Research Specialist Jobs
Research Specialist jobs are open across academia, healthcare, government, and private research organizations, at every level from entry-level research assistant to senior specialist, with common specializations in clinical research, market research, and policy analysis. Find a role that fits from the openings below and apply directly.
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INTRODUCTION
The University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Center for Marine Science (CMS) is recognized both nationally and internationally for conducting research that contributes to the understanding of environmental processes and problems. CMS strives to engage communities to address societal issues and promote use-inspired innovations.
Research at CMS includes a variety of fields such as aquaculture; coastal water resources, risks and resilience; coastal and ocean observing and modeling; ecosystem health; genomics and bioinformatics; human health and preclinical research; marine and coastal biology; marine geology and paleoclimate; marine technology; natural products chemistry; and ocean and coastal policy. Currently, there are more than 150 scientists, staff, and students housed at or working with the unit.
The teaching and research facility located on the Intracoastal Waterway in southeastern North Carolina features state of the art core facilities in spectrometry and spectroscopy, light stable isotopes, biotechnology, aquaculture, DNA and water quality analysis as well as running seawater systems, a coastal workboat fleet and a wide range of oceanographic equipment that are available to all CMS researchers.
CMS supports educational programs related to coastal and marine science, including the Applied Coastal and Ocean Science Ph.D. program and MS Marine Science degree as well as courses and students from various marine-science related academic departments across the breadth of UNCW. It also supports several outreach entities, including NC Sea Grant, the NC National Estuarine Research Reserve, and Marine Quest, among others.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Research Specialist will oversee the day-to-day operation of the Forensic Light Isotope and Trace Environmental Spectrometry (FLITES) core facility in concert with another staff member. The position is expected to train and supervise faculty and students on the correct operation of instrumentation in the FLITES facility. In addition, the successful candidate is expected to maintain the instrumentation and affiliated supplies as well as provide data analysis and data management support, basic QA/QC protocols, and oversee lab safety protocols. This is a permanent, state-funded position.
The FLITES facility houses a variety of mass spectrometry including:
- Thermo Orbitrap Exploris 240 mass spectrometer interfaced with a ThermoVanquish Neo UHPLC
- Thermo Vanquish UHPLC with fraction collector
- Thermo 1310 gas chromatograph with an ISQ single quadropole mass spectrometer and flame ionization detector (FID)
- Agilent 8890 gas chromatography with FID and interfaced with a Gerstel preparative fraction collector
- Shimadzu LC-40 XR LC system coupled to Sciex Triple Quad 5500+
- Bruker GC 465 gas chromatograph coupled to Bruker Triple Quad
- Bruker GC 456 gas chromatograph with ECD detector
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s degree in a discipline related to the area of assignment + 1 year of directly related experience; or equivalent combination of training and/or related experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- A graduate degree in a discipline related to the area of assignment.
- Experience with trace level analysis of organic compounds using GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS instrumentation.
- Experience training users of mass spectrometric instrumentation and data analysis/interpretation.
WORK DETAILS
- FTE: 1.0 FTE (40 hours per week)
- Months Per Year: 12 Months
- Work Days: Monday - Friday
- Work Hours: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Type of Position: Permanent
LOCATION
Location of Workplace: CMS Myrtle Grove
SPECIAL NOTES TO APPLICANTS
PLEASE NOTE: This posting will close at 11:59PM (Eastern time) on the posted closing date. To receive full consideration, please be sure you have fully completed the entire application, including the ‘Work History’ section before you apply for this position. Applications must be submitted through the online application system to be considered.
This position is being recruited at the Journey level. If no applicants apply who meet the required competency and training & experience requirements, then management may consider other applicants. Salary would be determined based on competencies, equity, budget, and market considerations.
EEO STATEMENT
UNCW does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his or her race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents – except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs.
ELIGIBILITY FOR EMPLOYMENT
Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.
APPLICANT DOCUMENTS
Required Documents
- Resume
- Cover Letter
Optional Documents
INTRODUCTION
The University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Center for Marine Science (CMS) is recognized both nationally and internationally for conducting research that contributes to the understanding of environmental processes and problems. CMS strives to engage communities to address societal issues and promote use-inspired innovations.
Research at CMS includes a variety of fields such as aquaculture; coastal water resources, risks and resilience; coastal and ocean observing and modeling; ecosystem health; genomics and bioinformatics; human health and preclinical research; marine and coastal biology; marine geology and paleoclimate; marine technology; natural products chemistry; and ocean and coastal policy. Currently, there are more than 150 scientists, staff, and students housed at or working with the unit.
The teaching and research facility located on the Intracoastal Waterway in southeastern North Carolina features state of the art core facilities in spectrometry and spectroscopy, light stable isotopes, biotechnology, aquaculture, DNA and water quality analysis as well as running seawater systems, a coastal workboat fleet and a wide range of oceanographic equipment that are available to all CMS researchers.
CMS supports educational programs related to coastal and marine science, including the Applied Coastal and Ocean Science Ph.D. program and MS Marine Science degree as well as courses and students from various marine-science related academic departments across the breadth of UNCW. It also supports several outreach entities, including NC Sea Grant, the NC National Estuarine Research Reserve, and Marine Quest, among others.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Research Specialist will oversee the day-to-day operation of the Forensic Light Isotope and Trace Environmental Spectrometry (FLITES) core facility in concert with another staff member. The position is expected to train and supervise faculty and students on the correct operation of instrumentation in the FLITES facility. In addition, the successful candidate is expected to maintain the instrumentation and affiliated supplies as well as provide data analysis and data management support, basic QA/QC protocols, and oversee lab safety protocols. This is a permanent, state-funded position.
The FLITES facility houses a variety of mass spectrometry including:
- Thermo Orbitrap Exploris 240 mass spectrometer interfaced with a ThermoVanquish Neo UHPLC
- Thermo Vanquish UHPLC with fraction collector
- Thermo 1310 gas chromatograph with an ISQ single quadropole mass spectrometer and flame ionization detector (FID)
- Agilent 8890 gas chromatography with FID and interfaced with a Gerstel preparative fraction collector
- Shimadzu LC-40 XR LC system coupled to Sciex Triple Quad 5500+
- Bruker GC 465 gas chromatograph coupled to Bruker Triple Quad
- Bruker GC 456 gas chromatograph with ECD detector
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s degree in a discipline related to the area of assignment + 1 year of directly related experience; or equivalent combination of training and/or related experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- A graduate degree in a discipline related to the area of assignment.
- Experience with trace level analysis of organic compounds using GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS instrumentation.
- Experience training users of mass spectrometric instrumentation and data analysis/interpretation.
WORK DETAILS
- FTE: 1.0 FTE (40 hours per week)
- Months Per Year: 12 Months
- Work Days: Monday - Friday
- Work Hours: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Type of Position: Permanent
LOCATION
Location of Workplace: CMS Myrtle Grove
SPECIAL NOTES TO APPLICANTS
PLEASE NOTE: This posting will close at 11:59PM (Eastern time) on the posted closing date. To receive full consideration, please be sure you have fully completed the entire application, including the ‘Work History’ section before you apply for this position. Applications must be submitted through the online application system to be considered.
This position is being recruited at the Journey level. If no applicants apply who meet the required competency and training & experience requirements, then management may consider other applicants. Salary would be determined based on competencies, equity, budget, and market considerations.
EEO STATEMENT
UNCW does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his or her race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents – except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs.
ELIGIBILITY FOR EMPLOYMENT
Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.
APPLICANT DOCUMENTS
Required Documents
- Resume
- Cover Letter
Optional Documents
Research Specialist Jobs by Experience Level
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Find Research Specialist JobsResearch Specialist Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Emory University15
- Johns Hopkins University15
- University of Pennsylvania12
- Boston University10
- Kaiser Permanente10
Top Industries Hiring
- Education62
- Healthcare & Medical Services37
- Science & Research7
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals4
- Technology & Software3
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in research specialist jobs.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in a relevant field such as social science, public health, or biology
- Experience designing or executing quantitative or qualitative research studies
- Proficiency with statistical or qualitative analysis software such as SPSS, Stata, R, or NVivo
- Strong written communication skills for producing reports, briefs, or academic manuscripts
- Familiarity with IRB protocols, research ethics standards, or regulatory compliance requirements
- Experience conducting literature reviews and synthesizing findings from peer-reviewed sources
Tips for Your Research Specialist Job Search
Tailor your resume to the research method
Research specialist postings often specify qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods experience. Align your resume to the exact methodology named in each posting, calling out the tools you used, such as SPSS, NVivo, or R, rather than listing research generically.
Lead with your publications or deliverables
Hiring managers in research roles want evidence of output. List reports, white papers, or datasets you produced and name the audience or decision they informed. A single concrete deliverable carries more weight than a paragraph describing your responsibilities.
Filter openings by sector before you apply
Research specialist roles vary sharply across healthcare, think tanks, and market research firms. Narrowing your search by sector first saves time and lets you customize your application language to match the vocabulary each field uses.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists research specialist openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Prepare a methods walk-through for interviews
Research specialist interviews frequently include a question asking you to walk through a study or project end to end. Prepare a two-minute explanation of your data collection choice, how you handled gaps or outliers, and what the findings led to.
Negotiate start date around institutional calendars
Academic and government research employers often tie hiring to grant cycles or fiscal quarters. Asking about timeline flexibility during the offer stage signals awareness of how research organizations operate and can open room on start date without touching compensation.
Research Specialist Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most research specialists?
The companies hiring the most research specialists right now include Emory University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania, with the largest share of openings in California, Texas, and Massachusetts, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Demand is spread across healthcare systems, research universities, federal contractors, and market research firms.
How many research specialist jobs are remote?
About 53% of research specialist openings are fully remote or hybrid as of September 2026, making it one of the more flexible professional roles. Remote availability is highest in market research, policy analysis, and secondary data roles, while clinical research and lab-based positions almost always require an on-site presence.
How do you become a research specialist?
Most research specialist roles require at minimum a bachelor's degree in a related field, such as public health, social science, psychology, or biology. From there, building hands-on experience through internships, research assistant positions, or graduate coursework is essential. Developing proficiency in at least one analysis tool and assembling a portfolio of completed research outputs will differentiate you when applying.
Can you get hired as a research specialist with little experience?
Entry-level research specialist roles exist and are often labeled as junior specialist, research associate, or research coordinator. Employers at this level prioritize demonstrated methodology knowledge over years on the job. Coursework projects, thesis research, or volunteer data collection work can substitute for paid experience if you present them as concrete deliverables with named methods and outcomes.
What does the research specialist interview process look like?
Research specialist interviews typically involve an initial phone or video screen with a recruiter or hiring manager, followed by a deeper technical interview where you walk through a past project and explain your methodology choices. Some employers add a written exercise asking you to summarize findings from a sample dataset or literature. Final rounds often include a panel with team members who will work directly with you.
Where can I find and apply to research specialist jobs?
You can find and apply to research specialist jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your background and apply directly to each one that fits.
See All 500+ Research Specialist Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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