How to get research experience

[eduKate]

How do you get research experience if you are not currently a student?  I've looked for research assistant jobs, but everything I've found already wants you to have a PhD.  I didn't get significant research experience in my master's program because it was more practice based, and my undergrad was in an unrelated field.  Most PhD programs already require you to have research experience when you apply, but I don't know how to get that experience! I'm interested in Education and Developmental Psychology programs.  Thanks in advance for any advice!!

[Usmivka]

Volunteer with a local research group? "Research assistant" must mean very different things in your field than in the sciences, because most such positions would bar someone with a PhD.

[TakeruK]

In my experience (and field?), it's rare for a group to actively recruit research assistants with BSc degrees and/or post job postings for such positions. You're talking about temporary/short-term positions in a lab/group so they usually hire their own undergrad students, their own grad students, or post-docs, depending on the level of expertise required. 

 

However, that doesn't usually mean that these positions are not available. I think that most profs have a lot of project or project ideas on the backburner -- usually more projects than available funding or workers. I have found that one can be much more successful at finding a position like this if you actively seek them out yourself. Usually one could start with profs in the department where they have some connections (e.g. alma mater, etc.) and just ask around if anyone is looking for someone to work on some project. 

 

In an ideal case, you could find a prof with a project that he/she wants to do but doesn't have the funding to pay for a graduate student to work on. However, since you are not a student, it would cost them much less to hire you on an hourly basis since they don't have to worry about your tuition etc. Also, they can just hire you for as many hours as they want you to work on the project (10/week? 20/week? more?) without worrying about your other commitments such as courses or TAing since you are not a student!

 

In a less ideal situation, but sometimes necessary to get initial experience, you might find a group that has an interesting project but no funding at all to do it. You might consider volunteering in the group just to gain experience but hopefully it will lead to a paid position later on. There's lots of other consequences of working for free, including allowing yourself to be taken advantage of and potentially taking away a job opportunity for a paid worker, but sometimes you just need to volunteer for a semester in order to build up some experience. 

 

I think the bottom line is that these types of positions are usually initiated by you, especially if you are no longer enrolled in a school! I would recommend starting with the department where you did one of your masters because they might know you, or at least know what your education background/skillset might be!

[Usmivka]

In my experience (and field?), it's rare for a group to actively recruit research assistants with BSc degrees and/or post job postings for such positions. You're talking about temporary/short-term positions in a lab/group so they usually hire their own undergrad students, their own grad students, or post-docs, depending on the level of expertise required. 

I agree with essentially all of the above (really good advice) except that first paragraph.

 

There are lots of independent research institutions and think tanks that don't have access to undergrads, including my current one. We fill "research assistant" and "tech" jobs with exclusively folks with a BS--the thought is that if you have an MS you are transitional (not always a good hire) and more expensive than the guy with the BS, and if you have a PhD you cost way too much to hire.

 

At my prior institution (an undergrad heavy R1), research assistants were also primarily non-students with a BS. Many were former student researchers, true, but as a public school managers were required to post the job offering publically--if someone more qualified within the job description applied for the stated salary/hourly, the department was required to hire them or go through a grueling process explaining their dissent with HR. I know from speaking with my peers that things worked this way at several public schools scattered nationally, although less often at private undergrad institutions.

 

So I guess my summary is, if you look at the right kinds of places (not an undergrad only SLAC) these jobs do exist and are available to someone in your position, and you could be a preferable candidate to someone with a PhD. Again assuming my experiences in the Earth Sciences have any bearing on your field.

Edited January 10, 2013 by Usmivka

[eduKate]

Thanks for your help everyone!  I appreciate the advice, and now I have some avenues to continue my search for opportunities.

[Immy]

I work at a research center, that's under a  hospital, and connected to a major university. I have a B.A. I ran my own research study in college, which I think helped.

 

Most job listings that I have seen for a research assistant are for B.A. The ones I've see for MS or Ph.D. are for Research Associate. 

 

Try checking  the job postings for the hospitals near you, and the universities/colleges.

[Angua]

Don't forget to reach out to your alma mater -- check in with professors (even if they don't remember you, some will be happy to talk), make an appointment (by phone, if necessary) with your old career office.  Get lots of advice, and if you make a good impression, they may be able to help you find a position.

 

Also, when I started looking, I was surprised how many different terms institutions use.  Don't forget to look for "lab manager," "research associate," and "research assistant."  Er, also also, be sure you are searching broadly.  Look for related departments that might be hiring, like human development, early childhood labs, etc.