Research Associate
Also known as: Research Assistant · Project Assistant · Junior Research Fellow
Supports research projects at a university, institute or organisation under a lead researcher.
What you’d do
Research associates support research projects at universities, institutes, labs and NGOs, working under a lead researcher or principal investigator. Depending on the field, the day involves running experiments or surveys, collecting and analysing data, reviewing literature and helping write papers and reports.
- Runs experiments, surveys or fieldwork
- Collects and analyses research data
- Reviews published literature
- Helps write reports and papers
How you get in
Freshers usually apply to advertised project posts at universities and institutes, which list the required degree and are tied to a grant. Qualifying CSIR-UGC NET or UGC-NET for a JRF, or a GATE score in science fields, opens funded fellowships that can lead to a PhD.
Salary in India
Fresher salary over the years
middle of the 0–1 yr range, ₹ lakh a year
Fewer than two years of fresher data so far — the trend shows once there are two.
Skills you’ll use
From our guide · a curated list is coming
- Literature review and note-making
- Lab, field or survey data collection
- Data analysis in Excel, R, SPSS or Python
- Academic writing and referencing
- Careful record-keeping
About this field · for freshers
Job openings by year
Is demand growing?
Not added yet.
Competition4
How many graduates enter each year?
B.Plan graduates in 2023-24 at institutions that reported to AISHE — everyone finishing that degree, not only those entering this role.
Who hires
IT firms, banks, government, startups?
Not added yet.
Where the jobs are
Which cities?
Not added yet.
Women in the field4
Is it diverse?
Share of women among B.Plan graduates in 2023-24 — the entry degree, not people already working in this role.
At a glance
- Many posts are contract-based and end with the project.
- Common next steps: PhD, a fellowship, or research roles in industry or NGOs.
- Lab sciences and social sciences differ a lot in daily work.
Stay safe
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