Research Officer: Qualifications & Responsibilities
Get to know the day-to-day responsibilities of a research officer. Find out more about the field's education requirements, necessary skills, projected job growth, and median income to determine if it is right for you.
Career Information at a Glance
Research officers are responsible for aiding a team in the production of research through data collection and analysis for a given study or project. They are employed in a variety of industries and often earn their education within the field in which they comprise research data. In the table below, you'll find the education requirements, necessary skills, projected job growth, and median income for research officers across all of the top industries.
<table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Education Required</b> </td><td> Bachelor's degree; master's for some specialties</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Required Skills</b> </td><td> Organizational skills, database management skills, written and verbal communication skills</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Projected Job Growth (2020-2030)</b> </td><td>5-10% (for all social science research assistants)*</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Median Income (2020)</b> </td><td> $49,210 annually (for all social science research assistants)*</td></tr>
</table><p><i> Source: *O*NET OnLine</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatDoesAResearchOfficerDo">What Does a Research Officer Do?</h3><p>Research officers work in a variety of different fields in order to compile, manage, and analyze information and complex data sets for research projects in the social sciences. They are also tasked with identifying evidence and confirming the legitimacy of such information used in other academic and professional studies that may prove beneficial for the given research objective. They help a team of researchers synthesize information and then analyze it to draw relevant and original conclusions that may call for action or may result in the need for further research. Research officers also assist in the preparation of documents, briefs, articles, and databases for publication.
</p><h3 id="section---WhoEmploysResearchOfficers">Who Employs Research Officers?</h3><p>Research officers work in a variety of different fields for companies and organizations that conduct ongoing research projects. Research officers typically work for colleges and universities or government departments that focus on scientific or political research, non-profit organizations and privately funded foundations. They are employed to aid in gathering data and synthesizing information in order to advance towards academic, social, or scientific progress in a given field. Research officers spend most of their time working in an office setting with access to a computer. They also commonly meet with members of other departments to discuss plans for future projects and to report both their progress and their findings.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatEducationIsRequiredToBecomeAResearchOfficer">What Education is Required to Become a Research Officer?</h3><p>Research officers are typically required to hold a bachelor's degree in the field of study in which they will be conducting research. Scientific research officers typically hold a bachelor's degree in fields such as biology, anatomy, or climate science. Social science research officers typically earn a bachelor's degree in fields such as political science, psychology, or education. It is also standard for prospective officers to take courses in data analysis and statistics in order to help them with the day-to-day tasks associated with research. More advanced positions often require a master's degree or several years of work experience in the field.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatSkillsAreEssentialForACareerAsAResearchOfficer">What Skills Are Essential For a Career as a Research Officer?</h3><p>Research officers must be consistently well-organized in order to work efficiently and effectively. Organizational skills allow a research officer to manage multiple projects at different stages while keeping data easily accessible. They must be able to compile and synthesize research in a manner that is easy to understand for other officers and other departments. Likewise, database management skills are also essential in order to properly record information and statistics that are important for a given study. Research officers are also required to have impeccable communication skills, both written and verbal so they can present their findings in a style that is easy for a given audience to understand, whether that be in scholarly articles or briefings with other members of their organization.
</p><h3 id="section---HowMuchDoResearchOfficersMake">How Much Do Research Officers Make?</h3><p>According to O*NET OnLine, individuals that assist in research under a variety of different job titles earned an annual income of $49,210 as of May 2020. Employment for all social science research assistants is expected to grow at a rate between 5-10% between the years of 2020 and 2030. This percentage of growth is as fast as the average across all other industries.</p>