A research assistant resume is a concise document representing a summary of your professional career and qualifications. It should emphasize your ability to coordinate and monitor trials, secure grants, and collaborate with other researchers to help you impress recruiters and get the job.
This article explains how to write a research assistant resume that stands out. We’ll show you everything from how to format your resume and design a compelling layout to how to craft each section. To top it all off, we’ll provide a complete example of a research assistant resume to show you what the final product should look like.
Key Takeaways
The best resume format for most candidates writing a research assistant resume is chronological.
Your objective or summary should highlight your key strengths right off the bat to grab the recruiter’s attention.
Add quantified achievements and results to your work experience section to provide proof of your competence.
Write and submit a personalized cover letter alongside your resume to show dedication and willingness to go the extra mile.
First-Rate Research Assistant Resume Example
Before we dive into the specifics, let’s show you what a finished document should look like using the example of a clinical research assistant resume:
Now that you’ve seen a complete research assistant resume, let’s show you how to create one yourself.
How to Format Your Research Assistant Resume
There are three established ways to format your research assistant resume that will yield the best results with recruiters.
The formats to use are:
Popular Resume Formats
Chronological resume format. This is the most widespread resume format by far, as it intuitively lists your past jobs in chronological order. This format is a safe choice as recruiters are used to it, and it’s compatible with the ATS.
Functional resume format. If you have no work history, you should use this format to focus on your skills. That way, you’ll play to your strengths and highlight your key qualifications when applying for an entry-level role.
Combination resume format. The combination (or hybrid) resume format focuses on your skills but backs up each skill with a list of relevant achievements in reverse chronological order. This makes it great if you have employment gaps in your work history that you don’t want to emphasize.
Research Assistant Resume Layout
Resume layout refers to the design of the document. A visually clean and appealing resume is pleasant to look at and easy to read, which is vital when you want to convey important information about your qualifications.
Here are some tips on how to design the perfect layout for your research assistant resume:
Resume Layout Guidelines
Keep your resume to one page. Anything more than that might lose the recruiter’s interest.
Choose a good font for your resume, like Arial or Times New Roman. Avoid stylized and script fonts.
Set the font size to 10–12 pt.
Use margins of at least 1 inch on all sides.
Line spacing should be 1.0 or 1.15.
Research Assistant Resume Mandatory and Optional Sections
Every research assistant resume should have five mandatory sections and as many optional sections that are relevant to the role as you can fit without making the document look messy.
Mandatory sections are:
Resume Mandatory Sections
Contact information
Resume objective or summary
Work experience
Education
Skills
Optional sections depend on your qualifications and job requirements. Some of the most common ones for a research assistant resume are:
Resume Optional Sections
Certifications
Languages
Hobbies and interests
With the knowledge of format, layout, and sections, you can start working on your resume. However, if you don’t want to design it from scratch, you can use our resume builder. It’s a purpose-built software solution perfect for all your resume writing needs.
It features ready-made templates designed by industry experts and HR professionals, which you can use to create a job-winning resume in minutes! Input your information in designated areas, customize the layout to your liking, and even leverage AI to perfect your writing.
Research Assistant Resume Template
Here’s one example of a research assistant resume template you can find when using our resume builder:
Research Assistant Resume Template
Name and Surname
Phone number: 000-000-0000 | Email: namesurname@gmail.com | Location: City, State
[Adjective] [your job title] with [years of experience, if applicable] in [your area of expertise, if applicable] looking for a [position] job at [company name]. Eager to apply [relevant skills] gained through [work/volunteer/other experience] to help [company name] [mention what you can do for the company].
Work Experience
Most Recent/Current Job Title Company City, State [Start date] — [End date]
For recent jobs, use 5-6 bullet points to list your top achievements and responsibilities
Use action verbs to make your responsibilities and achievements stand out
Add numbers to quantify your achievements
Previous Job Title Company City, State [Start date] — [End date]
For recent jobs, use 5-6 bullet points to list your top achievements and responsibilities
Use action verbs to make your responsibilities and achievements stand out
Add numbers to quantify your achievements
Oldest Job Title Company City, State [Start date] — [End date]
For older jobs, use 2-3 bullet points to list your top achievements and responsibilities
Use action verbs to make your responsibilities and achievements stand out
Add numbers to quantify your achievements
Education
[Degree] in [Major] [University/college name] [Start date] - [Graduation date]
Skills
Soft Skills
Skill #1
Skill #2
Skill #3
Skill #4
Skill #5
Hard Skills
Skill #1
Skill #2
Skill #3
Skill #4
Skill #5
Additional Sections
Add any relevant additional sections (languages, licenses, publications, hobbies, etc.)
Resume templates
Resume templates that are designed to help you win a jobResume Contact Information
Your contact information goes to the top of the document in the resume header.
Here are the details to list:
Header Mandatory Details
Your name
Job title
Phone number
Email address
You can include additional information, such as a link to your LinkedIn profile or your mailing address.
Here’s what that looks like in an example:
Header Example
Chester Fuentes Clinical Research Assistant + 909 461 7550 chesterfuentes@example.com linkedin.com/in/chester.fuentes Los Angeles, CA
You should avoid mentioning sensitive personal information, such as your age, gender, religion, or political affiliations. You also shouldn’t put a photo in your resume. Lastly, make sure to use a professional email address and meticulously proofread this section for any potential typos that could render your contact details useless.
Resume Objective and Summary
The objective and summary are introductory sections. You can think of them as brief descriptions of your research assistant resume and the first parts recruiters will read. As such, they need to be catchy, grabbing their attention with your key strengths in 2–4 sentences.
The objective is for entry-level candidates to showcase their skills and career goals, while the summary is for experienced professionals to specify one or two exceptional achievements.
Research Assistant Resume Objective
Let’s start with an example of a good research assistant resume objective that showcases the candidate’s skills to emphasize their potential:
Research Assistant Resume Objective Example
Hardworking recent graduate with a BSc in Biochemistry looking to join Biopharm Lab. Proficient in CRISPR-based techniques and adept at molecular cloning. Eager to contribute to your efforts in the field of stem cell research on the road to becoming a biochemistry research scientist.”
Let’s compare that to an example of a bad resume objective that doesn’t show anything about the research assistant’s qualifications:
Bad Example
Recent graduate looking for the first real job.
Research Assistant Resume Summary
A research assistant resume summary should outline one or two exceptional work-related accomplishments to give recruiters a glimpse of what you’re capable of.
Here’s an example of a good resume summary:
Research Assistant Resume Summary Example
Research assistant with over 7 years of experience conducting clinical studies looking to join LA General Medical Center. Recruited over 150 participants for various studies, achieving a 98% retention rate. Ensured 100% adherence to safety protocols. Eager to bring meticulousness and an evidence-based approach to research to your esteemed organization.
For contrast, here’s an example of a poorly written resume summary that doesn’t feature any concrete achievements:
Bad Example
Adept research assistant with years of experience in clinical research looking for a new position.
How to Write Your Professional Research Experience
The professional experience section is generally the most important to recruiters, so let’s find out how to make it spotless.
General Tips
The best way to add your work experience to your research assistant resume is by listing your previous employment in reverse chronological order.
Here are the details to include for each past role:
Work Experience Mandatory Details
Job title
Organization name
Employment dates
List of accomplishments
To make sure that your resume stands out and presents you as the most suitable candidate, you should only include those roles that are relevant to the position you’re after. Moreover, when talking about your accomplishments, you should focus on exceptional results and not everyday research assistant duties and assignments.
Here are additional tips to help you make this section stand out:
Tips to Highlight Your Accomplishments
Use bullet points instead of blocks of text to describe your accomplishments.
Include between 3 and 5 bullet points for each previous role.
Add exact numbers to your results to quantify them and make them concrete.
Leverage action verbs and power words to make your writing more interesting and memorable.
Research Assistant With Little to No Experience
Even if you’re creating a research assistant resume with no experience, you can craft an impressive work history section by leveraging efforts comparable to the role. This includes everything from internships and freelancing to volunteering and jobs that teach you skills transferable to research.
Here’s an example of a candidate using their job as a library assistant to demonstrate skills that would help them excel in the role as an entry-level research assistant:
Research Assistant With No Experience Example
Work Experience
Library Assistant University of Chicago Library Chicago, IL
September 2023–December 2024
Organized, cataloged, and maintained a collection of more than 7,000 different resources to enhance information retrieval.
Spearheaded the development of a digital database for research articles, helping to include more than 350 pieces of content to support various research.
Collaborated with five staff members to optimize the cataloging system and streamline the process, improving efficiency and accessibility by 21%.
Experienced Research Assistant
If you’re an experienced research assistant, you want to include high-impact, quantified accomplishments that demonstrate your expertise.
Here’s what that looks like in an example:
Experienced Research Assistant Example
Work Experience
Clinical Research Assistant The Lifespan Hospital Los Angeles, CA
March 2017–Present
Coordinated 13 clinical trials across multiple research areas to ensure 100% compliance with ICH guidelines and FDA regulations.
Streamlined data collection processes and implemented inaccuracy detection methods to reduce error rates by 23%.
Contributed to writing a grant proposal, helping secure more than $450,000 in research funding.
Research Assistant Resume Education Section
The education section adds credibility to your skills and qualifications.
If you’re an experienced research assistant, this part of your resume should be brief, and you should only list:
Education Section Mandatory Details
Your highest degree
The institution issuing it
Years of attendance
Here’s what that looks like in an example:
Education Example
Education
Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering University of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 2012–2016
However, if you’re an entry-level professional with no research experience for your resume, you can put more emphasis on your education by adding a list of academic accomplishments. Consider mentioning relevant coursework, extracurricular activities, school projects, awards, and even a high GPA.
Moreover, if you’re still a student when applying for a role, you can include your unfinished degree. To do this, either add “expected” next to the year you assume you’ll graduate or put “current” instead.
Research Assistant Resume Skills
The first step in adding research assistant skills to your resume is figuring out which ones recruiters are looking for. To achieve that, you should carefully read the job description for the research assistant role and look into the organization you want to join.
That will allow you to create a tailored list of abilities for the skills section of your research assistant resume. This is essential, as recruiters are looking for candidates with the exact skill set needed for the position in their organization, so you shouldn’t haphazardly list every ability you can think of.
The next step would be validating your competence with relevant achievements. This is best done in the resume summary and work experience sections. You should mention one of your prominent skills when mentioning your efforts or notable results obtained. Your efforts act as proof of your proficiency.
Here’s an example of a candidate demonstrating their data analysis and Excel skills:
Data Analysis and Excel Skills Example
Processed and analyzed large datasets in Excel to identify key variables, reducing R&D costs by over $110,000.
Hard Skills
Hard skills are specific to the job of research assistants and are typically taught and learned through traditional channels.
Here are some hard skills to consider adding to your research assistant resume:
Research Assistant Hard Skills Examples
Data analysis
Statistical analysis
Research finding assessment
Literature review
Laboratory techniques
Laboratory equipment maintenance
Soft Skills
Soft skills are transferable between roles and even careers, and they are typically obtained and improved through experience.
Some of the most sought-after soft skills include:
Research Assistant Soft Skills Examples
Attention to detail
Collaboration
Critical thinking
Organization
Adaptability
Other Sections to Add to Your Research Assistant Resume
Let’s explore some optional sections you can add to your resume to make it stand out among the competition.
Certifications
Certifications are proof of specialized training, knowledge, and skills. Moreover, they represent a demonstration of a proactive attitude to professional improvement.
Certifications like CCRA or CPIA can make you a stronger candidate, easily helping you get ahead of similarly skilled, uncertified candidates. Some employers can make certifications mandatory to apply in the first place.
Languages
Language skills help research assistants communicate with diverse populations. This includes foreign colleagues, global teams, and international partners. Moreover, they allow you to effortlessly use studies and material that require translation.
When adding proficiency in foreign languages to your research assistant resume, it’s imperative to use an established framework of reference and list the languages, starting with the one in which you’re most knowledgeable.
Hobbies & Interests
Hobbies and interests provide a glimpse into who you are outside your professional qualifications, helping recruiters remember you. Plus, some interests can showcase valuable transferable skills, like communication, leadership, or teamwork.
Do I Need a Cover Letter as a Research Assistant?
You need a research assistant cover letter to showcase your motivation and willingness to go the extra mile. While this document is typically optional, submitting it alongside your resume demonstrates genuine interest in the role.
Plus, a cover letter gives you more room to talk about your expertise. Additionally, a cover letter’s less formal nature compared to that of a resume allows you to let your personality shine through, helping you stand out in the eyes of recruiters.
Cover letter templates
Create a cover letter by filling in a free template and sharing it for free4 Final Tips for Creating a Research Assistant Resume
Let’s wrap up this all-encompassing guide with several resume tips for research assistants that will help you polish your document to perfection:
Research Assistant Resume Tips
Avoid adding personal pronouns to your resume objective or summary. The focus shouldn’t be on your search for a job but on what you have to offer to employers. That way, you’ll significantly increase the chances of recruiters taking an interest in your application.
Modify your resume every time you apply for a new role. Each research assistant position might require a different set of skills and qualifications. To present yourself as the most suitable candidate, showcase the most relevant abilities and accomplishments.
Ensure that your resume and cover letter match. Firstly, you shouldn’t just repeat the details about your skills and accomplishments between the documents but provide new information in each. Secondly, you should design your resume and cover letter to match visually, creating a cohesive package and a memorable experience.
Proofread your resume before submitting it. This allows you to correct any mistakes or typos to demonstrate professionalism and attention to detail. Moreover, while proofreading, you can spot areas for improvement where you can polish your writing for a greater impact.
Closing Thoughts
The career of a research assistant is rewarding and filled with incredible opportunities to contribute to new discoveries. Whether you’re looking for a role in industrial research or academia, your first step should be writing an outstanding research assistant resume that presents your skills and qualifications in a professional manner.
Remember to look into the organization you want to join and pay attention to the job description to discover what recruiters look for in candidates. That will help you tailor your resume to their needs, get ahead of the competition, and land a role of your dreams!
