How to Make a Career in Research?

If you break the word Research, it bifurcates into  ‘Re’ and ‘Search’. Re means again and again and Search means exploring. Thus, Research also known as Art of Scientific Investigation is a systematic and scientific study for knowledge or information on a distinct topic. The advancement of technology in Engineering, Pharma, Medicine & other fields is majorly due to the contribution of various researchers. Through this blog, we will run you through the various aspects of a career in research. 

Career in Research

A career in research is usually a great idea for postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers. However, it is not important that the career in research will always be in academia, it can also be in scientific research, commercial and public sector research. These fields require the skills and experience of an academic researcher. 

Educational Requirements 

Research is a systematic study in which students have to collect, organize, analyze and interpret data by using different research methodologies. A career in research requires intense knowledge and dedication towards the area of study. Candidates require to have a strong academic background to excel in this field, a bachelor’s, a master’s, and a doctoral degree can make an individual completely equipped to trod onto this pathway.

Most of the research positions require a master’s degree (research coursework) or Ph.D . However, a bachelor’s degree can land you at an entry-level job like Junior Research Analyst, Research Assistant, etc.. A student can also get a job in private or govt institutions as a survey researcher with a master’s degree. Candidates interested to make a career in research related to the market study must take up internship under big business houses. 

Universities for a Career in Research

There are various universities in the world that provide research-related courses as well as great exposure after completion of the program. Students get excellent opportunities while studying in these institutes. Given below are some of the top universities to make a career in research: 

• Princeton University, United States
• Harvard University, United States
• Yale University, United States
• University of Waterloo, Canada
• California Institute of Technology, United States
• Stanford University, United States
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States
• Imperial College London, UK
• University of Oxford, UK
• University of California – San Diego, US
• University of Toronto, Canada
• University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, US
• University of Pennsylvania, US
• John Hopkins University, US

Check out our exclusive list of Research Institutes in India!

Scope of a Career in Research

A career in research can take you to different areas of employment. Given below are the sectors that heir researchers: 

• Educational Institutions
• Government Institutions
• Industrial Laboratories
• Corporate Institutions
• Hospitals
• Insurance Companies
• Private Companies and Industries

Jobs

Curiosity is one of the traits that employers welcome while hunting for potential scholars. Researchers utilize their specialized skills to dig deep in search of information and use them to further solve complex problems. Here is a list of some popular jobs for candidates interested in making a career in research: 

• Actuary: An actuary job responsibilities are to analyse, calculate and predict the financial cost of risk. Here the person has to use their research, analytics and problem-solving skills along with excellent mathematical skills to reach onto a conclusion. Usually, the demand for actuaries in insurance companies or large corporations.
• Market Research Analyst: In this job position, the person has to assess the market conditions to determine the suitability of a product and services for the customer. Candidates study the consumer behaviours and analyse the financial information of companies with the use of primary and secondary research. 
• Medical Research Scientist: The job role of Medical Research Scientist is to develop a medicinal cure for diseases. Their responsibilities include plan, conduct, record and interpret the experiments carried and derive a suitable solution. They work in a hospital, research institutions, industries or government laboratories.
• Biological or Life Science Researchers: A Life Science Researcher study problems related to living organisms. The research is conducted to explore living cycles of organisms or to find a solution regarding problems faced by them. This career in research will land you at government agencies. 
• Research Psychologist: A career in Research with psychology as the area of specialization, includes the study of animals, humans and their behaviours. These individuals work at universities, schools and health sectors. 

Read About: Clinical Research Courses

Salary Outlook

It is quite difficult to estimate the salary of personals who are to make a career in research due to the involvement of various parameters. Here is the list of factors on which the salary of the researcher depends:

• Type of job position
• Industry in which job position held
• Location of the job
• Required experience for the job
• Required skillsets
• Level of education and several other factors

Average salary of a Researcher ranges from $34,900 – $3,17,239 [25,50,000 – 2,30,00,000 INR] per annum.

FAQs

We hope, this blog took you through all aspects of a career in research. If you are willing to pursue a course that can push you towards your dream university, contact Leverage Edu. Our unique AI tool will help you select the best-suited program that will line with your goals.