1. Employment Profile: What exactly does a Research Assistant do? |
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 What field is your job in?
Public Health Research
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What is your job title?
Research Assistant
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Please provide a brief description of the firm or organization that you currently work for
(size and general description of what type of organization it is)
The organization I work for is part of a large university and functions as a coordinating center for several large research studies on the causes, progression, and treatment of type 1 diabetes. There are 170 employees that work on experimental study design, data management, statistical analysis, and study protocol management
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How long have you been employed in this position?
2 years
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How many hours do you work a week on average?
35
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Please provide a BRIEF description of your duties and responsibilities. (job description)
I manage several large research databases to ensure the quality and completeness of study data. I monitor incoming data transmissions from laboratories and clinical research sites, work with laboratory and clinical site staff to resolve discrepancies in the data, and edit data in preparation for statistical analysis. I also work with laboratories to set up the framework for secure data transmission to the coordinating center and serve as a beta tester for internal data monitoring software. Additionally, I serve as a liaison between the laboratories and other staff.
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What was your gross income last year? Please include any bonuses or incentives received.
34,500
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What is your expected gross income for this year? Please include any bonuses or incentives you expect to receive.
40000
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Please
list any benefits you have (Please include number of weeks vacation,
sick leave and type of health insurance, retirement plan 401k)
Two weeks vacation, all federal holidays, sick leave, choice of HMO or PPO health insurance, dental insurance, 401k, tuition benefits.
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Do you feel you are under/well/over compensated at your current position?
Under compensated
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2. Work environment! |
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Does
your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this
something you like/dislike about your job? Explain
I work with staff from many different departments on a daily bases, including IT professionals, computer programmers, statisticians, laboratory researchers. This is one of the best parts of my job- I've learned a great deal about many different fields from my co-workers and others that I interact with. It's allowed me to pick up additional skills I might not have otherwise.
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Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
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Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
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Describe
your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what
you like/dislike about working in it
I work collaboratively with both co-workers and managers, especially when testing software and writing internal documentation.
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Please rank in order of importance from 1-8 (1- most important 8- least important) Assign each number once.
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4 Income
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3 Work Environment - co-workers
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2 Work Environment - supervisors
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6 Benefits
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7 Hours
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5 Level of responsibility
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1 The actual "work" you do at your job
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8 Job Title
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3. How should someone new to the workforce get a J-O-B like yours? |
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If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Check out large universities with big science and medical research facilities- it's likely that they participate in several types of clinical research. Large hospitals also may participate in clinical research and have a need for data management. Also, Contral Research Organizations provide the same services in a private, corporate setting.
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What
skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a
position like yours? Please be specific and explain why (e.g., social
skills, organization skills, technical skills)
Definitely be computer literate, with an interest in programming and data security. Some background in biological sciences or health care is helpful. Also, flexibility, the ability to juggle multiple tasks and prioritize, and attention to detail.
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Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
At least a bachelor's degree.
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What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Definitely be flexible, and be able to adapt to change at a moment's notice. I've never had the same day twice- there are always new projects and demands to be met.
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