Field Researcher Jobs
Field Researcher jobs are open across public health, environmental science, social services, market research, and academia, from entry-level and research assistant roles to senior researcher and principal investigator positions, with specializations in ethnographic research, survey administration, and ecological data collection. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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The Education Research Assistant, Field Assessor (Birmingham, AL) position offers a great opportunity to gain valuable child assessment skills using standardized measures. Applicants should have experience conducting research and/or working with children in early childhood settings. SRI will provide the mandatory training and certification on the literacy and vocabulary assessment measures in early December 2026. Much of the training will take place via Zoom with the possibility of in-person practice sessions during the first 1-2 weeks of January.
Research assistants will conduct assessments in early childhood centers in Birmingham, AL. Research assistants will visit one classroom at a time, assessing 8-10 children during each classroom visit. Assessments will take place during two phases in 2027. The first round of assessments (pre-test) will take place in early January through mid-February 2027 and will take 5-6 weeks. The second round of assessments (post-test) will take place in May and June 2027 and will take 5-6 weeks.
This role does not require travel to an SRI location, but it does require driving to early childhood centers in Birmingham, AL to conduct child assessments during the standard school day. Staff will be paid for their participation in the training and for their time conducting assessments, cleaning assessment data, and entering data into a web-based database. All travel costs will be reimbursed. This is a temporary position starting in December 2026 and ending in June 2027. It is anticipated you will work at least 15-20 hours a week during the assessment timeframes.
- Attend up to two virtual training days in December 2026 to prepare for data collection responsibilities.
- Travel to early childhood center sites to conduct direct child assessments for pre-test data collection (January-February 2027) and post-test data collection (May-June 2027).
- Communicate with SRI project manager and teachers to schedule data collection activities.
- Enter data accurately and efficiently into a web-based database.
- Strong organizational and interpersonal communication skills.
- Prior experience working with children (e.g., as a teacher or assistant teacher in an elementary school, conducting assessments with children, working in after-school programs, or as youth camp counselor).
- Access to a car and possession of a valid driver’s license and insurance. Data collectors are expected to drive to participating centers within Birmingham.
- Access to a personal computer and reliable internet.
- Able to participate in and complete all required security clearance measures and training.
- Available for onsite work in Birmingham, AL Monday through Friday, 8am-1pm, at least three (3) days a week for pre-test data collection (January – February 2027) and post-test data collection (May – June 2027).
- Some undergraduate coursework in psychology, education, social work, or early childhood.
- Experience with research (conducting observations, assessments).
- Spanish language proficiency is helpful but not required.
SRI is an independent nonprofit research institute headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif., with a rich history of supporting government and industry. We create and deliver world-changing solutions for a safer, healthier, and more sustainable future. For almost 80 years, we have collaborated across technical and scientific disciplines to discover and develop groundbreaking products and technologies and bring innovations and ideas to the marketplace.
The Education Research Assistant, Field Assessor (Birmingham, AL) position offers a great opportunity to gain valuable child assessment skills using standardized measures. Applicants should have experience conducting research and/or working with children in early childhood settings. SRI will provide the mandatory training and certification on the literacy and vocabulary assessment measures in early December 2026. Much of the training will take place via Zoom with the possibility of in-person practice sessions during the first 1-2 weeks of January.
Research assistants will conduct assessments in early childhood centers in Birmingham, AL. Research assistants will visit one classroom at a time, assessing 8-10 children during each classroom visit. Assessments will take place during two phases in 2027. The first round of assessments (pre-test) will take place in early January through mid-February 2027 and will take 5-6 weeks. The second round of assessments (post-test) will take place in May and June 2027 and will take 5-6 weeks.
This role does not require travel to an SRI location, but it does require driving to early childhood centers in Birmingham, AL to conduct child assessments during the standard school day. Staff will be paid for their participation in the training and for their time conducting assessments, cleaning assessment data, and entering data into a web-based database. All travel costs will be reimbursed. This is a temporary position starting in December 2026 and ending in June 2027. It is anticipated you will work at least 15-20 hours a week during the assessment timeframes.
- Attend up to two virtual training days in December 2026 to prepare for data collection responsibilities.
- Travel to early childhood center sites to conduct direct child assessments for pre-test data collection (January-February 2027) and post-test data collection (May-June 2027).
- Communicate with SRI project manager and teachers to schedule data collection activities.
- Enter data accurately and efficiently into a web-based database.
- Strong organizational and interpersonal communication skills.
- Prior experience working with children (e.g., as a teacher or assistant teacher in an elementary school, conducting assessments with children, working in after-school programs, or as youth camp counselor).
- Access to a car and possession of a valid driver’s license and insurance. Data collectors are expected to drive to participating centers within Birmingham.
- Access to a personal computer and reliable internet.
- Able to participate in and complete all required security clearance measures and training.
- Available for onsite work in Birmingham, AL Monday through Friday, 8am-1pm, at least three (3) days a week for pre-test data collection (January – February 2027) and post-test data collection (May – June 2027).
- Some undergraduate coursework in psychology, education, social work, or early childhood.
- Experience with research (conducting observations, assessments).
- Spanish language proficiency is helpful but not required.
SRI is an independent nonprofit research institute headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif., with a rich history of supporting government and industry. We create and deliver world-changing solutions for a safer, healthier, and more sustainable future. For almost 80 years, we have collaborated across technical and scientific disciplines to discover and develop groundbreaking products and technologies and bring innovations and ideas to the marketplace.
Field Researcher Jobs by Experience Level
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Find Field Researcher JobsField Researcher Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Fintech
- Banking & Financial Services
- Non-Profit & Social Services
- Investment & Asset Management
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in field researcher jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as environmental science, sociology, or public health
- Experience administering structured surveys or in-depth qualitative interviews in field settings
- Proficiency with GPS devices, GIS software, or mobile data collection platforms
- Valid driver's license and willingness to travel to research sites regularly
- Familiarity with IRB protocols and human subjects research ethics requirements
- Ability to maintain detailed field notes and enter data accurately under variable conditions
Tips for Your Field Researcher Job Search
Tailor your resume to field conditions
Hiring managers for field researcher roles want to see how you've operated outside a lab or office. Describe specific environments you've worked in, the data collection protocols you followed, and any safety or compliance training you completed in those conditions.
Highlight your data collection tools
Many field researcher postings screen for specific software and instruments. Call out every tool you've used, from GPS devices and GIS platforms to survey software, mobile data collection apps, and species identification databases, so your resume clears keyword filters.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists field researcher openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match your background and apply directly to each listing without digging across multiple job boards.
Target postings by study phase
Field researcher openings are often tied to grant cycles or project timelines. Filter your search by posting date and read each description for start dates. Roles posted mid-project typically need someone who can ramp up fast with minimal onboarding.
Prepare a fieldwork portfolio entry
Bring one concrete example to every interview: a site you studied, a protocol you designed or adapted, and a data quality challenge you resolved. Interviewers for field roles prioritize demonstrated judgment in uncontrolled environments over classroom credentials.
Negotiate your reimbursement package separately
Field researcher offers often separate base pay from per-diem rates, mileage, and equipment allowances. When negotiating, address reimbursements as a distinct line item. Underfunded field budgets quietly reduce your real compensation, so confirm those terms before accepting.
Field Researcher Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most field researchers?
SRI International, Florida State University, and Advanced Agrilytics are hiring the most field researchers right now, with openings concentrated in Florida, Iowa, and Arizona, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Organizations in public health, environmental consulting, and academic research institutions tend to post the highest volumes year-round.
How many field researcher jobs are remote?
About 50% of field researcher openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though the nature of the role means most positions require at least some on-site data collection. Sub-areas like qualitative coding, literature review coordination, and research management tend to have the highest share of remote-eligible work.
How do you become a field researcher?
Start by earning a bachelor's degree in a field tied to your research interest, such as ecology, anthropology, public health, or sociology. Build hands-on experience through internships, volunteer research projects, or research assistant positions that put you in real data collection environments. Get familiar with standard field tools, IRB ethics requirements, and at least one data collection software platform. Applying to entry-level research assistant roles is the most direct way to gain the structured fieldwork experience employers require.
Can I get a field researcher job with little or no experience?
Yes, but you'll need to show you can operate independently in unstructured environments. Volunteer data collection for a nonprofit, a university extension program, or a community health organization gives you documented field hours without formal employment. Emphasize any coursework that included primary data collection, and be specific in your resume about the methods, instruments, and protocols you used, even on a small scale.
What does the field researcher interview process look like?
Most field researcher interviews include a phone or video screen focused on your research background, followed by one or two in-depth interviews where you walk through past fieldwork in detail. Interviewers typically ask situational questions about handling equipment failures, working with difficult respondents, or adapting a protocol mid-study. Some employers add a brief written exercise or ask you to review a sample data collection instrument and flag any issues before or during the interview.
Where can I find and apply to field researcher jobs?
You can find and apply to field researcher jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers across the United States in one place. Search the listings, find roles that match your background and target research area, and apply directly to each one. No detours to other sites required.
See All 40 Field Researcher Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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