Research Associate Duties & Responsibilities
The role and function of a Research Associate includes the following duties and responsibilities:
- Conducts research, utilizing institution library, archives, and collections, and other sources of information, to collect, record, analyze, and evaluate facts.
- Discusses findings with other personnel to evaluate validity of findings.
- Prepares reports of completed projects for publication in technical journals, for presentation to agency requesting project, or for use in further applied or theoretical research activities.
- Conduct literature reviews
- Collect and analyze data
- Plans, organizes, and conducts research in scientific, cultural, historical, or artistic field for use in own work or in project of sponsoring institution: Develops plans for project or studies guidelines for project prepared by professional staff member to outline research procedures to be followed.
- Plans schedule according to variety of methods to be used, availability and quantity of resources, and number of subordinate personnel assigned to participate in project.
- Prepare materials for submission to granting agencies and foundations
- Prepare interview questions
- Recruit and/or interview subjects
- Maintain accurate records of interviews, safeguarding the confidentiality of subjects, as necessary
- Summarize interviews
- Supervise undergraduate students working on the research project (maintaining records on assignment completion, acting as liaison/mediator between the undergraduate students and the faculty researcher)
- Attend project meetings
- Attend area seminars and other meetings as necessary
- Summarize project results
- Prepare progress reports for the PI and funding agency
- Prepare other articles, reports, and presentations
- Monitor the project budget
- Provide ready access to all experimental data for the faculty researcher and/or supervisor
- Request or acquire equipment or supplies necessary for the project
- Manage and respond to project related email
- Prepare, maintain, and update website materials
Note that this is not an exhaustive list of Research Associate duties and responsibilities. Job functions for specific Research Associate roles may vary, depending on the industry and type of employer.
