and has an end result that can provide some use to the public. One thing that people may not like is that population biology often uses a lot of math and mathematical modeling to help predict growth and distribution patterns. You don’t need to be an expert, but you should be comfortable with math.
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Dr. Taufika Williams PhD: Finding a job at with an undergraduate degree may be quite doable but upward mobility in your career often requires a terminal degree (i.e. PhD). Stay in school for as long as you can! Some students will work in biotechnology for a few years after their undergraduate studies are over and then return to school for graduate education. The work experience can tremendously benefit graduate research.
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Taufika Williams PhD: Wet-laboratory skills will always be important, however, data interrogation is a key space of growth, as biotechnology research is being driven by big data. Seek education in scientific writing, computer programming, delivering scientific presentations, statistics and the analysis of large datasets.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Taufika Williams PhD: Get as many graduate degrees as you are able to as it will really bump up your starting salary. An MS is great but stick around for the PhD if you can. Terminal degrees can open doors for career growth and upward mobility.
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Frank David MD, PhD: In many biopharma industry positions, the annual cash bonus can be a sizable chunk of the compensation. So if you start out in a job like this, make sure you understand how you’ll be evaluated at the end of the year so you can make sure you knock it out of the park and get the highest possible ratings. If you go into a biopharma R&D; position straight out of undergrad, you should try to figure out relatively soon if you’ll want to go back to school for a PhD. Most science-based jobs will require a PhD to advance, but in many 'science-adjacent' jobs you’ll be able to move up without an advanced degree. Either is fine, but it would be great to figure out which direction you want to go within 2-4 years of entering the industry so you can plan accordingly.
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Frank David MD, PhD: My main piece of advice is to network. Do tons of informational interviews with folks and then follow up to see if there are possible opportunities or other connections that folks can help you make. Many biotech and pharma positions go to folks with 'inside tracks' because they are recommended by current employees or already know the hiring manager. Also: be flexible about the type of role whenever possible. For example, if you’re looking at an entry-level lab-based job, don’t get hung up on the specific disease area. Or if you’re interested in regulatory science, cast a broad net and also explore roles in program management and medical writing, which involve similar activities and required skills. Finally: it’s great to look for opportunities at biotech and pharma firms, but don’t forget about contract research organizations, consultancies, and other vendors that serve drug companies. Those types of organizations are often more willing to train folks who are coming straight out of school, and those positions are great stepping stones to eventually move 'to the client side' (into drug companies) as experienced hires.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Frank David MD, PhD: In basic research jobs, the key lab-related skills will continue to be the ones that are commonly used for discovering and developing new therapies: mammalian cell culture, in vitro assays, transfection, immunoprecipitation, Western blots, etc. It’s typically not necessary to 'check all the boxes' in terms of bench skills for a job, but having a few of these key techniques under your belt will give a company confidence that you can learn others. In general across the industry, effective written communication and project management are key skills that cut across almost all jobs and divisions within biotech and pharma. Anything you can do to build and highlight those capabilities will serve you in good stead.
Camellia Okpodu
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Camellia Okpodu: Adatation and fundamental knowledge of botanical terms will always be pivotal to the discipline; however new technologies and applications will move the bountiful the discipline. Bioinformatics, genomics; Machine learning, Remote Sensing and VR (both for instruction and field application) will be necessay skills. Also, Botanists will collaborate with experts from diverse fields (ecology, computer science, engineering) thus making effective communication and teamwork critical.skills of the future
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Camellia Okpodu: My advise would be to continue to network by joining affiliated associations in botany and Keep learning, stay updated on research, and explore new areas.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Camellia Okpodu: When starting your career, maximizing your salary potential involves strategic planning and effective negotiation. Here are some of the best practices I have learned through mg own experience. I often tell graduates I didn’t know these things when I graduated. Here are tips to consider: 1. Research Industry Standards: Understand the average salary range for the position you’re pursuing. Use the La or statistics to look at national data for the position you are applying for. 2. Know Your Value: Highlight your unique skills, experience, and qualifications. Present a well-articulated case during negotiations. Make sure you include an opportunity to grow. Ask about professional organization and fees. See if that can’t be included in your salary or compensation 3. Ask About Salary Range: If asked about your salary expectations, inquire about the employer’s range first. 4. Consider Total Rewards: Look beyond the base salary. Make an evaluation about other benefits - work flexibly, professional development and employee benefits. Negotiations sets the stage for your financial well-being and long-term career progression. These are the recommendations and best practices I used when I was the director of a Center of Academic Excellence for the Intelligence Community. I received two accommodations from the Obama administration’s ODNI for putting students in jobs in the Intelligence community.
Mr. Brian Zimmerman III
Assistant Vice President of Strategic CommunicationsEarlham College
Drama/Theatre Arts And Stagecraft
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Mr. Brian Zimmerman III: Apply, interview, and negotiate! The landscape of science is a competitive one - both for biologists and their employers. Many graduates, particularly ones who hold identities that have been historically excluded from science, tend to apply for job opportunities only if they perfectly fit the advert description. This is actually not a great strategy! Having been on the academic job market recently, I learned that job adverts tend to describe the absolute perfect candidate; employers know that person does not exist and are shooting for the moon with their adverts. If you have any of the skills, qualifications, or experiences that are mentioned or are related to a particular job advert, then apply for it! When interviewing, it's also important to take ownership of the identity you want to have; visualize yourself as, for example, a lab manager looking for their institution rather than a recent undergraduate looking for their first job. The transformation into a professional scientist begins with your mindset, as this will influence your behavior. Plus, it's easier to advocate and negotiate for yourself if you view your interviews and application through the lens of discerning if this employer has what you need to be successful, rather than the framing of hoping you're "good enough" to work there. This is all to say that once you land the interview and you've decided the employer has what you need to be successful, do not be afraid to negotiate creatively! Do some research on the cost of living of the town and the average wages for the position in that area or in an area where the cost of living is similar. When you negotiate, you can ask for more than salary - inquire about benefits, childcare, immigration/visa support, retirement contributions and matching, career development opportunities or stipends, remote work, etc. Even if you're unable to negotiate a higher salary, there are other benefits that you can leverage to make that money go farther or prepare you for a promotion earlier in your career. Additionally, if you are able, do not be afraid to apply for other jobs and share your better offers with your current employer to see if they can match or beat the competing offer. As you grow in your career, you may outgrow your current employer - and that's okay; it's an opportunity to find a new place that recognizes your increased value! At the end of the day, chances are that you are worth more than what you're currently being paid, so do not be afraid to ask questions to position yourself for success!
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mr. Brian Zimmerman III: An emerging trend in my particular field is deep-sequencing or "big data" analysis. Many techniques that investigate the identities, regulation, and networks of biological molecules are high-throughput, meaning they generate huge quantities of data that require specialized programs and training to analyze. Developing a background in bioinformatics, data literacy, programming, or computer science will definitely make a student highly marketable and sought after when on the job market. There are several online and in-person courses, workshops, and webinars to learn about these techniques and the accompanying data analysis; I encourage recent graduates or soon-to-be graduates to explore these opportunities as these skills are transferrable to several disciplines and career paths.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Mr. Brian Zimmerman III: In my specific subdiscipline of molecular biology and biochemistry, new graduates tend to pursue jobs in the "wet" or "bench" laboratory. Every lab, whether in a government setting, industry setting, or academic setting, will be outfitted with its own equipment, protocols, and standard operating procedures. Typically, new members of the lab are trained in these lab-specific procedures by a more experienced member. It can be strange to have someone explain concepts to you that you may already know, or demo equipment that you've already used; it can feel like the lab doesn't trust you or believe you're capable. In reality, this is not the case at all! Usually, this training is an intentional opportunity for you to get to know the workflow in the lab and the specific logistics of the space. However, new lab members often will be shy and not ask questions out of fear of seeming insufficiently knowledgeable. New lab members may even experience a phenomenon called "imposter syndrome," which is the feeling that one does not belong in the space but rather is an "imposter" who obtained their role not by their own merit. Imposter syndrome is particularly likely when an individual begins working in a new space where there is a substantial amount of training and on-boarding that needs to occur, which reinforces that false sense that the lab doesn't trust you. I'll be the first, but not the last, to tell a new lab member that they deserve to be there! Undergraduate programs in Biology are designed to prepare graduates to be successful in their careers and to equip them with the skills to apply what they know to novel situations and to be self-sufficient in learning new things. Don't let being in a new space shake your confidence and let self-doubt take hold!! One way to combat the "shyness" or imposter syndrome of being in a new lab is to ask questions and to build a community of support. So, my advice to a graduate beginning their laboratory career is to (1) ask questions - you will only become a better biologist by seeking the knowledge of your peers and colleagues, and you will grow by learning new techniques and protocols, and (2) to lean on your friends and colleagues to remind you of your own excellence and ability to grow. You are so not alone - we've all had to start somewhere, so seek the advice of your community!
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Dulanjani Wijayasekara Ph.D.: Having experience and a well highlighted skill set to match the job description. This can be obtained by pursuing advanced education and training, such as obtaining a master's or doctoral degree in the field you are interested in.
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dulanjani Wijayasekara Ph.D.: Research skills and data analysis for pharmaceutical and drug development companies, Biostatistics, Bioinformatics and Medical laboratory sciences
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Dulanjani Wijayasekara Ph.D.: Biology is a vast field with a lot of opportunities. The highest paying jobs in the field include health care, biostatisticians, data analysts, ecologists, genetic counselors, pharmacists, molecular biologists and research scientists/technicians in pharmaceutical companies. Depending on what area you would like to focus on, it would be a good idea to improve some basic skill sets that will give you an added advantage in the job market. If you are a fresh graduate many online certificate courses can be completed to give you these additional skills. You can improve upon IT skills such as biotechnology and computer literacy, research skills, and data analysis including biostatistics. You also can get some research experience by either volunteering in research labs or by gaining a master’s degree in molecular biology. This will open up many more job opportunities for you in the pharmaceutical area. Find out what career you love and work towards that by improving your skills and experience.
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Ross Weatherman Ph.D.: Generally, broad training across a number of different types of biochemical and molecular biology methods will make you an attractive candidate to a larger number of employers and expand your potential options, but deep skills in one or two really important techniques areas, such as proteomics or bioinformatics, will make you most attractive to a single employer and improve your salary potential.
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ross Weatherman Ph.D.: Being able to communicate effectively, whether it is in-person or remotely, is still probably the most important skill for any graduate, but as more work is being split up among sites, the ability to add value to those more delocalized work environments is really important. Also, the ability to handle big data sets and the awareness of how best to visualize and explain these types of large data sets will become more important.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Ross Weatherman Ph.D.: The jobs that our graduates in biochemistry and molecular biology are taking are really diverse in terms of the types of companies and in the types of job requirements. They are not all big jobs in pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Many start working for smaller diagnostic labs or support labs for manufacturing or food processing. Also, I tell our students to expect to change jobs or employers in a few years. For our students, the job market seems to be pretty dynamic for them in the first 5-10 years either because they choose to change jobs or their companies go through some sort of change.
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Dr. Vitaly Citovsky: One cannot get high salaries with a bachelor's degree in biology. To maximize your future salary you need to get a terminal degree such as PhD or MD. Alternatively one could go to law school. If you still want to begin working after BSc, look for industry jobs; these would be low-level technicians but make much more money than in academia.
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Vitaly Citovsky: Advanced degrees, bioinformatics, hi-tech research (synthetic biology), but classical molecular biology and genetics and biochemistry skills will remain critical
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Vitaly Citovsky: Multi-prong advice: try to get a higher degree, look for jobs that you enjoy (e.g., research, patient care) rather than chase the money.
Susan Bjerke
Associate Professor of BiologyWashburn University of Topeka
Biological And Physical Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Susan Bjerke: For a science graduate just beginning their career, I recommend applying to several different jobs. Some of those jobs may be in locations you aren’t crazy about or may involve tasks outside your comfort zone. This is your chance to spread your wings and take a chance! There are a lot of jobs out there for graduates with an undergraduate degree in the sciences, but you may not start in your dream job. That’s okay! There are many things that can be learned from a not-perfect job, and the skills you learn can provide a launch pad to the job you do want.
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Susan Bjerke: Maximizing your salary is important, but don’t forget that jobs can come with other benefits that may compensate for a lower starting salary. For instance, maybe you get to work out in the field instead of being tied to a desk all day. Maybe you have the opportunity to work from home some of the time. Some employers offer matches for retirement plans or discounted health insurance for spouses. Negotiating for the best salary you can makes sense, but also look into those intangibles!
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Susan Bjerke: Some of the skills that will be important in the next 3-5 years will be general critical thinking skills and the ability to adapt to changing technology. Almost all science fields are increasingly dependent on technology, so being able to learn new skills and change the way you do things in your job will be important. Being an effective communicator, both in writing and orally, is an overlooked skill in the sciences and is always an important asset.
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Rachael Barry Ph.D.: Microbiologists can work in a wide variety of different professions. Because microbes are very diverse, there are many academic, clinical, and industrial areas where training in microbiology is advantageous. For example, in addition to the importance of microbes in a world recovering from a recent global viral pandemic, microbes can be a source of molecules with clinical uses such as antibiotics, can help us perform environmental remediation, and can serve as living reactors to produce biofuels.
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Rachael Barry Ph.D.: Microbiologists work with microscopic organisms such as bacteria and fungi as well as with viruses. They can work in healthcare and clinical settings, in basic research, and industry. There are roles for microbiologists in the cosmetics and personal care industry, the food and beverage industry, as well as the energy and biofuels industry, among others. Many microbiologists spend their days culturing organisms and studying their traits or manipulating those traits to perform useful tasks. Some microbiologists work in the field collecting samples, others are at the bench performing research, and some perform clinical and other types of testing. An entry-level microbiologist may be involved in preparing media for growing microbes, creating and maintaining new versions of microbes, and testing the properties of these organisms. Common methods used by microbiologists include aseptic technique, cell culture, microscopy, and sequencing.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Rachael Barry Ph.D.: Microbiology is a very hands-on science. Many microbes are straightforward to manipulate genetically and can be propagated quickly, leading to quicker results and innovations than other areas of biology. The relevance to healthcare and industrial applications also means that microbiology skills are often in demand. However, with the diverse nature of the field, this can mean that extensive training may be needed for some positions, including graduate study.
Renaud Berlemont Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorCalifornia State University - Long Beach
Microbiological Sciences And Immunology
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Renaud Berlemont Ph.D.: Being a microbiologist helps you understand many of the things we take for granted. Antibiotics, vaccines, many chemicals, fermented food, infectious diseases, etc. Sometimes it seems “unnatural” because we can’t directly see them. However, we can see the result of their actions everywhere!
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Rachel Tan Ph.D.: I do not have an answer for this. My response would be to be proactive during undergraduate studies, to discern where you find joy and curiosity. Pursue that topic. I do not think that the salary should be the priority when considering careers.
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Rachel Tan Ph.D.: The scientific method: to be able to find, read, interpret, understand, and implement research. Not only would this enhance personal skills and critical thinking, it could contribute to techniques and methods that could be performed; it could foster questions that would be important in advancing the field; and could set apart an individual.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Rachel Tan Ph.D.: Listen and be curious: ask questions (the why and how?), ask for opportunities, do extra readings outside of work. Aim for excellence: treat each assigned task as priority–go above and beyond. Connect: talk to colleagues, your boss, staff–be excited to learn from others. Be grateful: constantly reflect on the small details that led you to this point, for gratitude gives you foundation for joy during your career.
Rachael French
Professor and ChairSan Jose State University
Natural Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Rachael French: The Biology Department does not generally provide content for for-profit websites.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Rachael French: The Biology Department does not generally provide content for for-profit websites.
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Qing Li: Develop your specialty and be good at one thing; jobs will be after you rather than you after jobs.
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Qing Li: AI will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years but laboratory experiments will continue to make new discoveries.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Qing Li: Follow your heart and do what you enjoy and enjoy what you do. Research direction is as important as scientific questions if it is not more important.
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Dr. Prajay Patel Ph.D.: Know your worth when negotiating your salary/contract, and know competitive rates from similar positions being marketed.
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Prajay Patel Ph.D.: As high throughput instruments and supercomputers continue to generate massive amounts of data, learn how to do tasks with programming languages like Python for larger scale data analysis and visualization. However, communicating effectively, working well in team-based environments, one’s writing ability, and the ability to handle multiple projects/experiments at the same time are all valuable soft skills that one should build regardless of any new trends in a particular field.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Prajay Patel Ph.D.: Think and operate one level above your position. For example, as a senior graduate student, you should operate like a postdoc. Postdocs work on independent research while learning how to write grants, so as a senior graduate student, you should consider looking for fellowships and similar funding opportunities. Learn what your supervisors/bosses are doing effectively that you can apply when you are in their position. Also, know your strengths and weaknesses. Acknowledge to yourself that you have weaknesses and try to mitigate them, but figure out where you can showcase your strengths in the projects you will get. Finally, keep your doors open to doing and learning new things. You never know what skills you learn early in your career that can pay off later.
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Nicole Danos PhD: Include your non-lab based skills in your resume!
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nicole Danos PhD: In the next 3-5 years techniques in Biotech will constantly improve. Which will mean three things:
a) there will be much more data to sort through! It will be important to let the questions being asked direct data analyses.
b) workers will need to be nimble to improve their lab skills. The same principles of good practices will apply!
c) AI tools will be in the workplace. Workers will need to understand these tools and know whether or not they are appropriate for what they are trying to use, and not trust them blindly.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Nicole Danos PhD: In addition to many sought after hard skills that our Biology program graduate have been trained in (cell and microbial culture, DNA sequencing and bioinformatics, antibody staining, data analysis and biostatistics), graduates should remember to leverage the other scientific skills they learned. This includes things like researching and summarizing the state of knowledge in a field, distilling relevant information for peers and supervisors, presenting experimental designs and results and all around thinking about problems from start to finish. All of our graduates should be able to leverage these soft science skills, since they all had to do an independent research project.
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Nathaniel Stern: To answer this question we need to be clear what field the graduate intends to continue in. If they want to continue in Physics as a “field”, then they will most likely need to go to graduate school in Physics, Astronomy, or a related field. There are many opportunities for graduates with majors in Physics, but many of these are in different fields. Physics majors excel in these other opportunities, but in order to do “physics”, meaning studying the science of matter and energy, one generally goes to graduate school. If this is the graduate’s plan, then the advice is to be passionate about the research topic that you choose. One does not need to know ahead of time that a particular direction of research is the best possible direction for them, but they should have interest in it. Research often involves small academic questions, and if one doesn’t find these interesting then it can be a bit of a slog. More generally, advice matches other career paths, however: do something that you love, and also choose impactful problems. Even if your own work is a small part of the whole, if you can see the impact of the field it can be exciting all the time. If the graduate is not going to graduate school in Physics or a related subject, then they are likely entering a technical career such as engineering, finance, education, data science, or consulting. Physics is a great basic training for whatever direction someone takes since it trains you to think and problem solve, especially in reducing a problem to its core questions (as opposed to building encyclopedic knowledge of relevant facts). But, whatever specific career path a graduate takes will likely bring more specialized methods, knowledge, and applications. Physics is a great starting point, but future endeavors will broaden thinking to new challenges outside of the rigid rules of physical laws. So, graduates should be willing to, and excited to, adapt to new cultures.
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nathaniel Stern: Computational and programming skills are always useful in many fields. This will continue, since much of physics is highly specialized and benefits from new advances. Writing and speaking will continue to matter. High quality communication brings success and recognition to one’s technical work. As one proceeds deeper into scientific career, this communication becomes more important, not less. New technologies change the mode of communication, but they do not replace the natural and learned skills that make one effective at communicating with and convincing other.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Nathaniel Stern: Within academic physics, your potential can be maximized by doing impactful work in graduate school that matters to other people. The next step is to communicate this impact broadly, and then figure out how to take the next step in the field. That is a lot of steps, but if one can successfully do those things in graduate school, they can build the profile, community, and intellectual leadership to demand the highest salary. Outside of academic physics, the requirements are probably not that different, but I do not have explicit knowledge of them myself. So I would fall back on the standard goals of innovation and communication, which should help one succeed in any knowledge-related career.
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Dr. Melanie Wilcox Ph.D., ABPP: There are some exciting new career pathways for Experimental Psychologists as technology continues to shift the world of work; for example, User Experience (UX) research is a great potential career pathway for Experimental Psychologists.
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Melanie Wilcox Ph.D., ABPP: This can vary widely - experimental psychologists can do so many different things! They are commonly involved in research, which can look like survey design and implementation, experiment design and implementation, data analysis, writing, presenting, or consulting. They may be involved in design such as in the case of mobile apps or other experiences and products with which people interact.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Melanie Wilcox Ph.D., ABPP: This is more difficult to answer as it highly depends on the person! What matters most in career choice is whether the chosen occupation is a good fit for your interests, skills, values, and priorities. If you enjoy research, consider yourself to be a data-driven and curious person, and like to engage in work that benefits people, organizations, and/or society, Experimental Psychology could be a great fit. If you prefer to help people more directly such as through psychological services, then Clinical, Counseling, or School psychology may be a better fit; Experimental Psychology is solely a research-focused path.
Martin Renaldi MT (ASCP), MPA
Assistant Professor / MLS Program DirectorNorthern Michigan University
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, And Treatment Professions
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Martin Renaldi MT (ASCP), MPA: Experience. I have found through my time in the realm that an experienced lab tech is going to be highly sought after and henceforth will have optimal pay opportunities. As the word implies, experience can only be achieved through 'time in the lab' which means you have to put in your time to gather that resume boosting element, experience. Once that happens, then even more doors open up in the profession.
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Martin Renaldi MT (ASCP), MPA: The skills that will be required in the lab tech milieu over the next 3-5 years are the same ones that are necessary now, which is what makes the lab tech profession so lucrative. Foundational laboratory skills are a must now and will be must in the future. Once the aspiring lab tech learns and masters the foundational work, such as lab math, pipetting, dilution schemes, titrating, proper glassware use and application, basic spectrophotometry, transformational weights and measures, microscopy, etc. then they'll be readily adaptable for employment in any laboratory setting.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Martin Renaldi MT (ASCP), MPA: I would highly recommend that the newly graduated lab tech does not limit themself to a specific location or a specific vocation. The places to work and the types of jobs available are nearly limitless. If one thinks outside of the box, outside of the mainstream lab tech opportunities, they'll find a whole host of other intriguing possibilities. So, do not limit yourself, the world is your oyster, .......so to speak.
What general advice would you give to a Research Technician?
Dr. Michael Marchetti: I think it is hard to know how to maximize one's salary potential at the outset, other than being a good team player and having the skills and personality to 'fill in' and pivot as needed by an employer. With scientists, the interest in the scientific questions/problems/goals often times drive the practitioners in the discipline rather than a huge 'paycheck touchdown' type approach.
What Research Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Michael Marchetti: My general advice to graduating biology majors would be to get actual hands-on experience in whatever field/sub-discipline you decide you want to specialize in. This could take various forms depending on your circumstances, for example: an internship (even short term), a job in a field that is similar or adjacent to the field you are interested in, pursue a master's degree in the field, or even volunteer in some capacity while you get a job to pay the bills, etc. It seems that in today's professional science environment that having some experience in the thing you want to do helps a lot to get your foot in the door.
What will help Research Technicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Michael Marchetti: I think that in the next few years, it will be important to have some wide range of skills across a diversity of sub-disciplines. For example, GIS (geographic information skills), R statistical programming language, modern genetic and genomic techniques, computer programming skills etc. Again, it seems that hard and fast borders/walls separating disciplinary fields are breaking down as our knowledge of the larger biological world expands.