Entry-level research assistant jobs: what the job is, skills and open roles
A research assistant gathers and organizes information, runs surveys or studies and writes up findings for a team or client. It fits people with strong reading, writing and analysis skills. Right now 1,255 entry-level research assistant jobs are open on employers’ own career sites.
What a research assistant does
In the data and analytics family of jobs. Roles that collect, clean and explain data.
A typical day
- 1. Collect data and sources
- 2. Run surveys or interviews
- 3. Clean and code results
- 4. Write summaries and slides
- 5. Check facts and citations
Do you need experience?
15 of the 1,255 open entry-level research assistant jobs say in their own text that no experience is required. 2 say they provide training. The figures are counted from the posting text and change as jobs open and close.
Open entry-level research assistant jobs
Taken from employers’ own career sites and checked to still be open within the last week.
- Clinical Research Coordinator TOCA Orthopedics
Banner Health · Phoenix, Arizona
Nov 12, 2026
- Clinical Research Coordinator II-Movement Disorders
Vanderbilt Health · Nashville, Tennessee
Nov 12, 2026
- Research Assistant
Generalist · Somerville, NJ, USA
Nov 10, 2026
- Research Assistant
Generalist · San Mateo, CA, USA, San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
Nov 10, 2026
- Research Associate 1
Natera · Austin, TX
Nov 10, 2026
- Research Associate I, Analytical Development
ImmunityBio · Louisville, CO
Nov 10, 2026
Showing the newest 6 of about 1,255 verified open jobs here. Search all jobs
Skills for research assistant jobs
The skills this job uses, most important first. Most can be learned or shown before the first day.
Skills to build or show
- 1. Research methods
- 2. Writing
- 3. Excel or statistics software
- 4. Attention to detail
- 5. Curiosity
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The market for research assistant work
Every figure names its source.
- Open entry-level research assistant jobs
- 1,255
- Openings that say no experience is required
- 15
- Openings that say they provide training
- 2
- Median pay in listings that state it
- $73,000
Source: NextChapter, checked against employer career sites, last 7 days.
See the detail →Source: The posting’s own text, counted by NextChapter.
See the detail →Source: The posting’s own text, counted by NextChapter.
Source: NextChapter verified openings (198 with pay).
See the detail →Across 198 open entry-level research assistant listings that state an annual pay figure, the middle half run from $62,500 to $86,500, with a median of $73,000. Listings that state pay are not every listing, and some roles add commission or bonus on top.
Where entry-level research assistant jobs are
- California226
- Texas101
- Massachusetts80
- Virginia76
- Florida67
- New York67
- Georgia63
- Maryland46
- New York, NY45
- Pennsylvania45
- Atlanta, GA44
- Charlottesville, VA43
- North Carolina38
- Los Angeles, CA36
- Illinois33
- Boston, MA32
- Ohio31
Between jobs? Unemployment benefits and severance rules in these states, or in every state.
Employers hiring research assistants now
- Emory University 41
- University of Virginia 31
- ICON 29
- B&A 26
- University Of Miami 21
- Wayne State University 20
- Flourish 16
- Iterative Health 16
- Cedars-sinai Medical Center 15
- Initio Capital 12
More jobs like research assistant
Roles that use the same skills, and where this job commonly leads.
Questions about research assistant jobs
- What does a research assistant do?
- A research assistant gathers and organizes information, runs surveys or studies and writes up findings for a team or client. It fits people with strong reading, writing and analysis skills. A typical day includes: collect data and sources; run surveys or interviews; clean and code results; write summaries and slides; check facts and citations.
- Can I get an entry-level research assistant job with no experience?
- 15 of the 1,255 open entry-level research assistant jobs say in their own text that no experience is required. 2 say they provide training. The figures are counted from the posting text and change as jobs open and close.
- What skills do you need to be a research assistant?
- The skills this job uses most are research methods, writing, excel or statistics software, attention to detail, curiosity. Most can be learned before the first day through coursework, short courses, practice or a related job.
- How much does an entry-level research assistant make?
- Across 198 open entry-level research assistant listings that state an annual pay figure, the middle half run from $62,500 to $86,500, with a median of $73,000. Listings that state pay are not every listing, and some roles add commission or bonus on top.
- Where can a research assistant job lead?
- People in this job commonly move to data analyst, marketing analyst, business analyst, content marketing associate. The link between jobs is the shared skills; the path is not guaranteed and depends on the employer.
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