Research Technicians: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of research technicians about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for research technicians to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of research technicians expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for research technicians.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Research Technicians?
Do research technicians need a degree? What kind of experience do research technicians typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for research technicians to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Research Technicians
Jobs Postings for Research Technicians By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 8,662 (35%)
- No Education Listed: 6,261 (25%)
- High School or GED: 5,043 (20%)
- Master's degree: 3,687 (15%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,063 (4%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of research technicians. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 35% of positions. In 25% of job listings no education level was listed and in 20% of postings a High School diploma or GED was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Research Technicians
Jobs Postings for Research Technicians By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 3,017 (27%)
- 2-3 Years: 3,970 (36%)
- 4-6 Years: 2,901 (26%)
- 7-9 Years: 563 (5%)
- 10+ Years: 648 (6%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for research technicians. In 36% of job postings for Research Technicians, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 27% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 26% of job postings for research technicians.
What Kind of Degree Do Research Technicians Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for research technicians, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 25 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective research technicians, and in 2023 a total of 83,895 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective research technicians.
Top Degree Programs for Research Technicians
Top 5 Degree Programs for Research Technicians (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Sociology, General. | 33,034 |
| Humanities/Humanistic Studies. | 20,087 |
| Social Sciences, General. | 15,927 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Learning Sciences. | 2,863 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Sociology, General. | 33,034 |
| Humanities/Humanistic Studies. | 20,087 |
| Social Sciences, General. | 15,927 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Learning Sciences. | 2,863 |
| Social Sciences, Other. | 2,040 |
| Research Methodology and Quantitative Methods. | 1,496 |
| Gerontology. | 908 |
| Geography and Environmental Studies. | 809 |
| Health Policy Analysis. | 378 |
| Medical/Health Humanities. | 345 |
| Adult Development and Aging. | 265 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services, Other. | 254 |
| Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. | 153 |
| Public Policy Analysis, Other. | 143 |
| Education Policy Analysis. | 129 |
| Energy and Environmental Policy. | 81 |
| Demography and Population Studies. | 70 |
| History and Political Science. | 68 |
| Anthrozoology. | 47 |
| Economics and Foreign Language/Literature. | 12 |
| Applied Demography. | 6 |
| Survey Research/Methodology. | 1 |
| Geoarcheaology. | 1 |
| Linguistics and Anthropology. | 1 |
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What Skills Do Research Technicians Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by research technicians to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for research technicians, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Research Technicians
Based on 20,662 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Research Technicians
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation Planning | 3,119 | 15% |
| Project Management | 2,603 | 13% |
| Data Analysis | 1,873 | 9% |
| Supply Chain | 1,554 | 8% |
| Civil Engineering | 1,396 | 7% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Research Technicians
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 8,609 | 42% |
| Management | 7,014 | 34% |
| Operations | 6,703 | 32% |
| Planning | 6,214 | 30% |
| Customer Service | 4,686 | 23% |
Based on 20,662 job postings related to research technicians, transportation planning was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 15% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for project management, data analysis, supply chain, civil engineering and auditing were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for research technicians, followed by management, operations, planning, customer service and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation Planning | 3,119 | 15% |
| Project Management | 2,603 | 13% |
| Data Analysis | 1,873 | 9% |
| Supply Chain | 1,554 | 8% |
| Civil Engineering | 1,396 | 7% |
| Auditing | 1,377 | 7% |
| Urban Planning | 1,307 | 6% |
| Geographic Information Systems | 1,265 | 6% |
| Data Collection | 1,212 | 6% |
| Finance | 1,125 | 5% |
| Invoicing | 1,118 | 5% |
| Transportation Analysis | 1,070 | 5% |
| Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) | 1,019 | 5% |
| Warehousing | 1,016 | 5% |
| Accounting | 1,014 | 5% |
| Process Improvement | 1,005 | 5% |
| Regional Planning | 985 | 5% |
| Procurement | 980 | 5% |
| Intelligent Transportation Systems | 924 | 4% |
| Social Sciences | 900 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 8,609 | 42% |
| Management | 7,014 | 34% |
| Operations | 6,703 | 32% |
| Planning | 6,214 | 30% |
| Customer Service | 4,686 | 23% |
| Writing | 4,028 | 19% |
| Coordinating | 3,802 | 18% |
| Research | 3,748 | 18% |
| Microsoft Office | 3,518 | 17% |
| Microsoft Excel | 3,303 | 16% |
| Leadership | 3,125 | 15% |
| Detail Oriented | 3,002 | 15% |
| Problem Solving | 2,857 | 14% |
| Presentations | 2,440 | 12% |
| Sales | 2,303 | 11% |
| Scheduling | 2,065 | 10% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,994 | 10% |
| Organizational Skills | 1,805 | 9% |
| Multitasking | 1,796 | 9% |
| Good Driving Record | 1,703 | 8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about research technicians? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for research technicians.
What do research technicians do?
How much do research technicians make?
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