Research Psychologist Jobs
Research Psychologist jobs are open across academia, government agencies, healthcare systems, and private research firms, at every level from research assistant to principal investigator, with specializations in cognitive, clinical, and behavioral psychology. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Summary
This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Science & Technology Reinvention Laboratory (STRL) Hiring Authorities to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.
This is an open-continuous announcement. Please see the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section for more information.
Learn more about this agency
This job is open to
The public
Duties
- Develop research designs and protocols to address Army psychological research needs
- Collect and analyze experimental and field data using advanced statistical methods
- Coordinate research activities and supervise support personnel
- Prepare scientific reports and presentations communicating research findings
- Collaborate with Army leaders and stakeholders to identify research priorities
- Monitor and evaluate contractor performance to ensure quality and compliance
- Assist in managing research agreements and contracts
- Participate in professional conferences and contribute to scientific publications
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
- Incumbent must obtain and maintain a secret security clearance. Incumbent may be required to travel up to, but not limited to, 25% of time
- - sometimes on short notice.
- The employee must obtain and maintain a COR appointment(s) from the ARI-approved contracting agents.
- This position requires you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) or a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE450) upon entry, and annually thereafter.
Qualifications
About the Position: The U.S. Army Research Institute (ARI) is the Army's premiere scientific laboratory dedicated to innovation in Army talent management and personnel readiness.
Who May Apply: US Citizens
In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.
Basic Requirement for Research Psychologist:
Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) with a major or equivalent in psychology.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes designing and conducting research projects to test psychological hypotheses relating to behavioral and social science; applying established psychological principles and research methods to analyze data relevant to Soldier readiness, Soldier performance, and talent optimization over the career lifecycle; coordinating research activities involving team members and contractors under guidance on projects involving the application of applied behavioral and social science theories, designing and administering organizational surveys, performing statistical analyses, or facilitating focus groups; and preparing scientific reports and presentations that summarize research methods and findings. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (DB-02/GS-11).
OR
Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.
Education
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/
Additional information
- Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
- You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
- This position requires a 3 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
- The use of illegal drugs by Federal employees, whether on duty or off duty, is contrary to the efficiency of the service. The legalization and/or decriminalization of marijuana by some states has no impact on Federal law. The use and/or possession of marijuana remains illegal for Federal employees.
- Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
- This position requires you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) or a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE450) upon entry, and annually thereafter.
- Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
- If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
- This is a(n) Engineers and Scientists (Non-Construction) Career Field position Career Program position aligned under the Construction, Analysis, Science, Infrastructure & Engineers (CASIE) Career Management Directorate.
- Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
- Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
- When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction/ for more information.
- Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest.
- Must possess professional and scientific knowledge of the theories, principles, research methods, and statistical/analytical practices of the behavioral and social sciences in one or more of the following fields: experimental/applied psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, educational psychology, social psychology, measurement psychology, advanced behavioral science statistics, computer sciences, and network science.
- Salary listed on this announcement includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement for Ft. Belvoir, VA duty location. The pay will be adjusted to reflect the duty location of the Selectee (Ft. Benning, Ft. Hood, Ft. Leavenworth or Ft. Belvoir).
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.
Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.
Please read this public notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application. This is an open-continuous announcement.
You are applying to a public notice to fill current and future vacancies. Vacancies may not presently exist but may become available at any point during the opening period of this vacancy announcement. Your resume and any supporting documentation will be retained with other applicants and reviewed as vacancies occur. You will not receive a notice regarding your application's status other than the initial acknowledgment until a request is received to fill a position.
We will review applicants with an established initial cut-off date of 23 NOV 2026. The next cut-off dates are 07 DEC 2026, 21 DEC 2026, 4 JAN 2027, 18 JAN 2027, 1 FEB 2027, 15 FEB 2027, 1 MAR 2027, 15 MAR 2027, 29 MAR 2027, 12 APR 2027, 26 APR 2027, 10 MAY 2027, and 31 MAY 2027.
We will refer qualified applicants to the selecting official for consideration. The organization's hiring need will determine the referral of additional applicants. Applicants will be notified about their application's status if referred or if we fill all vacancies.
Vacancies may not presently exist but may become available at any point during the opening period of this vacancy announcement. Your resume and any supporting documentation will be retained with other applicants and reviewed as vacancies occur. You will not receive a notice regarding your application's status other than the initial acknowledgment until a request is received to fill a position. Once a request to fill a vacancy is received, we will refer applicants to the selecting official for consideration. The organization's hiring need will determine the referral of additional applicants.
Contingent upon funding and space requirements, one or more vacancies may be filled at the locations listed in this announcement as they become available.
Required Documents
The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements.
As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
1. Your resume:
- Your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
- For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position.
- Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume.
- If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
- For additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume.
- Cover Letter, optional
- Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
- This position has an individual occupational requirement and/or allows for substitution of education for experience. If you meet this requirement based on education you MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/31/2027 to receive consideration
- Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section.
- You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may be incomplete.
- It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
- Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
Agency contact information
DO NOT MAIL
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060
US
Next steps
If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking (as applicable) for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.
Overview
This salary range reflects locality pay area for duty location of Ft. Belvoir, VA. Salary will be adjusted to reflect duty location of Selectee.
- 0180 Psychology
- National security
Research Psychologist Jobs by Experience Level
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Who's Hiring
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in research psychologist jobs.
- Doctoral degree in psychology or a closely related field (Ph.D. or Psy.D.)
- Demonstrated experience designing and conducting quantitative or qualitative research studies
- Proficiency in statistical analysis software such as SPSS, R, or SAS
- Experience submitting and managing IRB protocols for human subjects research
- Peer-reviewed publications or technical reports demonstrating independent research contributions
- Familiarity with grant writing, proposal development, or externally funded research projects
Tips for Your Research Psychologist Job Search
Tailor your CV to research methodology
Hiring managers for research psychologist roles scan for specific methods: mixed-methods, RCT design, longitudinal analysis. Name the exact methods you've used, the software you ran them in, and the sample sizes you worked with. Generic 'research experience' won't cut it.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists research psychologist openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Highlight IRB and compliance experience
Many postings require direct IRB submission experience, not just familiarity. Specify whether you served as principal investigator or co-investigator on approved protocols and note the institution. This separates candidates who've navigated human subjects review from those who've only observed it.
Match your publications to the posting
If a job targets adolescent mental health, lead your publications section with work in that area even if it isn't your most recent. Reviewers read CVs quickly, and alignment between your record and their priority area signals fit faster than chronological order does.
Prepare a job talk even for non-academic roles
Applied research roles at government agencies and health systems increasingly ask finalists to present findings from a completed project. Practice a 20-minute version of a past study that shows your design choices, statistical approach, and how results informed a real decision.
Negotiate start date around grant cycles
If the position is grant-funded, the hiring lab or team often has flexibility on start date tied to funding activation. Asking about the grant timeline during offer discussions signals research-world fluency and can give you room to negotiate without touching salary.
Research Psychologist Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most research psychologists?
The most active employers for research psychologists right now are Leidos, Trinzic, and Goldbelt, and the most openings are in Maryland, Massachusetts, and Texas, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Demand tends to be strongest at research universities, federal agencies, and large healthcare systems.
How many research psychologist jobs are remote?
About 60% of research psychologist openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with the highest remote share in roles focused on data analysis, survey research, and behavioral science consulting. Positions requiring in-person participant interaction or lab access are typically on-site or hybrid rather than fully remote.
How do you become a research psychologist?
Becoming a research psychologist starts with earning a bachelor's degree in psychology or a related field, followed by a doctoral program where you develop an independent research agenda. Most programs require you to complete a dissertation, publish or present findings, and gain supervised research experience. After earning your degree, positions in academia typically require a postdoctoral fellowship, while government and industry roles may hire directly from doctoral programs.
How do you get hired as a research psychologist with little experience?
Entry-level research psychologist candidates compete most effectively by highlighting research assistant roles, independent thesis or dissertation work, and any co-authored publications or conference presentations. Applying to research coordinator or research associate positions at universities or federal agencies is a common path in, as these roles often transition to full research psychologist titles after a few years of demonstrated output.
What does the research psychologist interview process look like?
Most research psychologist interviews involve a screening call with a recruiter or lab manager, followed by a panel interview with faculty or senior researchers who ask about your methodology, analytical approach, and published work. Academic and government roles often include a formal job talk or research presentation. Finalists may be asked to complete a writing sample or walk through a data analysis exercise before an offer is extended.
Where can I find and apply to research psychologist jobs?
You can find and apply to research psychologist jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers across the United States. Find roles that match your background and apply directly to each listing. Openings update regularly, so checking back frequently gives you the best chance of catching newly posted positions before the applicant pool grows.
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