STEM OPT Research Assistant Jobs
Research Assistant roles at universities, government labs, and private R&D firms regularly hire STEM OPT students. Your 24-month STEM OPT extension applies if your degree CIP code aligns with the role, and every employer must be enrolled in E-Verify before your training plan is approved.
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Researcher 2
Department:
Arts and Sciences | Sociology
The Researcher 2 collaborates with the Departments of Sociology and Psychology to coordinate and manage the day-to-day operations of two survey research projects. This role supports all phases of the research lifecycle, including study design, IRB documentation, implementation, fieldwork management, and data preparation.
Key Responsibilities
Project Coordination & Study Implementation
- Coordinate and manage daily activities for multiple survey research projects.
- Assist with preparation and submission of IRB documentation.
- Collaborate with study teams on research design, methodology, and implementation.
- Participate in the development of study communications and outreach strategies.
Survey Programming & Data Collection
- Convert, program, and debug complex electronic questionnaires using specialized survey software.
- Manage field operations, including oversight of survey administration processes.
- Create and maintain dialing campaigns within call center software; serve as a subject matter resource for staff.
Field Staff Training & Supervision
- Develop training materials and conduct training sessions for field and telephone interviewers.
- Supervise field and office-based research interviewers, ensuring performance standards are met.
- Conduct interviewer quality assurance activities to maintain data integrity.
Respondent Engagement
- Initiate and manage communications with survey respondents (e.g., emails, text messages) to encourage participation.
- Support implementation of engagement strategies to improve response rates.
Data Management & Reporting
- Assist with variable creation, data cleaning, and reporting using statistical software packages.
- Track interviewer hours and monitor fielding budgets to ensure project efficiency.
Qualifications
- Experience with survey research methods and data collection.
- Proficiency in statistical software (e.g., SPSS, Stata, R) and survey programming tools.
- Strong organizational, communication, and project management skills.
- Experience supervising staff and managing field operations preferred.
Minimum Education Required
Bachelor's Degree in Sociology, Psychology or related field with 3 years of relevant research experience required; Master's Degree in Sociology, Psychology or a related field and/or six years of survey research equivalent experience.
Additional Education Desired
Considerable experience (six or more years) in a social science discipline and in conducting research. Six or more years of experience with programmed survey conversion and testing. Expertise in SAS or equivalent programming language (preferably SPSS or STATA). Ability to produce metrics and create variables. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
This is a part-time, limited term, 2 year position with a 55% FTE.
The range of offers for this position will be based on internal equity, the unit’s budget and the individual’s qualifications.
Additional Information:
Location:
Remote Location
Position Type:
Term (Fixed Term)
Scheduled Hours:
22
Shift:
Varying Shifts
Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.
Thank you for your interest in positions at The Ohio State University and Wexner Medical Center. Once you have applied, the most updated information on the status of your application can be found by visiting the Candidate Home section of this site. Please view your submitted applications by logging in and reviewing your status. For answers to additional questions please review the frequently asked questions.
The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.
Job Title:
Researcher 2
Department:
Arts and Sciences | Sociology
The Researcher 2 collaborates with the Departments of Sociology and Psychology to coordinate and manage the day-to-day operations of two survey research projects. This role supports all phases of the research lifecycle, including study design, IRB documentation, implementation, fieldwork management, and data preparation.
Key Responsibilities
Project Coordination & Study Implementation
- Coordinate and manage daily activities for multiple survey research projects.
- Assist with preparation and submission of IRB documentation.
- Collaborate with study teams on research design, methodology, and implementation.
- Participate in the development of study communications and outreach strategies.
Survey Programming & Data Collection
- Convert, program, and debug complex electronic questionnaires using specialized survey software.
- Manage field operations, including oversight of survey administration processes.
- Create and maintain dialing campaigns within call center software; serve as a subject matter resource for staff.
Field Staff Training & Supervision
- Develop training materials and conduct training sessions for field and telephone interviewers.
- Supervise field and office-based research interviewers, ensuring performance standards are met.
- Conduct interviewer quality assurance activities to maintain data integrity.
Respondent Engagement
- Initiate and manage communications with survey respondents (e.g., emails, text messages) to encourage participation.
- Support implementation of engagement strategies to improve response rates.
Data Management & Reporting
- Assist with variable creation, data cleaning, and reporting using statistical software packages.
- Track interviewer hours and monitor fielding budgets to ensure project efficiency.
Qualifications
- Experience with survey research methods and data collection.
- Proficiency in statistical software (e.g., SPSS, Stata, R) and survey programming tools.
- Strong organizational, communication, and project management skills.
- Experience supervising staff and managing field operations preferred.
Minimum Education Required
Bachelor's Degree in Sociology, Psychology or related field with 3 years of relevant research experience required; Master's Degree in Sociology, Psychology or a related field and/or six years of survey research equivalent experience.
Additional Education Desired
Considerable experience (six or more years) in a social science discipline and in conducting research. Six or more years of experience with programmed survey conversion and testing. Expertise in SAS or equivalent programming language (preferably SPSS or STATA). Ability to produce metrics and create variables. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
This is a part-time, limited term, 2 year position with a 55% FTE.
The range of offers for this position will be based on internal equity, the unit’s budget and the individual’s qualifications.
Additional Information:
Location:
Remote Location
Position Type:
Term (Fixed Term)
Scheduled Hours:
22
Shift:
Varying Shifts
Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.
Thank you for your interest in positions at The Ohio State University and Wexner Medical Center. Once you have applied, the most updated information on the status of your application can be found by visiting the Candidate Home section of this site. Please view your submitted applications by logging in and reviewing your status. For answers to additional questions please review the frequently asked questions.
The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.
See all 762+ STEM OPT Research Assistant Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Research Assistant
Verify your CIP code before applying
Pull your degree's CIP code from your I-20 and cross-reference it against USCIS's STEM Designated Degree Program List. A mismatch between your listed degree field and the research role's discipline is the most common reason DSOs reject STEM OPT extension requests.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Ask hiring managers for their E-Verify Company ID or search the E-Verify employer search portal directly. Research labs inside universities sometimes operate under a parent institution's enrollment, so clarify which legal entity is actually signing your I-983.
Target federal grant-funded labs for faster onboarding
NIH- and NSF-funded research positions at universities and nonprofit institutes almost always maintain active E-Verify enrollment because federal contracting requires it. Filtering your search by grant-funded employers cuts the E-Verify verification step down significantly.
Build your I-983 training plan around specific research tasks
USCIS requires your I-983 to list concrete learning objectives tied to your STEM degree. For Research Assistant roles, map each lab task, data analysis method, or instrumentation skill directly to a degree competency rather than submitting a generic job description.
Search Migrate Mate to find Research Assistant roles at E-Verify employers
Filter by STEM OPT on Migrate Mate to surface Research Assistant openings at employers already enrolled in E-Verify. This saves you from applying to positions where the sponsorship infrastructure isn't in place, which is a common source of offer-letter delays.
Use cap-gap protection if your OPT expires during H-1B transition
If you're moving from STEM OPT toward H-1B visa sponsorship and your EAD expires between April 1 and October 1, cap-gap automatically extends your work authorization. Confirm your employer's I-129 was filed before your EAD end date so your research role doesn't have a gap in authorization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Research Assistant jobs qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, if your degree's CIP code appears on USCIS's STEM Designated Degree Program List and the Research Assistant role requires you to apply knowledge from that field. Life sciences, computer science, engineering, and physical science degrees commonly qualify. Your DSO confirms the match when you apply for the 24-month extension through your school's SEVIS record. Roles that are purely administrative, even at research institutions, typically don't qualify.
How do I know if a research employer is enrolled in E-Verify?
Ask the hiring manager or HR contact for the employer's E-Verify Company ID before accepting an offer. You can also search the E-Verify employer search tool by employer name. For university-based Research Assistant positions, confirm whether the specific department or lab is covered under the university's master E-Verify account, since some satellite locations enroll separately. Your I-983 training plan cannot be approved without confirmed E-Verify enrollment.
What goes into an I-983 training plan for a Research Assistant role?
Your I-983 must describe how each research duty connects to your STEM degree's learning outcomes. List specific tasks such as data collection protocols, statistical analysis methods, or laboratory techniques, and tie each one to a competency from your degree program. USCIS reviews these plans for substance, so a generic job description copied from the posting won't satisfy the requirement. Your employer signs the form alongside your DSO, and you must update it if your duties change significantly.
What happens to my STEM OPT if my Research Assistant contract ends between April and September during an H-1B year?
Cap-gap protection extends your STEM OPT work authorization automatically if your employer filed an H-1B petition on your behalf before your EAD expiration date and you were selected in the lottery. Authorization continues until October 1, the H-1B start date, with no action required on your part. If the petition is withdrawn or denied, cap-gap protection ends and you must stop working. Confirm your employer filed before your EAD end date, not just before April 1.
Where can I find Research Assistant jobs that already support STEM OPT students?
Migrate Mate lists Research Assistant openings filtered for STEM OPT eligibility, so you can identify employers with active E-Verify enrollment without manually verifying each one. Federal grant-funded labs at universities and nonprofit research institutes are consistently strong options because federal contracting requirements push them to maintain E-Verify enrollment year-round. Prioritize employers who have onboarded STEM OPT students before, since they're familiar with the I-983 process and reporting timelines.