Paid Research Assistant Positions

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PsychPhDHopeful

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Hi All!

When is the best time to apply for research positions? I would like to start working immediately after I graduate this Spring. I have a great deal of research experience so far (volunteering and low paying), but actual full time research assistant and junior scientist positions require a bachelor's - at least at my local universities and hospitals.

How early do labs begin the process to replace the assistants who are leaving for grad school? Say they begin posting positions in late March that are to begin in the summer - is it ok for me to apply before I have actually received my BA with the understanding that I would have it by the time the position began?

Can you tell I'm getting antsy?!

Members don't see this ad.
 
Do you live close to a VA hospital or a University-based hospital? They tend to have research assistantships available. These positions pay pretty well for a college graduate.

I actually started working as a FT research assistant WHILE I was completing my BA (had 1 yr to go) at the VA. It's a government job that pays based on your level of education and years of experience. From what I read, you probably would have at least 2 years of research experience, right? You can substitute experience for level of education. With that said, you probably would start out as GS-5 (g'vt jobs pay in steps) which is about 31K a year.
 
I do and I receive emails notifying me of open positions. They require a minimum BA so I was wondering when is a good time to begin applying to them. Would applying to them in March or April be okay considering I won't graduate until the end of May?

Thank you for the heads up about VA positions - I actually have a very convenient part time research job at a lab in my area of interest. It is perfect for me while I execute my thesis. However, I would like to begin working full time right after graduating.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
If you're from the Boston area, or willing to move there, Massachusetts General Hospital has some incredible Research Coordinator positions in almost all of their Psychiatry clinics. You can find great positions in the clinics for depression, anxiety, bipolar, women's mood, schizophrenia, substance abuse, and more. Most of the listings for these positions officially go up in January, but you could contact the clinics you're most interested in before the listings are posted and make sure you're on their list to contact about the position.
 
Johns Hopkins University / Bloomberg School of Public Health also has many different research assistant/ coordinator positions!
 
Often times these positions are 'spoke for,' but give the best impression you can as many times the previous interviewees who came up short are the first ones they call about new positions.

If you have any interest in substance abuse, check out Brown University's Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies. Great place to get some experience and they post new jobs all the time.
 
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Hi All!

When is the best time to apply for research positions? I would like to start working immediately after I graduate this Spring. I have a great deal of research experience so far (volunteering and low paying), but actual full time research assistant and junior scientist positions require a bachelor's - at least at my local universities and hospitals.

How early do labs begin the process to replace the assistants who are leaving for grad school? Say they begin posting positions in late March that are to begin in the summer - is it ok for me to apply before I have actually received my BA with the understanding that I would have it by the time the position began?

Can you tell I'm getting antsy?!

They begin looking in February and March when their current RAs get into grad school. They understand that you will not have your BA until May. Start contacting labs in late February.
 
If you have built up contacts/rapport with professors or people you are working with right now, you should ask them or give them a heads up that you're going to be looking for a job...you never know who might be looking for a RA
 
Btw, does VA = Veterans Affairs?
 
If you have built up contacts/rapport with professors or people you are working with right now, you should ask them or give them a heads up that you're going to be looking for a job...you never know who might be looking for a RA

+1

Network network network! This is the best way to find a job. When professors are looking for RAs the ads are sometimes placed in listservs or sent out via email to professors. If your professors know that you're looking for a job, they're more likely to give you a heads up and maybe even recommend you for a job. That's how I got my paid RA job this past year.

Also, start networking with alumni. Like spafticus already said, these positions are often spoken for at large research universities when you see them posted online, but if you can contact an alumni that are working as RAs in places you would like to work at for informational interviews, they might be able to know of other positions becoming available, give you tips on how they got their job, or put in a good word for you.

Those are just my two cents. Good luck with the job hunt!
 
Position at Portland Oregon VA

2/24/2016

I’m looking for an experienced master’s or doctoral-level research associate – someone who has a solid understanding of research methods, and while not essential, my preference is someone who has had experience conducting, or is at least familiar with systematic review methodology.

The person in this position will be a part of my five-member team, with the primary responsibility of developing and prioritizing topics nominated for an AHRQ’s Effective Healthcare Program systematic review. The position requires a great deal of multitasking ability, and the ability to quickly dive into and understand the context of a wide range of health, behavioral health, and health systems topics, and to evaluate the existing evidence to determine whether a new systematic review on the topic would be duplicative and feasible. More information about the process can be found here: http://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/evidence-based-reports/topic-nomination/index.html

The job description is posted here: https://pvarf.applicantpro.com/jobs/352734.html
 
I think that job posting is looking for some higher level people

"Job Requirements:
Required
• MD, PHD (social sciences, behavioral sciences, public health, epidemiology, health policy, health services, or closely related field), MPH, or research-focused Master's degree in other closely related field
• 3-5 years of post-graduate experience in appraising medical literature and health services research"
 

From Dr. Laura Stroud:

I am seeking a Clinical Research Assistant for an NIH research study of pregnancy smoking and fetal and infant development at Brown Medical School, Providence, RI. I would welcome any help in distributing the position posting below and attached.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions!
______________________________________________________

Full-Time Clinical Research Position: Infant Biobehavior Researcher


Brown Medical School, BA/BS Required

*Great opportunity to work with newborn infants
*Be part of cutting-edge research
*Work alongside expert faculty and staff


The Maternal and Infant Studies Laboratory at Brown Medical School (Laura Stroud, Principal Investigator) is seeking a full-time research assistant. Research in our laboratory is focused on biobehavioral mechanisms linking maternal smoking and depression during pregnancy and infant behavioral development. We are seeking a research assistant to conduct behavioral examinations in newborns in the hospital and through home visits in the Providence area. The RA will also assist with coding of novel measures of behavior in the fetus. The research assistant would also be involved with dataset management, data entry, and data analysis. Additional responsibilities include assistance with recruitment and supervision of undergraduate research assistants. Opportunities to conduct independent research, submit presentations to conferences, prepare papers for publication are available. Start date March-July, 2016. Two year commitment is needed.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Neuroscience, Biology or related fields by May/June 2016 is required. Facility with Excel and Word and strong organizational and communication skills are required. Evening and weekend availability and reliable transportation is required.

Prior research experience, experience with infants, and experience with SPSS statistical software and REDCap data capture are preferred.

To apply, please send resume and cover letter to Carrie Best, M.P.H., [email protected],

with “Infant Biobehavior Researcher Application” in the subject line.
 
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