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How to Become a Research Assistant

Last Updated: June 21, 2024 Approved

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The role of a research assistant is to help a professional obtain knowledge, organize information or maintain records for a project. There are many types of research assistants. Research assistants find work in laboratories, law offices, courthouses, publishing companies and academic environments like colleges and universities. Pursuing a research assistant position is similar in many ways to looking for any other kind of job, with a few additional specifications.

Determining the Type of Research Assistant You Want to Be

• STEM fields almost always need research assistants. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
• Psychology, anthropology and even history are other great fields that you may find work as a research assistant in.

• Most research assistants are expected to be relatively computer savvy, with experience in common office applications as well as data entry or other field specific software suites.
• You will need to be self-motivated, as research assistants are often expected to work independently and with limited supervision.

• Academic research assistants are often graduate students that have already earned bachelor's degree in the field they are studying and are now pursuing a subsequent degree.
• Academic research can help you start a career in education. Working as a research assistant can lead to becoming a research fellow which is often a step toward becoming an associate professor, and ultimately a professor.
• Being an academic research assistant involves assisting senior educators in their work, which may include preparing for classes or helping to advance their extra-curricular academic pursuits.
• High school students may be eligible for some research assistant positions at local colleges or universities. These positions can help you get into a good college and are great ways to develop skills that will help in your education and future professional life.

• Professional research assistants must meet the minimum requirements for the position, but are usually not required to be pursuing further education.
• Being a research assistant in a professional setting means working in a for-profit environment that may be more result driven and competitive than academic research.
• Professional research assistant's career paths can lead to overseeing your own projects and can help you shift into an operations or managerial position in the research field.

• Professional research assistants are expected to be adept at using common office software suites like Microsoft Office or Apache Open Office. You will also be expected to understand and follow common safety procedures for your field.
• Graduate students may work as research assistants doing different work as they pursue a master's degree or PhD.
• Make sure your degree qualifies you to work in the field of your interest. It will need to be directly related to the position you are applying to.
• Working as a research assistant in school can serve as an excellent qualification to get a job as a professional research assistant.

Looking for Research Assistant Positions

• Schools often have job placement offices that can help you locate a research assistant position in either academia or the private sector.
• The professors you study under will often be aware of research assistant needs within their departments.

• Research assistant positions can sometimes count as internships if your degree program requires one.
• Speak to your school advisor about opportunities to get transfer credits by working as a research assistant at a nearby school.
• Contact the department of your interest at other local colleges and universities to inquire about any research assistant openings.

• Looking for research assistant positions in the private sector is no different than looking for any other job online.
• Use search terms that are specific to the field you want to work in as well as the phrase “research assistant” for the best results.

• Start by creating a LinkedIn Account.
• Search for open positions and reach out to others in the field you are interested in to help you identify open research assistant positions.

• Professional research assistants will be expected to be able to maintain spreadsheets and have strong written and verbal communications skills.
• It is important that you are able to quickly determine the level of credibility of a source while researching. Make sure that you are comfortable evaluating the credibility of academic sources.

Applying for a Research Assistant Position

• You will need to put together a professional looking résumé.
• It may help to adjust your résumé slightly to better suit the requirements laid out in the opening you want to apply for.

• Speak to your professor about what you need to do in order to apply for a research assistant position in accordance with the school's guidelines.
• Adjust your résumé to match the requirements laid out by your school, then submit it with your application in the way they dictate.

• Meet with the professor to make sure they are someone that you can work with and that it's an environment you will be comfortable in.
• The professor can give you a better idea of what to expect while working as a research assistant.

• Make sure that you are dressed appropriately for a job interview.
• Remember that your first impression is important at job interviews, so try hard to make a good one.
• Brush up on how have a great interview before you go to get yourself in the right mindset.

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

• ↑ http://www.academicinvest.com/arts-careers/philosophy-careers/how-to-become-a-research-assistant
• ↑ https://econ.washington.edu/research-assistantassociate-job-description
• ↑ Jeremiah Kaplan. Research & Training Specialist. Expert Interview. 2 September 2021.
• ↑ http://www.weinberg.northwestern.edu/handbook/research-internships-abroad/student-research/research-assistant.html
• ↑ http://www.wisegeek.org/how-do-i-become-a-research-assistant.htm#didyouknowout
• ↑ http://www.collegeaffordabilityguide.org/transfer-credit/
• ↑ http://www.rand.org/jobs/recruiting/research_assistant.html
• ↑ http://www.wisegeek.org/how-do-i-become-a-research-assistant.htm
• ↑ http://www.psychology.sdsu.edu/research/become-a-research-assistant/

About this article

To become a research assistant, work to develop the skills you'll need, like good reading skills and the ability to work independently without much supervision. You'll also want to understand the subject-specific skills and knowledge you need to have for your area of interest, such as science or psychology. If you're a graduate student, look for research assistant positions in your department, including by speaking to professors or administrators. For positions in a professional setting, try using job sites to find potential employers. For tips on how to apply for a research assistant post and how to approach a job interview, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to apply for a research assistant position at your university

Although international students are unable to work off-campus in some countries like the US and Canada, there are many options to work on-campus.

Jobs like research assistant positions are great to get your foot in the door of the field you’re interested in, bulk up your CV, and earn some extra money in the process.

If you’re planning a future career in research, an assistantship a good way to get some first-hand experience and discover what working in research is really like.

Take note however, that not all research projects have the funds to pay students. Some offer credits instead of wages, which can also be helpful towards completing your degree.

Congratulations to #UrbanFreightLab research assistant and @uwengineering doctoral student Haena Kim for being awarded @WTS_Org Scott White Memorial Scholarship! Haena will be honored at the Womens Transportation Seminar Puget Sound Chapter Gala in March. https://t.co/Pny2YvwrWa pic.twitter.com/d0wYyEsZQj — UW Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics Center (@SCTLCenter) 22 January 2019

Sound good? Here’s how you can apply:

Do your research

Pardon the unintentional pun, but first, you’ll need to do some research and find out what subject or area of research you’re keen to pursue.

Your job will be much more interesting and valuable if it’s something you’re passionate about.

Of course, it makes more sense to do your research work in the major or programme you’re already undertaking, but you can always try another field if you have an interest or are thinking about pursuing it as a minor.

Most STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields offer research positions for students, as well as research-focused subjects like Psychology and Communication. However, this will differ across universities.

If you’re in a public research university, chances are there are many departments and research projects going on at the same time.

First, determine which professor or department you’d like to do your research alongside, and also consider what kind of studies or projects they’re working on. If you find they aren’t offering any positions, check with them for the next semester or next year.

Create a CV

Source: Shutterstock

As with any job, you’ll need a résumé or CV. Make sure it’s polished, error-free, clean and up-to-date.

Of course, being a university student, you might not have much work experience. But you can still include internships and other activities you’ve done to give the interviewer a sense of who you are and what you can bring to the table.

Include prior research experience, if any. Highlight the skills that can help you land a research assistant position, including anything analytical, attention to detail, organisational expertise, etc.

Check with your university

To apply for a research assistant position, some universities require you to go through their job portal or visit a specific website. Some may only allow you to apply for a position within your programme or degree. Find out the correct procedures before you apply so you don’t make any mistakes.

A growing number of universities are now using social media to their advantage, posting job opportunities on Twitter or Facebook, like the below example, so try looking online, too.

Social scientists with an interest in gender issues in #STEM please take a look and RT our advert for a Research Assistant on our recently funded #inclusionmatters grant @UofGlasgow ➡️ https://t.co/K9d7KmOUfg (ref E20378) @IoanaLatu — Helen Mulvana (@HelenMulvana) January 23, 2019

Meet with your professor

If you’re planning to apply for a research position with a professor and you aren’t sure what your job entails, try setting up a meeting with him/her.

By doing so, you’ll gain insight into what’s expected of you and what the project is about.

Prepare for interviews

You might be asked to come in for an interview, so make sure you’re prepared. Do some background research on the project, and let them know how you can be an asset to the team.

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7 Strategies for Getting an Entry-Level Clinical Research Job

News December 8, 2020

Kunal Sampat, MNA, ACRP-CP, Host of the Clinical Trial Podcast

Many people applying for entry-level clinical research jobs may begin their journey by enrolling in a certificate program. They invest months or years, not to mention thousands of dollars, toward earning a certificate, yet upon finishing and hitting the job markets, are likely to still be dealing with unresponsive hiring managers who are looking for individuals with two years of experience. (It is important to note here that having a “certificate” in clinical research from some source is not the same as holding “certification” in clinical research—an achievement based on mastery of job roles and solid experience in the field.)

How does one get around such a situation to get that first dream job in clinical research with less hassle, less expense, and more reliable prospects for employment at the end of the process? Presented here are some strategies that can work extremely well for individuals with foreign medical degrees, backgrounds in life sciences or allied health, or experience working in a regulated environment.

1—Gain clarity on your career goals.

  When most people apply for clinical research jobs, they fire up their computer and start applying for open positions. Before applying you should begin your journey by answering the following questions:

• Do you want a paid job or a volunteer opportunity? Is the experience you’ll gain more important, or do you really need a paycheck right away?
• Who do you want to work for? Clinical research is a vast field with different types of companies offering different kinds of job opportunities. You can work for a contract research organization, a sponsor such as pharmaceutical or device company, a clinical research vendor, a regulatory authority such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration , a nonprofit organization such as a patient advocacy group, an institutional review board, or a study site, to name some of the options.
• What job role are you most interested in? Is there a specific one you’d enjoy more than others? There are many other clinical research opportunities in addition to the clinical research associate (CRA) or clinical research coordinator (CRC) roles. For example, you can work as a data manager, safety monitor, patient recruiter, medical writer, biostatistician, project manager, regulatory compliance manager, or research billing expert.
• Would you enjoy working in the field (traveling or remote work) or in an office environment? Some people enjoy being on the road (and earning frequent flyer points). Others get more energy interacting with people at the office. Most clinical research roles offer the ability to work remotely or in an office setting.
• Are you open to relocating to a different city, state, or country? Entry-level positions may not offer the best pay, so you’ll need to decide if you’d be open to relocating, even if the pay was low.
• Are you looking for full-time, part-time, or contract employment? Depending on your personal circumstances, you may be more interested in a full-time position for the medical benefits or in a part-time role for a better work-life balance. Alternatively, you may be interested to contract opportunities at first and then transition into full-time employment once you have experience under your belt.

Answering these six questions honestly will give you the necessary clarity on which opportunities you should pursue and which ones you shouldn’t.

2—Invest in your clinical research education.

At a minimum, I encourage everyone to become familiar with the tenets of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) early in their job quest. Depending on the type of clinical research organization you decide to work at, your training beyond GCP will differ significantly. For example, training for an oncology pharmaceutical company will be different than training for a cardiology medical device company.

You can watch hundreds of YouTube videos on clinical trials or medical technologies, attend conferences or seminars, and get in-depth software training, but still not have a job in clinical research. Here is what you can do to narrow down your clinical research education priorities:

• Identify the dream role (career opportunity) you’re interested in applying for.
• Read through the job description—specifically, the job requirements.
• Highlight the skills you have little or no knowledge or experience with.
• Look up webinars, YouTube videos, and literature to develop those specific skills (i.e., fill the skill gap).

The above plan won’t make you an expert in those skills, but you will have built confidence in yourself and your ability to speak to these topics during interviews. If you feel you need more training, I encourage you to sign-up for membership with nonprofit professional organizations such as ACRP or SOCRA . Membership gives you access to many training resources; a lot of information is available to you for no additional cost aside from the basic membership fee.

Additionally, with your membership, you end up surrounding yourself with other experienced clinical research professionals via networking with their virtual communities and by attending educational events. You can then reach out to your fellow members for career guidance and make them aware of your interest in working in clinical research.

3—Fix your resume.

Your resume must not read like a job description. Most employers rely on a resume to screen applicants. Unfortunately, if your resume reads like a job description, the hiring manager does not get a clear understanding of your contributions in your current and previous roles. Instead, your resume should reflect your own professional achievements. You want to clearly state the results you achieved in your previous roles and, when possible, you should quantify the results. For example, instead of stating, “Worked in a research lab analyzing preclinical data,” you might want to state, “Analyzed data from two preclinical studies in mice for an Alzheimer’s drug.”

If you feel like your clinical or medical-oriented experiences are limited, focus on transferable skills for the research position you seek. Transferable skills such as financial management, project management, writing, and informational systems management are applicable to clinical research as well.

 4—Focus on 10 job opportunities and always follow up.

Focus on only 10 job applications at a given time. Many applicants apply for multiple jobs every week during their searches. Over the course of a couple of months, they have applied for dozens of jobs, but probably haven’t had a formal interview for any position. Instead of applying for every possible clinical research job as soon as they appear on the radar, I have found that applying for 10 at a given time gives applicants the time and energy to personalize their approach for each position.

Following up with employers is absolutely necessary. Even though hiring is a top priority for many organizations, hiring managers get busy with their day-to-day activities and hiring can take the back seat. By following up with the hiring manager, you’re demonstrating your continued interest in working for the company.

5—Write and speak clearly.

Aside from strong technical skills for many jobs, you may also need to demonstrate above-average written and verbal skills. This is important because clinical research is a cross-functional, team-oriented field. For most roles, you’ll be working in a team environment. When the job description states, “candidate must have excellent communication skills,” the employer wants to ensure you can write and speak clearly.

Many candidates will create a page-long, generic cover letter that repeats everything that can be found in their resume. Such a cover letter fails to show the employer why you’re the right fit for the role. Instead, I recommend applicants write a cover letter with three to five bulleted points that outline the benefits of hiring him or her for the job. The more personalized your cover letter is to a given employer and role, the greater chance you have for being invited for an interview.

Personalized cover letters might make reference to a specific clinical trial the hiring company is running, the company’s therapeutic area(s), and other details that show you’ve done your homework and are engaged in the opportunity to work there.

When it comes to verbal communication, the easiest way to have clarity in your message is to write down the key points you want to discuss on the phone. This forces you to be clear about why the company should hire you and not some other candidate with equivalent credentials.

6—Prepare for your interview.

Once you’ve landed with an interview date, it is time to prepare for the interview, using the following tips:

• Read the “About” and “News” section of the company website. Learn about the company’s clinical and regulatory leadership team. The news section will provide insights from the latest press releases from the company. This will give you an idea of what is on the company’s “mind.” You can also visit ClinicalTrials.gov for more information on the company’s trials, and to get a better understanding of the medical treatments being developed and their targeted patient populations.
• The biggest unknown in any interview is that you do not know what questions the interviewer will ask you. To help focus your answers, I recommend that you come up with a list of five to eight examples from your education or professional experiences that you’re proud of or that taught you something valuable. When possible, limit these to experiences that are medical or clinical in nature. Next you want to create a story around each of these examples that will become a valuable answer to an appropriate question. The best way to create a story is using the STAR format (Situation, Task, Action, and Results). For each of these examples, you want to write down the situation, the task in front of you, the action you took, and the results achieved as a result of your actions.

Once you’ve completed these steps, you’re almost ready for the interview. The last thing you need to do is to appear and sound professional during and after the interview. Be sure you write a personalized “thank you” note after each interview.

7—Have the courage to hear “No.” Remember that you will eventually hear “Yes.”

Many entry-level clinical research applicants lack the courage to hear that, “No, we cannot hire you for this job” from potential employers. It is painful to hear a “No” and rightfully so. Furthermore, most employers do a poor job of providing constructive feedback to applicants they don’t want to hire. Employers don’t want to say “No” to the not-so-great candidates because they fear not finding the “right” candidate for the job; they prefer to have a backup list of candidates in case their preferred candidate doesn’t work out.

This makes it even more important for candidates to encourage employers to make a decision, whether it’s a “Yes” or a “No.” This not only helps the candidate, it also helps employers to move on to other candidates who might be a better fit for the organization.

You don’t need to sign up for an expensive and time-intensive clinical research certificate program to secure an entry-level job in clinical research. Instead, you need to gain clarity around your clinical research career ambitions, learn GCP, invest in your continued education through nonprofits such as ACRP and SOCRA, fix your resume so that it doesn’t read like a job description, focus on 10 open opportunities at a given time, write and speak clearly in all your communications with the potential employer, plan for your interview using the Situation, Task, Action, Results (STAR) format, and embrace rejection if you’re not hired for the role. These strategies, collectively, will increase the odds of your success tremendously and you’ll be on your way to experiencing the joys of working in clinical research and clinical trial management.

by Guest Contributor Kunal Sampat, MNA, ACRP-CP, Host of the Clinical Trial Podcast

BEAVER Method—How to Get a Job in Clinical Research

Navigating a Career as a Clinical Research Professional: Where to Begin?

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Introduction to Good Clinical Practice

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20 Must-Know Research Assistant Interview Questions (With Answers)

Common Research Assistant interview questions, how to answer them, and sample answers from a certified career coach.

You’re about to embark on a new career journey as a research assistant. But before you get started, you need to make sure you land the job—which means getting through the interview process first.

To help you prepare for your upcoming research assistant interview, we’ve put together some of the most common questions you may be asked and advice on how to answer them. So read on, and make sure you ace that interview!

• What experience do you have conducting research?
• Describe a time when you had to analyze data and draw conclusions from it.
• How do you ensure accuracy and precision in your work?
• Are you familiar with the latest technologies used for collecting, analyzing, and presenting data?
• Explain how you would go about designing an experiment or survey.
• What strategies do you use to stay organized while working on multiple projects at once?
• How do you handle difficult conversations with participants or stakeholders?
• Tell me about a time when you had to present complex information in a way that was easy to understand.
• What methods do you use to verify the accuracy of your results?
• How do you approach troubleshooting technical issues related to research equipment or software?
• Do you have any experience writing grant proposals?
• What is your experience with developing research protocols?
• How do you manage ethical considerations when conducting research?
• Have you ever worked with a team of researchers? If so, what role did you play?
• What strategies do you use to keep up with the latest developments in your field?
• How do you prioritize tasks when faced with competing deadlines?
• What techniques do you use to ensure confidentiality when dealing with sensitive data?
• How do you handle unexpected changes in the scope of a project?
• What challenges have you encountered when working with large datasets?
• Describe a time when you had to explain complex research findings to a non-expert audience.

1. What experience do you have conducting research?

Research assistants are expected to have a thorough understanding of research methods and processes. By asking this question, the interviewer can get a sense of your past research experience and how you approach research projects. They’ll also be able to assess your level of expertise in areas such as data collection, analysis, and reporting.

How to Answer:

Be prepared to discuss any research experience you have, such as projects you’ve worked on in school or at past jobs. Talk about the methods and processes you used to conduct the research and how you evaluated its success. If you don’t have much formal research experience, talk about other experiences that demonstrate your ability to gather data, analyze it, and draw meaningful conclusions from it.

Example: “I have extensive experience conducting research for both academic and professional projects. During my undergraduate studies, I completed a year-long independent research project on the impact of climate change on local ecosystems. I developed a comprehensive plan to collect data from various sources, including field observations and interviews with experts in the area. After analyzing the data, I presented my findings at an international conference. In addition, I’ve worked as a research assistant at two different organizations, where I conducted background research for reports and presentations and provided support for ongoing research projects.”

2. Describe a time when you had to analyze data and draw conclusions from it.

Research assistants are expected to be able to analyze data and draw conclusions from it. This is a key part of the job, and the interviewer will want to know that you have the skills to do this. The interviewer is also likely to be interested in knowing how you go about analyzing data and drawing conclusions, so be prepared to explain your process.

Start by describing a specific time when you had to analyze data and draw conclusions from it. Explain the context of the situation, such as what type of data it was and why you were analyzing it. Then, explain your process for analyzing the data and drawing conclusions from it. Be sure to mention any tools or techniques that you used in the process. Finally, explain the results of your analysis and how you used them.

Example: “I recently had to analyze a large dataset for a research project I was working on. To ensure accuracy and precision, I first double-checked all the data entry and ran a series of tests to make sure that everything was correct. Then, I created several graphs and charts to visualize the results, which helped me draw more meaningful conclusions from the data. Additionally, I developed an organized system to track my progress as I worked through the data analysis, so I could always refer back to it if needed. In the end, I was able to identify key trends in the data and present them to the team.”

3. How do you ensure accuracy and precision in your work?

Research assistants need to be detail-oriented and meticulous. This question is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your knowledge of research methods and the steps you take to ensure that the data you’re collecting is accurate and reliable. The interviewer will want to understand the strategies you use to double-check your work and catch any potential errors.

You should be able to explain the steps you take to ensure accuracy and precision in your work. Be sure to mention any specific methods or tools that you use (e.g., double-checking data entry, using a particular software program). You can also talk about how you check for errors before submitting your work, such as having someone else review it or running a series of tests. Additionally, emphasize any processes you have in place to help you stay organized and on track with your research.

Example: “I understand the importance of accuracy and precision when conducting research, so I take a few steps to ensure that my work is high-quality. Firstly, I double-check all data entry before submitting it. Additionally, I use software programs like SPSS to run statistical tests on the data so that I can make sure everything is accurate. Finally, I review my work with colleagues or supervisors for an extra set of eyes to catch any potential mistakes.”

4. Are you familiar with the latest technologies used for collecting, analyzing, and presenting data?

Research assistants must be able to use the latest tools and technologies to collect, analyze, and present data in a meaningful way. They must be familiar with the most up-to-date methods of data collection and analysis, and have the skills to use them. This question allows the interviewer to assess the candidate’s knowledge and skills in this area.

To answer this question, you should be prepared to discuss your experience with using the latest technologies for data collection and analysis. Talk about any tools or software that you have used in the past, as well as any courses or certifications you may have taken related to data science or analytics. If you don’t have much experience, focus on your willingness to learn new technologies and how quickly you can pick up new skills.

Example: “Yes, I am familiar with the latest technologies used for collecting, analyzing, and presenting data. I have experience using several different software programs, such as SPSS and Tableau, to collect and analyze data. I also have a certification in Data Science from XYZ University that covers data collection, analysis, and visualization. Additionally, I’m always eager to learn new tools and technologies so I can stay up-to-date on the latest trends.”

5. Explain how you would go about designing an experiment or survey.

A research assistant should have the skills to take a research question, create a plan to answer it, and then execute that plan. This question will help the interviewer understand your ability to work independently, think critically, and develop a research strategy that will yield reliable and useful data. In addition, they will want to assess your experience and knowledge in designing experiments or surveys and the methods you would use to collect data.

Start by describing the steps you would take to design an experiment or survey. Some of these steps might include: defining the research question, creating a hypothesis, determining the sample size and population, selecting the sampling method, designing the questionnaire or experiment, pilot testing the survey/experiment, collecting data, analyzing results, and drawing conclusions from your findings. Explain how you have used each step in past research projects, emphasizing any successes or challenges you faced. Finally, be sure to mention any software programs or tools you’ve used that can help with data collection or analysis.

Example: “When designing an experiment or survey, I always start by defining the research question and creating a hypothesis. From there, I select an appropriate sample size and population that will provide reliable results. After that, I determine the best sampling method for my data collection needs. Then I design the questionnaire or experiment and pilot test it to make sure everything is working as intended. Finally, I collect the data and use various software programs and tools to analyze the results and draw conclusions from my findings.”

6. What strategies do you use to stay organized while working on multiple projects at once?

Research assistants have to juggle a lot of tasks, often with tight deadlines and strict requirements for accuracy. Interviewers want to know that you can stay organized and prioritize your work in a way that ensures you’re meeting deadlines, staying on top of the details, and doing the work to the best of your ability.

To answer this question, you should provide a few examples of the strategies you use to stay organized. These can include things like breaking down tasks into smaller chunks and setting deadlines for yourself, creating lists or spreadsheets to track progress on projects, using calendar reminders to keep up with due dates, and taking detailed notes to ensure accuracy. You should also describe any tools or systems you use to help you stay organized, such as project management software or task tracking apps.

Example: “I use a few different strategies to stay organized while working on multiple projects. I like to break down tasks into smaller chunks so that it’s easier to keep track of progress, and I set deadlines for myself to make sure I’m staying on top of things. I also create lists or spreadsheets to help me visualize what needs to be done and when, and I use calendar reminders to ensure I don’t miss any important due dates. To help stay organized with details, I take detailed notes and use project management software to track progress on each task. This helps me stay focused and ensures I’m meeting all the requirements for accuracy.”

7. How do you handle difficult conversations with participants or stakeholders?

Research assistants often have to interact with a variety of people, from research participants to stakeholders. Interviewers want to know that you know how to handle difficult conversations and that you have experience dealing with difficult people. They will also want to know how you handle projects and tasks that you may not feel comfortable with or that push you out of your comfort zone.

Start by talking about a difficult conversation you had in the past and how you handled it. Make sure to emphasize any strategies you used to de-escalate the situation, such as active listening or asking open-ended questions. You can also talk about how you manage your stress levels when dealing with difficult conversations, such as taking breaks or using deep breathing exercises. Finally, make sure to emphasize that you are always willing to take feedback from others and use it to improve your performance.

Example: “I have had to handle difficult conversations with research participants and stakeholders in the past, and I am always mindful of how I approach such conversations. I use active listening techniques to ensure that everyone feels heard and understood, and I ask open-ended questions to better understand their point of view. I also make sure to take breaks when needed, so I can remain calm and collected throughout the conversation. And, if necessary, I will reach out to colleagues or supervisors for additional guidance on how to best handle the situation. Ultimately, my goal is to be respectful, professional, and empathetic while still getting the job done.”

8. Tell me about a time when you had to present complex information in a way that was easy to understand.

Research assistants are expected to be able to take complex information and summarize it in a way that is easy for the rest of the team to understand. By asking this question, the interviewer is looking to find out if you have the ability to take complex concepts and break them down into accessible chunks. They are also looking for evidence that you can communicate information in a clear and concise manner.

Start by describing the project you were working on and the complexity of the information. Then explain how you took that complex data and broke it down into more digestible pieces for your audience. Focus on the tactics you used to make sure that everyone was able to understand the information, such as using visuals or analogies. Finally, provide an example of how your presentation helped the team achieve its goals.

Example: “I recently worked on a project to analyze the impact of a new tax policy on small business owners. The data was incredibly complex and it was difficult to explain the implications of the policy in a way that was easy to understand. To make sure everyone was on the same page, I broke down the information using visuals and analogies, which made it easier for the team to understand the implications of the policy. My presentation helped the team to better understand the data, which allowed us to make more informed decisions about the policy.”

9. What methods do you use to verify the accuracy of your results?

This is an important question for anyone in a research role. It shows the interviewer that you understand the importance of accuracy and quality in data-driven research, and that you have a process for ensuring the integrity of your results. It also shows that you have the technical skills and critical thinking abilities needed to be successful in the role.

You should be able to explain the methods you use to verify the accuracy of your results. This could include double-checking your data, using multiple sources to cross-reference information, or running tests on the data to ensure it is valid. You can also discuss how you use quality assurance techniques such as peer reviews and audits to make sure that all results are accurate. Finally, if you have experience with any statistical software programs, mention those as well.

Example: “I use a variety of methods to verify the accuracy of my research results. First, I always double-check my data to make sure that it is correct. Then, I use multiple sources to cross-reference information to ensure that it is accurate. I also run tests on the data to make sure that it is valid. Additionally, I use quality assurance techniques such as peer reviews and audits to make sure that all results are accurate. Finally, I have experience with statistical software programs, such as SPSS and SAS, which I use to analyze the data and verify the accuracy of my results.”

10. How do you approach troubleshooting technical issues related to research equipment or software?

Research assistants are often tasked with troubleshooting technical issues that arise with research equipment or software. The interviewer wants to know that you have the knowledge, problem-solving skills, and experience to identify and resolve such issues quickly and effectively.

The best way to answer this question is to provide a real-life example of how you have successfully troubleshot an issue in the past. Explain the steps you took to identify and resolve the problem, including any research or resources you consulted to help you find the solution. If you don’t have prior experience with this type of situation, explain how you would approach it by breaking down each step logically. Be sure to emphasize your problem-solving skills and ability to think critically when tackling complex issues.

Example: “When I encounter a technical issue related to research equipment or software, I like to start by breaking the problem down into its component parts, so I can better understand what is causing the issue. I then use my research and technical skills to identify potential solutions and test them until I find the one that works. For example, when I was working as a research assistant, I encountered an issue with a piece of lab equipment. After doing some research to understand the issue, I identified a potential solution and tested it. After a few iterations, I was able to successfully resolve the issue and get the lab equipment working properly again. I believe my problem-solving skills and ability to think critically will be an asset in this role.”

11. Do you have any experience writing grant proposals?

Grant-writing is an essential part of the research assistant’s role. It’s important to understand the structure of a grant and how to write one that is compelling and properly formatted. Interviewers will want to know if you have the experience necessary to efficiently and effectively write grant proposals, as it can be a time-consuming task.

Talk about any experience you have writing grant proposals, such as the number of grants you’ve written or how many were successful. If you don’t have direct experience with this task, discuss any related experiences that demonstrate your ability to write persuasive and well-structured documents, such as research papers or other professional documents. Additionally, if you have experience working with budgets or managing financials, this is a great time to mention it since these skills are often required for grant-writing.

Example: “I have experience writing grant proposals, having written several successful grants for my previous research position. I understand the importance of creating a compelling argument and I’m familiar with the structure and formatting needed for a successful grant proposal. Additionally, I’ve had experience preparing budgets for grants and managing financials, which I believe makes me an ideal candidate for this role.”

12. What is your experience with developing research protocols?

Research protocols are the detailed instructions used to conduct research. The interviewer wants to know that you have the experience and knowledge to develop a clear research plan, which includes collecting data, analyzing results, and writing up the findings. It’s important to have experience in this area as it’s a key part of the research assistant job.

Be prepared to discuss your experience with developing research protocols. Talk about the skills you have that would be helpful, such as conducting literature reviews, designing experiments, and writing up results. You should also mention any courses or certifications you’ve taken related to research protocol development. Finally, provide a few examples of successful research protocols you’ve developed in the past.

Example: “I have extensive experience developing research protocols, including conducting literature reviews, designing experiments, and writing up the results. I have a degree in psychology and have taken a number of courses in research methodology, so I’m familiar with the process. I’ve also developed several successful protocols for research projects in the past. For example, I worked on a project that examined the effect of various parenting styles on children’s academic performance. I designed an experiment, collected data, and wrote up the results. The project was a success and the findings were published in a leading journal.”

13. How do you manage ethical considerations when conducting research?

Research assistants are responsible for a variety of tasks, including data collection, data analysis, and report writing. But they also need to be aware of ethical considerations—which can include topics like confidentiality, privacy, and data security. By asking this question, the interviewer is trying to get a sense of your understanding of ethical research practices and whether you can be trusted to handle sensitive information in a responsible way.

It’s important to show that you understand the importance of ethical research practices and can be trusted to handle sensitive information in a responsible way. Talk about any experience you have with managing confidential data or conducting research in an ethical manner, such as following protocols set by your organization or adhering to industry standards. You should also emphasize how you go above and beyond to ensure the safety of the data you are collecting and analyzing.

Example: “I take ethical considerations very seriously when conducting research, and I always make sure to adhere to the protocols and standards set by my organization or industry. I understand the importance of protecting confidential data, so I always take extra steps to ensure that the data I’m collecting and analyzing is secure. For example, when conducting interviews, I make sure to get consent from the participants, and I use secure data storage and encryption methods when handling sensitive information. I also make sure to stay up to date on the latest industry guidelines and regulations so that I can ensure my research is compliant with all applicable laws.”

14. Have you ever worked with a team of researchers? If so, what role did you play?

Working with a team of researchers requires a certain set of skills, and it’s important for the interviewer to get a sense of how you interact with others and the role you’re likely to take on in such a situation. This question also helps the interviewer understand the scope of your research experience, as well as the types of projects you’ve been involved in.

Explain any research teams you’ve been a part of, and what your role was in the project. If possible, give examples of how you contributed to the team’s success. You might also explain how working on a team has helped you develop certain skills, such as communication or collaboration. Be sure to emphasize any leadership roles you may have had, as well as any successes that were achieved as a result of your work with the team.

Example: “I worked on a team of researchers at the University of Chicago studying the effects of climate change on coral reefs. I was responsible for conducting data analysis, leading the team in developing research protocols, and ensuring the accuracy of our findings. I was also the primary liaison between our team and other research groups, coordinating our efforts with theirs and keeping everyone on the same page. I’m proud to say that our research was published in a prestigious journal, and I believe my experience working with a team of researchers has given me the skills and knowledge to be a successful Research Assistant here.”

15. What strategies do you use to keep up with the latest developments in your field?

Research is a constantly changing field, and as a research assistant, you’ll need to stay up to date on the latest developments in your industry. This question is meant to gauge your ability to stay on top of the latest news and trends. It also shows the interviewer that you understand the importance of staying informed and are willing to put in the work to do so.

To answer this question, you should talk about the strategies you use to stay informed. This could include reading industry publications and blogs, attending conferences or seminars, subscribing to newsletters, or following experts on social media. You can also mention any research projects you’ve been involved in that have kept you up-to-date on the latest developments. Finally, be sure to emphasize your willingness to learn new things and adapt quickly to changes in the field.

Example: “I stay up to date on the latest developments in my field by reading industry publications, blogs, and newsletters. I also attend conferences and seminars to stay informed and network with other professionals. I’m also very active on social media, following experts in my field to get the latest insights. Additionally, I’m always looking for opportunities to stay involved in research projects, which helps to keep me up to date on the latest developments. All of this helps me to stay informed and adapt quickly to changes in the field.”

16. How do you prioritize tasks when faced with competing deadlines?

Time management and organization are key components of any research role. The interviewer wants to understand how you handle the pressure of competing deadlines and how you prioritize tasks to ensure that you meet all deadlines. This question is also a great opportunity to demonstrate your ability to think on your feet and come up with creative solutions.

Talk about a time when you had to prioritize tasks under pressure. Describe the process you used and how it worked out for you. Explain what you learned from that experience, such as which strategies are most effective in managing competing deadlines. If possible, provide an example of a successful project where you managed multiple deadlines successfully. Showcase your ability to be organized, efficient, and creative when faced with tight deadlines.

Example: “When I’m faced with competing deadlines, I prioritize tasks in a few different ways. First, I make sure that I have a clear understanding of the deadlines for each task and the importance of each task. Then, I break down the tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks and set realistic goals for each chunk. This helps me to stay organized and focused on completing the tasks. Finally, I use creative strategies to help me stay on track, such as setting reminders or enlisting help from other team members. I was able to successfully manage competing deadlines on a project last year by using these strategies. I was able to complete the project on time and within budget, which was a great success.”

17. What techniques do you use to ensure confidentiality when dealing with sensitive data?

This question is important to assess the level of responsibility a candidate has when dealing with sensitive data. It also helps the interviewer understand the candidate’s knowledge of best practices in research, data collection, and analysis. The candidate should be able to explain their process for ensuring the confidentiality of data and the steps they take to protect it.

To answer this question, you should explain the methods and processes that you use to protect data. You can start by discussing your understanding of the importance of confidentiality when dealing with sensitive data. Then, you can discuss the steps you take to ensure that the data is kept confidential. These could include using secure networks, encryption software, and password protection for all research documents. Additionally, you can mention any policies or procedures that you follow to maintain data security.

Example: “I understand the importance of protecting confidential data and take steps to ensure that it remains secure. I use secure networks, encryption software, and password protection to protect all research documents. Additionally, I follow all relevant policies and procedures to maintain data security. I also take the extra step of regularly auditing my systems and processes to ensure that the data remains secure and confidential.”

18. How do you handle unexpected changes in the scope of a project?

Research assistants often have to work with a lot of different people and juggle multiple tasks. Being able to handle unexpected changes in the scope of a project is a valuable skill, since research projects can often take unexpected turns or require additional work. This question helps the interviewer gauge how you handle changes and how you work with other people to get the job done.

To answer this question, talk about how you handle changes in a project. Do you stay calm and organized? Are you able to adjust quickly? Do you communicate well with team members if the scope of a project changes? Talk about specific examples of times when you had to adapt to unexpected changes in a project and how you handled it. Showing that you can remain flexible and focused on completing the task is key.

Example: “I’m very adaptable and have a lot of experience dealing with unexpected changes in projects. I always stay calm and organized even when things don’t go as planned. I’m also very good at communicating with team members and stakeholders to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that we’re all working towards the same goal. For example, I was working on a research project for a client last year and midway through the project, they changed their requirements. I was able to quickly adjust the project timeline and communicate the changes to the team to ensure that we stayed on track and delivered the project on time.”

19. What challenges have you encountered when working with large datasets?

Research assistants are often tasked with handling large and complex datasets. This question is meant to test your knowledge of data analysis and your ability to identify and solve any potential issues that may arise. By asking this question, the interviewer can get an idea of your problem-solving skills and your familiarity with working with large datasets.

You should be prepared to discuss the challenges you have faced when working with large datasets, such as data cleaning, missing values, outliers, and other issues. You can also talk about how you overcame these challenges and any strategies or techniques you used to ensure accuracy in your analysis. Additionally, if you are familiar with specific software or tools that you use for data analysis, it is a good idea to mention them as well.

Example: “When working with large datasets, one of the biggest challenges I have faced is data cleaning. I have had to manually identify and remove erroneous or incomplete data, as well as identify and correct any outliers. To do this, I have used various tools such as Excel and SPSS to clean and organize the data. I have also used Python to automate this process and to ensure accuracy in my analysis. Additionally, I have had to develop strategies to deal with missing values and ensure that the results of my analysis are meaningful and reliable.”

20. Describe a time when you had to explain complex research findings to a non-expert audience.

Research assistants are often tasked with communicating complex research findings to people who don’t have the same level of knowledge or expertise in the subject area. This question is designed to assess your ability to explain complex concepts in a way that is understandable to a lay audience. It also gives the interviewer an idea of your communication skills and your ability to distill complex topics into simple terms.

Before you answer this question, take a moment to think about a time when you had to explain complex research findings to someone who wasn’t an expert. You can talk about the context of the situation and what steps you took to make sure that the person understood your explanation. Describe how you used visual aids or analogies to help them understand the concepts better. Finally, be sure to mention any positive feedback you received from the audience after your explanation.

Example: “I once had to explain the results of a research project to a group of non-experts at a conference. I started by breaking down the research into simple terms and then I used visuals to help illustrate my points. I also provided examples to help make the concepts more relatable to the audience. After my presentation, I received a lot of positive feedback from the audience, which was very encouraging. I was also able to answer any questions they had and provide more information if they needed it.”

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What is a Research Assistant?

Learn about the role of Research Assistant, what they do on a daily basis, and what it's like to be one.

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Definition of a Research Assistant

What does a research assistant do, key responsibilities of a research assistant.

• Conducting literature reviews to assist in determining research directions and understanding current knowledge gaps
• Collecting, organizing, and analyzing data using a variety of methods, such as surveys, experiments, or existing databases
• Assisting in the design and execution of research studies, including preparing materials and setting up equipment
• Maintaining accurate and detailed records of all research activities and results for accountability and reproducibility
• Preparing research findings for publication, including drafting reports, graphs, and tables, and ensuring adherence to publication standards
• Collaborating with the research team to discuss methodologies, interpret findings, and plan future research activities
• Managing and responding to project-related correspondence, including communicating with external stakeholders or research participants
• Ensuring compliance with institutional, ethical, and regulatory standards for research conduct
• Utilizing specialized software and tools for data analysis, statistical computation, and presentation of results
• Supporting grant application processes by contributing to the preparation of proposals and budgets
• Presenting research findings at meetings, seminars, and conferences, as well as to non-specialist audiences when necessary
• Staying current with developments in the field and continuously developing skills and knowledge through training and professional development opportunities

Day to Day Activities for Research Assistant at Different Levels

Daily responsibilities for entry level research assistants.

• Collecting and organizing research data
• Conducting literature reviews and summarizing findings
• Assisting with the preparation of research materials and equipment
• Performing basic data analysis under supervision
• Helping with the administration of research protocols
• Participating in research meetings and discussions

Daily Responsibilities for Mid Level Research Assistants

• Designing and conducting experiments with minimal supervision
• Managing specific components of a research project
• Collecting, analyzing, and interpreting complex data sets
• Contributing to the writing and editing of research papers and reports
• Presenting research findings at meetings or conferences
• Assisting in the training and supervision of entry-level research assistants

Daily Responsibilities for Senior Research Assistants

• Leading research projects and developing research strategies
• Supervising teams of research assistants and coordinating with collaborators
• Conducting advanced data analysis and interpreting results
• Writing grant proposals and securing funding for research
• Authoring and co-authoring publications in peer-reviewed journals
• Mentoring junior researchers and contributing to the academic community

Types of Research Assistants

Academic research assistant, clinical research assistant, legal research assistant, market research assistant, scientific research assistant, social science research assistant, what's it like to be a research assistant , research assistant work environment, research assistant working conditions, how hard is it to be a research assistant, is a research assistant a good career path, faqs about research assistants, how do research assistants collaborate with other teams within a company, what are some common challenges faced by research assistants, what does the typical career progression look like for research assistants.

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• Research Opportunities

Graduate students are encouraged to speak directly with faculty members at their particular school to inquire about positions.

Research Opportunities for Undergraduates:

• Paid Research Assistant Positions: Search the Jobs Database for these paid positions.  Though we try to streamline, not all faculty members or departments use the SEO Jobs Database to post positions, so you may want to visit individual academic department websites to see if positions are posted there or contact a faculty member directly.
• Independent Research: Pursue an independent research project with a Harvard faculty member as a research mentor and apply for funding to support your endeavors. Visit the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships for more information and consult the Funding Database to learn of specific grants.
• Research for Class Credit: Discuss this option (often as a 91R) with your academic advisor or Director of Undergraduate Studies.
• Radcliffe Research Partnerships   post undergraduate research assistant positions for a wide variety of projects. Visit their website or the jobs database for  a list of open opportunities. 

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Interested in just getting started with research? Have a specific professor to work with in mind? Learn about the Faculty Aide Program . This program provides funding to faculty members who want to hire student researchers.

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110 Research assistant jobs

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Postdoctoral Researcher / Scientific Assistant in Life Cycle Assessment for Circular Engineering for Architecture

Postdoctoral Researcher / Scientific Assistant in Life Cycle Assessment for Circular Engineering for ArchitectureETH Zurich’s Department of Civil, Environment and Geomatic Engineering seeks a highl...

PhD Candidate for Computational Approaches for Studying Animal Behavior, Personality, and Emotions

About our Campus: Rehovot Campus (Rehovot) and Mt. Scopus Campus (Jerusalem). The position will be based across two campuses: The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment on The Hebrew University’s beautiful Rehovot Campus. Reh...

Scientific Assistant in Machine Learning for Healthcare

Scientific Assistant in Machine Learning for HealthcareThe Biomedical Data Science Lab (BMDS), headed by Prof. Catherine Jutzeler, is looking for a highly motivated and skilled Scientific Assistant...

Research Assistant 25-50%

We invite applications for a Research Assistant position (20-25%) under the supervision of Michaela Slotwinski. The position is set to begin on August 15, 2024, or as agreed upon.Job starts: 15.08.2024Term: fixed-term contractLocation: NeuchâtelYo...

Three 2-year Postdoctoral Fellowships at the Zukunftskolleg

(Fulltime, E 13 TV-L)Reference No: 2024/114. The preferred start date is April 1st, 2025. Conditionally on the submission of an external grant, the position can be extended for an additional year. In principle, the position can be divided into two...

Teaching and Research Assistant (PhD student) in Food Science-Ghent University Global campus, Korea

Ghent University Global Campus (GUGC) is an integrated campus of Ghent University, Belgium, and the first European university to be part of the Incheon Global Campus (IGC) in Incheon, South Korea. Ghent University Global Campus currently offers Ba...

Junior Scientist - Quantum sensing (f/m/d)

YOUR FUTURE RESPONSIBILITIESBringing together applied science and industry, SAL offers research in the areas of Sensor Systems, Intelligent Wireless Systems, Power Electronics and Embedded Systems. The position will be located within the Sensor Sy...

Research Assistant (f/m/d)

Master thesis – emerging and selected topics in power electronics (f/m/d).

YOUR FUTURE RESPONSIBILITIESFollowing research topics are at this moment open and subject to be incorporated into several master thesis. A master thesis may incorporate more than one listed topics to a full thesis. For your application please refe...

EEG measures of cochlear implant listener performance

The research group of Experimental Otorhinolaryngology, Dept. Neurosciences is part of the University of Leuven. Leuven is located in the center of Belgium, in the heart of Europe. The main researc...

Research Assistant - Silviculture, Forest Ecology and Management (Prof. Tognetti, Roberto)

CallRector's Decree n. 1132/2024 of 05.07.2024Call (PDF)Online application (LINK)ProjectEnhancing Forest Resilience in South Tyrol (ENFORS) (Funded by European Social Fund Plus – project code ESF2_f3_0005 – CUP B56F24000100001)Deadline for sending...

Research Assistant in Quantitative Social Science

Research Assistant in Quantitative Social ScienceThe Public Policy Group at ETH Zurich invites applications for a research assistant in quantitative social science. Project backgroundThe position i...

Master Thesis - Experimental characterization of high-frequency acoustic MEMS resonators (f/m/d)

YOUR FUTURE RESPONSIBILITIESThe performance of Radio Frequency filters used for telecommunication purposes mainly depends on the frequency response curve of their building blocks, acoustic MEMS resonators. SAL is working with new types of piezoele...

Research & Development specialist for 5G NTN Physical Layer Design

(Valid from 30/01/2024 to 31/07/2024)   Language: English (UK) Country: Luxembourg   Organisation data: Interdisciplinary Centre of Security, Reliability and Trust Job Number: UOL06220 Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract Duration 24 Month Schedule ...

Proteomics Laboratory Assistant

Proteomics Laboratory AssistantThe Functional Genomics Center Zurich (FGCZ) is a joint state-of-the-art research and training facility of the ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich. With the lates...

Researcher in design of innovative modular floating islands

About the positionA fixed-term 100% position as researcher is available at the University of Agder, Faculty of Engineering and Science as a Researcher in Structural Engineering, affiliated to the Department of Engineering Sciences, for a period of...

Research & Development Specialist in Software Debugging and Maintenance

(Valid from 13/02/2024 to 31/08/2024)   Language: English (UK) Country: Luxembourg   Organisation data: Interdisciplinary Centre of Security, Reliability and Trust Job Number: UOL06258 Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract Duration 12 Month Schedule ...

Research assistant in nutrition and digital health

Do you want to contribute to better health for all?We are looking for an ambitious research assistant with a background in nutrition. The research assistant will be working within the IMPACT resear...

Biological-Technical Assistant (BTA) (f/m/x) TUV2406-05 | Institute for Plant Sciences | Saur Group

Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Biological-Technical Assistant (BTA) (f/m/x) Institute for Plant Sciences | Saur Group We are one of the largest and oldest universities in Europe and on...

Master Thesis - Coupled thermal and magnetic loss models (f/m/d)

YOUR FUTURE RESPONSIBILITIES This Master Thesis topic is focusing on coupling thermal and core loss models of the magnetic component.  The scope of the project includes following aspects:  Modeling of core loss using electromagnetic FEM simulation...

Assistant department of Structural Engineering and Building Materials (27370)

    →   Apply until 20/08/2024 (DD/MM/YYYY) 23:59 (Brussels time)    →   Faculty of Engineering and Architecture    →   Department EA14 - Structural engineering    →   AAP temporary appointment - 100%    →   Number of openings: 1    →   Reference ...

Research Associate in Data Science Management

Would you like to contribute to the energy transition in Germany through your work? Then the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy (HI ERN) is the right place for you! The HI ERN forms the core of the close partnership between...

Research assistant biobanking rheumatology (Substitute employment)

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research? For biomedical research, we have sample collections in the division of rheumatology where patient samples are stored and handled daily. La...

Assistant department of Marketing, Innovation and Organisation (27379)

    →   Apply until 06/08/2024 (DD/MM/YYYY) 23:59 (Brussels time)    →   Faculty of Economics and Business Administration    →   Department EB23 - Department of Marketing, Innovation and Organisation    →   AAP temporary appointment - 100%    →   ...

Research Assistant at the Division of Psychology (part time)

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research? In our research group, you will find a unique opportunity to work in the borderland between psychology and neuroscience in order to unders...

Research assistant (m/f/d)

Phd candidate / project assistant - cooperation between silicon austria labs villach and university for continuing education in krems (f/m/d).

YOUR FUTURE RESPONSIBILITIES The advertised position is part of a cooperation between Silicon Austria Lab (SAL) in Villach and the University for Continuing Education in Krems (coordinated and supervised by Prof. Hubert Brückl).  Within the “Magne...

Teaching assistant: Media Psychology

KU Leuven is a leading academic institution in Europe. Owing to KU Leuven’s cutting-edge research, KU Leuven is a charter member of LERU, ranked as Europe’s most innovative university, and is among...

Research Assistant - Silviculture, Forest Ecology and Management (Prof. Montagnani, Leonardo)

CallRector's Decree n. 1131/2024 of 05.07.2024Call (PDF)Online application (LINK)ProjectUnravelling seasonal to decadal CLImate influence on Carbon cycle in FORest.A multidisciplinary analysis across contrasting climates(CliCFor) PRIN 2022-Code 20...

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After the Summer 2024 session, the OUR RA program will be suspended until further notice. For those eligible, we encourage you to apply for a Federal Work Study RA position. Please schedule a meeting with the OUR if you have any questions. Please review the requirements at the bottom of the page before getting started. To apply, click the link below to view the posting in ePACK. From there, click the "apply now" button and complete the Google form with the requested information. When we receive your application, we’ll review the described work, confirm with your mentor, and then send a contract that both you and your mentor will sign. Upon receipt of the contract, you will be hired as a research assistant under the OUR. Note: This is only one option for getting involved with research. We encourage you to speak with the OUR about other opportunities that might work for you!

OUR Research Assistant Program Position

Applications for Summer 2024 have closed. After the Summer 2024 session, the OUR RA program will be suspended until further notice. Please schedule a meeting with the OUR if you have any questions.

Requirements

• Students must already have a confirmed mentor. The OUR will not match you with a mentor for this position. If you would like assistance with finding a mentor, please review this page on our website or meet with an OUR ambassador or staff member.
• Students must apply on ePACK and complete all application materials. Students in all disciplines can participate; we welcome all research and/or creative endeavors!
• Students CANNOT be employed as research assistants through the FWS or PEP programs (i.e., you cannot hold two OUR RA positions at the same time). If you hold a non-RA FWS or PEP position, you can still apply. Students cannot be enrolled in an REU and have an RA position.
• Students CANNOT be employed (earn personal pay) via two funding sources for the same RA position/project, even if one of them is non-OUR (e.g., an OUR RA and RA from a mentor’s grant).
• Students must be currently enrolled as undergraduate students at NC State during the semester employed.
• Students must complete a professional development experience and survey, final survey reflection, and present at the NC State Symposium matching their funding period.
• A mentor cannot hire more than two students through this program. If a mentor has additional students seeking funding, they are encouraged to review alternative opportunities provided by the OUR or their grants.
• Before hiring is complete, the RA and mentor must sign a contract agreeing to the above requirements.
• Research Assistants will be paid $15/hour.
• Fall/Spring working timeline: First day of semester classes to last day of semester classes
• Note: If you will be unable to clock 10 hours for more than two weeks (e.g., for a vacation), you will not be considered.
• Hours can be logged remotely if agreed upon with a mentor and remote work is meaningful research engagement.
• OUR RA positions are meant to be intensive and provide contact hours; the OUR will monitor hours, and RAs working consistently less than ten hours will have their positions terminated or be ineligible for future funding. While we know hours vary, if your work will not provide a consistent ten hours, let others take advantage of this opportunity.
• The WolfTime web-based time clock will be used by students to clock in and out for hours worked.
• Students will use Moodle Projects to access program information and requirements after being hired.
• Employment will end on the last day of classes of the semester.
• You can review the contract for the position here: OUR RA Contract
• what question you are exploring/topic you are gaining more knowledge of/creation you are undertaking (describe the project; provide context – what gap are you filling/why is the project happening) – minimum response of 200 words,
• how you will contribute to the project (we need to know you will be working towards a presentable project and actively engaged with the research) – minimum response of 200 words,
• and how it will impact you/knowledge, skills, abilities you will develop as the student partaking – minimum response of 150 words.
• Keep in mind that this experience is meant to be intensive and you will need to work 10 hours/week. The more information you provide about the project in order for us to determine feasibility and your contribution, the more likely you are to receive an RA position.
• The OUR holds the right to inquire further about the position or reject an application if the project/work is not suitable (student engagement must contribute to a project in order to meet the requirements listed in the Overview section).
• Number of available positions per semester will vary based on the Office budget . The OUR RA program will be available each semester – Fall positions, Spring positions, and Summer positions. Summer RAs do not need to be taking courses but must intend to take classes the in Fall (i.e., be a currently enrolled student). Students can apply for multiple semesters.

Please email any questions you have to the office at  [email protected]

The OUR also offers positions through the Provost’s Professional Experience (PEP) Program. Students must already have a mentor, and applications are due at the beginning of the academic year. All RA positions have requirements to remain employed/in good standing.

If you have a faculty mentor that is interested in having their own PEP positions, please have them reach out to Marion Zanga ( [email protected] ) in the Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid for more information.

In addition, the OUR offers positions through the Federal Work-Study RA Program. See site for details.

FreshersGroup.com

IIT Kanpur Recruitment 2024 – Apply Online for 1 Research Assistant @ iitk.ac.in

Published on July 24, 2024

IIT Kanpur Recruitment 2024 Apply for 1 Research Assistant Vacancies in Kanpur – Uttar Pradesh location. Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur Officials are recently published a job notification to fill up 1 Posts through Online mode. All the eligible aspirants can check the IIT Kanpur career official website i.e., iitk.ac.in recruitment 2024. The last date to Apply Online on or before 02-Aug-2024.

IIT Kanpur Recruitment 2024

Organization Name : Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur ( IIT Kanpur ) Post Details : Research Assistant Total No. of Posts : 1 Salary: Rs. 37,000/- Per Month Job Location: Kanpur – Uttar Pradesh Apply Mode : Online Official Website : iitk.ac.in

IIT Kanpur Recruitment required eligibility details

Educational Qualification: As per IIT Kanpur official notification candidate should have completed M.Phil , Post Graduation, Ph.D from any of the recognized boards or Universities.

Age Limit: As per the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur recruitment notification, the candidate’s maximum age should be 35 years .

Application Fee:

No Application Fee.

Selection Process:

Steps to apply for iit kanpur research assistant jobs 2024.

• First, visit the official website @ iitk.ac.in
• And check for the IIT Kanpur Recruitment or Careers to which you are going to apply.
• Open Research Assistant Jobs notification and check Eligibility.
• Check the last date carefully before starting the application form.
• If you are eligible, Fill the application form without any mistakes.
• Pay the application fee (If applicable) and submit the application form before the last date (02-Aug-2024) and capture the Application form number/acknowledgment number.

How to apply for IIT Kanpur Recruitment (Research Assistant ) Jobs

Interested and eligible candidates can apply Online at IIT Kanpur official website iitk.ac.in, Starting from 23-07-2024 to 02-Aug-2024

Important Dates:

• Start Date to Apply Online: 23-07-2024
• Last Date to Apply Online: 02-Aug-2024

IIT Kanpur Notification Important Links

• Official Notification pdf: Click Here
• Apply Online: Click Here
• Official Website: iitk.ac.in

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Aliah university – non teaching positions recruitment 2024, 🏫 about institution.

Aliah University started its glorious journey from the 2008-09 academic session with great potential and immense opportunities. It is hoped that this university, harmonizing tradition and modernity, will emerge as a unique institution of higher studies and research. As per Aliah University Act 2007, Section 3 (3), it has been conferred the status of a minority educational institution. Aliah University is an autonomous university under the Department of Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education, Government of West Bengal. It is hoped that along with the people of any race, creed, caste or class, this University will play a crucial and leading role in the advancement of higher education for socially and educationally backward classes belonging to the Minorities.

Aliah University Kolkata, West Bengal Invites Application for the following Technical Positions of Technical Assistant Recruitment 2024

Aliah University, an Autonomous Institution of Higher Learning under the Department of Minority Affairs & Madrasah Education, Govt. of West Bengal, invites applications from Indian citizens having knowledge of Islamic Culture, for appointment to the following posts:

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• Technical Assistant: Grade-I (Dept. of Electrical Engineering)
• Technical Assistant: Grade-I (Dept. of Geography)

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Post No.1:Technical Assistant: Grade-I (Dept. of Electrical Engineering). – 01 Post Age below 40 years as on 01-06-2024. Essential Qualification: B. E. / B. Tech. in Electrical Engineering from a recognized Institution having 2 years experience as a Laboratory/ Workshop Technician/ Technical Assistant or its equivalent in any recognized educational Institution/ Industry. Or First class Diploma in Electrical Engineering or its equivalent from a recognized institution having 3 years of experience as Laboratory/ Workshop Technician/ Technical Assistant or its equivalent in any recognized educational Institution/ Industry.

Post No. 2. Technical Assistant: Grade-I (Dept. of Geography). – 01 Post Age below 40 years as on 01-06-2024. Essential Qualification: Hons. Graduate in Geography with 1 yr. working experience in PG/UG Lab. of Geography as a Technical Assistant preferably in an academic institute.

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Entry Pay Rs.37100/- plus usual allowances as per G.O. of West Bengal.

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Applicants are advised to follow the university website: http://aliah.ac.in/recruitment for all information / notification related to advertisement of the mentioned positions. If any candidate fails to follow the instructions / information given in the website and misses any step, the University will not be responsible for that. Application form can be downloaded from the link: http://aliah.ac.in/recruitment Last date for submission of ‘Application form’ with testimonials is 25th July, 2024

Candidates are requested to super scribe the words “Application for the post of ………….. Sl. No……… for the Department of ………………”as the case may be, on the top of the envelope, while sending the application forms.

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A volley of shots rang out minutes into Trump’s speech. He reached for his right ear — he said later it was pierced by a bullet — then dropped to the ground as Secret Service agents rushed to shield him. Trump emerged with blood on his ear and his face. One attendee was killed , and two others were injured.Witnesses listening to Trump’s speech from outside the event’s security perimeter recalled pointing out the gunman to law enforcement a couple of minutes before the shooting began. After the gunfire started, Secret Service personnel shot and killed the 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks .

The clamor over the Secret Service’s biggest failure since the shooting of President Ronald Reagan in 1981 is coming from both political parties, from former agents and from security experts.

“My question is: How did he get onto that roof undetected?” said Anthony Cangelosi, a former Secret Service agent who worked on protective details for presidential candidates, including John Kerry in 2004.

The Secret Service’s work on campaign events like Saturday’s begins with advance planning, setting up a security perimeter and positioning teams on the ground and on rooftops — often in partnership with local law enforcement. The ground deployments include a counterassault team, and the rooftop personnel include counter-sniper teams.

Guglielmi, the Secret Service spokesman, said the agency had two of its counterassault agents at the event and filled out the rest of the platoon with at least six officers from Butler County tactical units. The Secret Service also deployed two counter-sniper teams. Two other security units needed for the event were staffed by local law enforcement agencies, Guglielmi said. Those details were first reported by The Washington Post.Investigators will want to examine the Secret Service’s site security plan for the rally, said Cangelosi, the former Secret Service agent. He expects they’ll discover one of two things: Either officials failed to make an effective plan for keeping potential shooters off the building Crooks fired from, or officers on the ground failed to execute the plan.

“I don’t like making any assumptions, but it does look like some mistakes were made, that this was preventable,” said Cangelosi, now a lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York.

Although it’s common to task local law enforcement agencies with patrolling outside an event’s security perimeter, Cangelosi said, the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that all vulnerabilities are covered rests with the Secret Service.

If officials had placed an officer on the building where the gunman fired from, Cangelosi said, chances are he “wouldn’t even attempt what he attempted.”

“You don’t surrender the discretion of what’s supposed to be done to the local police,” he said. “In other words, you guys have the outer perimeter, but you would want to say, ‘We need an officer on that roof.’ Not ‘that’s your responsibility; do what you see fit.’”

Jim Cavanaugh, a retired special agent in charge with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who has worked on Secret Service details, told NBC News that while the Secret Service did a good job taking out the gunman after shots began, the failure to post officers on the building he scaled was “a tremendous lapse.”

“The only way to stop that is you have a lot of people, you get there first, and you command the high ground,” Cavanaugh said. “This is basic, and the Secret Service has done it for years successfully, so I’m really surprised that they did not have that high ground covered.”

The questions extended to Congress, where members demanded answers from the Secret Service and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security.“This raises serious concerns regarding how a shooter was able to access a rooftop within range and direct line of sight of where President Trump was speaking,” House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., wrote in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Green asked Mayorkas to provide documentation relating to the event’s security plan, the screening of attendees and the level of resources provided to Trump’s Secret Service detail. A committee spokesperson told NBC News that Republican members would hold a briefing with Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Monday “to voice their concerns and ask pressing questions.”

Another lawmaker, Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., wrote Cheatle asking who approved the security plan, whether a proper threat assessment was conducted, whether attendees raised alarms and whether there were failures in following protocols that allowed the attack to happen.

“I call on all those responsible for the planning, approving, and executing of this failed security plan to be held accountable and to testify before Congress immediately,” Gallego wrote in a letter to Cheatle .

Robert McDonald, a former Secret Service agent who ran protection for Joe Biden when he was vice president, told NBC News that he believes the assassination attempt will prompt soul-searching and procedural changes at the agency.

“The Secret Service is going to need to ask some hard questions of itself here and be prepared to stand up and represent why, what happened,” McDonald said.

Cangelosi, the former Secret Service agent, said investigators are also likely to ask when agents identified Crooks as a potential threat, how they reacted and whether it’s possible they could have taken him down before he fired at Trump.Secret Service snipers are trained to make rapid decisions, he said. But it’s possible that if they noticed Crooks on the roof but couldn’t tell whether he had a rifle, agents might have waited to fire on him.

“If the sniper can’t tell whether he has a gun, he or she is not going to take the shot,” Cangelosi said. “Because God forbid it’s a child who’s just excited to see a political candidate, right? So you want to make sure that there’s actually a threat.”

If there was uncertainty, Cangelosi said, it’s possible the sniper team would have dispatched officers to investigate and confirm. But investigating a potential threat can take minutes, he said, while a gunman with a semiautomatic rifle can fire several shots in a matter of seconds.

That’s why, Cangelosi said, the best defense would have been to plan ahead to keep the shooter off the roof in the first place.

“Who wants to be in that position?” he said of the snipers protecting Trump on Saturday. “You’ve got to make a split-second call. And imagine if you’re wrong.”

Sarah Fitzpatrick is a senior investigative producer and story editor for NBC News. She previously worked for CBS News and "60 Minutes." 

Julia Ainsley is the homeland security correspondent for NBC News and covers the Department of Homeland Security for the NBC News Investigative Unit.

Mike Hixenbaugh is a senior investigative reporter for NBC News, based in Maryland, and author of "They Came for the Schools."

Andrea Mitchell is chief Washington correspondent and chief foreign affairs correspondent for NBC News.

Jon Schuppe is an enterprise reporter for NBC News, based in New York.

2022 was the year that generative artificial intelligence (AI) exploded into the public consciousness, and 2023 was the year it began to take root in the business world. 2024 thus stands to be a pivotal year for the future of AI, as researchers and enterprises seek to establish how this evolutionary leap in technology can be most practically integrated into our everyday lives.

The evolution of generative AI has mirrored that of computers, albeit on a dramatically accelerated timeline. Massive, centrally operated mainframe computers from a few players gave way to smaller, more efficient machines accessible to enterprises and research institutions. In the decades that followed, incremental advances yielded home computers that hobbyists could tinker with. In time, powerful personal computers with intuitive no-code interfaces became ubiquitous.

Generative AI has already reached its “hobbyist” phase—and as with computers, further progress aims to attain greater performance in smaller packages. 2023 saw an explosion of increasingly efficient foundation models with open licenses, beginning with the launch of Meta’s LlaMa family of large language models (LLMs) and followed by the likes of StableLM, Falcon, Mistral, and Llama 2 . DeepFloyd and Stable Diffusion have achieved relative parity with leading proprietary models. Enhanced with fine-tuning techniques and datasets developed by the open source community, many open models can now outperform all but the most powerful closed-source models on most benchmarks, despite far smaller parameter counts.

As the pace of progress accelerates, the ever-expanding capabilities of state-of-the-art models will garner the most media attention. But the most impactful developments may be those focused on governance, middleware, training techniques and data pipelines that make generative AI more trustworthy , sustainable and accessible, for enterprises and end users alike.

Here are some important current AI trends to look out for in the coming year.

Reality check: more realistic expectations

• Multimodal AI

Small(er) language models and open source advancements

Gpu shortages and cloud costs, model optimization is getting more accessible, customized local models and data pipelines, more powerful virtual agents, regulation, copyright and ethical ai concerns, shadow ai (and corporate ai policies).

When generative AI first hit mass awareness, a typical business leader’s knowledge came mostly from marketing materials and breathless news coverage. Tangible experience (if any) was limited to messing around with ChatGPT and DALL-E. Now that the dust has settled, the business community now has a more refined understanding of AI-powered solutions.

The Gartner Hype Cycle positions Generative AI squarely at “Peak of Inflated Expectations,” on the cusp of a slide into the “Trough of Disillusionment” [1] —in other words, about to enter a (relatively) underwhelming transition period—while Deloitte’s “State of Generated AI in the Enterprise “ report from Q1 2024 indicated that many leaders “expect substantial transformative impacts in the short term.” [2] The reality will likely fall in between: generative AI offers unique opportunities and solutions, but it will not be everything to everyone.

How real-world results compare to the hype is partially a matter of perspective. Standalone tools like ChatGPT typically take center stage in the popular imagination, but smooth integration into established services often yields more staying power. Prior to the current hype cycle, generative machine learning tools like the “Smart Compose” feature rolled out by Google in 2018 weren’t heralded as a paradigm shift, despite being harbingers of today’s text generating services. Similarly, many high-impact generative AI tools are being implemented as integrated elements of enterprise environments that enhance and complement, rather than revolutionize or replace, existing tools: for example, “Copilot” features in Microsoft Office, “Generative Fill” features in Adobe Photoshop or virtual agents in productivity and collaboration apps .

Where generative AI first builds momentum in everyday workflows will have more influence on the future of AI tools than the hypothetical upside of any specific AI capabilities. According to a recent IBM survey of over 1,000 employees at enterprise-scale companies , the top three factors driving AI adoption were advances in AI tools that make them more accessible, the need to reduce costs and automate key processes and the increasing amount of AI embedded into standard off-the-shelf business applications.

Multimodal AI (and video)

That being said, the ambition of state-of-the-art generative AI is growing. The next wave of advancements will focus not only on enhancing performance within a specific domain, but on multimodal models that can take multiple types of data as input. While models that operate across different data modalities are not a strictly new phenomenon—text-to-image models like CLIP and speech-to-text models like Wave2Vec have been around for years now—they’ve typically only operated in one direction, and were trained to accomplish a specific task.

The incoming generation of interdisciplinary models, comprising proprietary models like OpenAI’s GPT-4V or Google’s Gemini, as well as open source models like LLaVa, Adept or Qwen-VL, can move freely between natural language processing (NLP) and computer vision tasks. New models are also bringing video into the fold: in late January, Google announced Lumiere, a text-to-video diffusion model that can also perform image-to-video tasks or use images for style reference.

The most immediate benefit of multimodal AI is more intuitive, versatile AI applications and virtual assistants. Users can, for example, ask about an image and receive a natural language answer, or ask out loud for instructions to repair something and receive visual aids alongside step-by-step text instructions.

On a higher level, multimodal AI allows for a model to process more diverse data inputs, enriching and expanding the information available for training and inference. Video, in particular, offers great potential for holistic learning. “There are cameras that are on 24/7 and they’re capturing what happens just as it happens without any filtering, without any intentionality,” says Peter Norvig, Distinguished Education Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI). [3] “AI models haven’t had that kind of data before. Those models will just have a better understanding of everything.”

In domain-specific models—particularly LLMs—we’ve likely reached the point of diminishing returns from larger parameter counts. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI (whose GPT-4 model is rumored to have around 1.76 trillion parameters), suggested as much at MIT’s Imagination in Action event last April: “I think we’re at the end of the era where it’s going to be these giant models, and we’ll make them better in other ways,” he predicted. “I think there’s been way too much focus on parameter count.”

Massive models jumpstarted this ongoing AI golden age, but they’re not without drawbacks. Only the very largest companies have the funds and server space to train and maintain energy-hungry models with hundreds of billions of parameters. According to one estimate from the University of Washington, training a single GPT-3-sized model requires the yearly electricity consumption of over 1,000 households; a standard day of ChatGPT queries rivals the daily energy consumption of 33,000 U.S. households. [4]

Smaller models, meanwhile, are far less resource-intensive. An influential March 2022 paper from Deepmind demonstrated that training smaller models on more data yields better performance than training larger models on fewer data. Much of the ongoing innovation in LLMs has thus focused on yielding greater output from fewer parameters. As demonstrated by recent progress of models in the 3–70 billion parameter range, particularly those built upon LLaMa, Llama 2 and Mistral foundation models in 2023, models can be downsized without much performance sacrifice.

The power of open models will continue to grow. In December of 2023, Mistral released “Mixtral,” a mixture of experts (MoE) model integrating 8 neural networks, each with 7 billion parameters. Mistral claims that Mixtral not only outperforms the 70B parameter variant of Llama 2 on most benchmarks at 6 times faster inference speeds, but that it even matches or outperforms OpenAI’s far larger GPT-3.5 on most standard benchmarks. Shortly thereafter, Meta announced in January that it has already begun training of Llama 3 models, and confirmed that they will be open sourced. Though details (like model size) have not been confirmed, it’s reasonable to expect Llama 3 to follow the framework established in the two generations prior.

These advances in smaller models have three important benefits:

• They help democratize AI: smaller models that can be run at lower cost on more attainable hardware empower more amateurs and institutions to study, train and improve existing models.
• They can be run locally on smaller devices: this allows more sophisticated AI in scenarios like edge computing and the internet of things (IoT). Furthermore, running models locally—like on a user’s smartphone—helps to sidestep many privacy and cybersecurity concerns that arise from interaction with sensitive personal or proprietary data.
• They make AI more explainable: the larger the model, the more difficult it is to pinpoint how and where it makes important decisions. Explainable AI is essential to understanding, improving and trusting the output of AI systems.

The trend toward smaller models will be driven as much by necessity as by entrepreneurial vigor, as cloud computing costs increase as the availability of hardware decrease.

“The big companies (and more of them) are all trying to bring AI capabilities in-house, and there is a bit of a run on GPUs,” says James Landay, Vice-Director and Faculty Director of Research, Stanford HAI. “This will create a huge pressure not only for increased GPU production, but for innovators to come up with hardware solutions that are cheaper and easier to make and use.” 1

As a late 2023 O’Reilly report explains, cloud providers currently bear much of the computing burden: relatively few AI adopters maintain their own infrastructure, and hardware shortages will only elevate the hurdles and costs of setting up on-premise servers. In the long term, this may put upward pressure on cloud costs as providers update and optimize their own infrastructure to effectively meet demand from generative AI. [5]

For enterprises, navigating this uncertain landscape requires flexibility, in terms of both models–leaning on smaller, more efficient models where necessary or larger, more performant models when practical–and deployment environment. “We don’t want to constrain where people deploy [a model],” said IBM CEO Arvind Krishna in a December 2023 interview with CNBC , in reference to IBM’s watsonx platform. “So [if] they want to deploy it on a large public cloud, we’ll do it there. If they want to deploy it at IBM, we’ll do it at IBM. If they want to do it on their own, and they happen to have enough infrastructure, we’ll do it there.”

The trend towards maximizing the performance of more compact models is well served by the recent output of the open source community. 

Many key advancements have been (and will continue to be) driven not just by new foundation models, but by new techniques and resources (like open source datasets) for training, tweaking, fine-tuning or aligning pre-trained models. Notable model-agnostic techniques that took hold in 2023 include:

• Low Rank Adaptation (LoRA): Rather than directly fine-tuning billions of model parameters, LoRA entails freezing pre-trained model weights and injecting trainable layers—which represent the matrix of changes to model weights as 2 smaller ( lower rank ) matrices—in each transformer block. This dramatically reduces the number of parameters that need to be updated, which, in turn, dramatically speeds up fine-tuning and reduces memory needed to store model updates.
• Quantization: Like lowering the bitrate of audio or video to reduce file size and latency, quantization lowers the precision used to represent model data points—for example, from 16-bit floating point to 8-bit integer—to reduce memory usage and speed up inference. QLoRA techniques combine quantization with LoRA.
• Direct Preference Optimization (DPO): Chat models typically use reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF) to align model outputs to human preferences. Though powerful, RLHF is complex and unstable. DPO promises similar benefits while being computationally lightweight and substantially simpler.

Alongside parallel advances in open source models in the 3–70 billion parameter space, these evolving techniques could shift the dynamics of the AI landscape by providing smaller players, like startups and amateurs, with sophisticated AI capabilities that were previously out of reach.

Enterprises in 2024 can thus pursue differentiation through bespoke model development, rather than building wrappers around repackaged services from “Big AI.” With the right data and development framework , existing open source AI models and tools can be tailored to almost any real-world scenario, from customer support uses to supply chain management to complex document analysis.

Open source models afford organizations the opportunity to develop powerful custom AI models—trained on their proprietary data and fine-tuned for their specific needs—quickly, without prohibitively expensive infrastructure investments. This is especially relevant in domains like legal, healthcare or finance, where highly specialized vocabulary and concepts may not have been learned by foundation models in pre-training.

Legal, finance and healthcare are also prime examples of industries that can benefit from models small enough to be run locally on modest hardware. Keeping AI training, inference and retrieval augmented generation (RAG) local avoids the risk of proprietary data or sensitive personal information being used to train closed-source models or otherwise pass through the hands of third parties. And using RAG to access relevant information rather than storing all knowledge directly within the LLM itself helps reduce model size, further increasing speed and reducing costs.

As 2024 continues to level the model playing field, competitive advantage will increasingly be driven by proprietary data pipelines that enable industry-best fine-tuning.

With more sophisticated, efficient tools and a year’s worth of market feedback at their disposal, businesses are primed to expand the use cases for virtual agents beyond just straightforward customer experience chatbots .

As AI systems speed up and incorporate new streams and formats of information, they expand the possibilities for not just communication and instruction following, but also task automation. “2023 was the year of being able to chat with an AI. Multiple companies launched something, but the interaction was always you type something in and it types something back,” says Stanford’s Norvig. “In 2024, we’ll see the ability for agents to get stuff done for you . Make reservations, plan a trip, connect to other services.”

Multimodal AI, in particular, significantly increases opportunities for seamless interaction with virtual agents. For example, rather than simply asking a bot for recipes, a user can point a camera at an open fridge and request recipes that can be made with available ingredients. Be My Eyes, a mobile app that connects blind and low vision individuals with volunteers to help with quick tasks, is piloting AI tools that help users directly interact with their surroundings through multimodal AI in lieu of awaiting a human volunteer.

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Elevated multimodal capabilities and lowered barriers to entry also open up new doors for abuse: deepfakes, privacy issues, perpetuation of bias and even evasion of CAPTCHA safeguards may become increasingly easy for bad actors. In January of 2024, a wave of explicit celebrity deepfakes hit social media; research from May 2023 indicated that there had been 8 times as many voice deepfakes posted online compared to the same period in 2022. [6]

Ambiguity in the regulatory environment may slow adoption, or at least more aggressive implementation, in the short to medium term. There is inherent risk to any major, irreversible investment in an emerging technology or practice that might require significant retooling—or even become illegal—following new legislation or changing political headwinds in the coming years.

In December 2023, the European Union (EU) reached provisional agreement on the Artificial Intelligence Act . Among other measures, it prohibits indiscriminate scraping of images to create facial recognition databases, biometric categorization systems with potential for discriminatory bias, “social scoring” systems and the use of AI for social or economic manipulation. It also seeks to define a category of “high-risk” AI systems, with potential to threaten safety, fundamental rights or rule of law, that will be subject to additional oversight. Likewise, it sets transparency requirements for what it calls “general-purpose AI (GPAI)” systems—foundation models—including technical documentation and systemic adversarial testing.

But while some key players, like Mistral, reside in the EU, the majority of groundbreaking AI development is happening in America, where substantive legislation of AI in the private sector will require action from Congress—which may be unlikely in an election year. On October 30, the Biden administration issued a comprehensive executive order detailing 150 requirements for use of AI technologies by federal agencies; months prior, the administration secured voluntary commitments from prominent AI developers to adhere to certain guardrails for trust and security. Notably, both California and Colorado are actively pursuing their own legislation regarding individuals’ data privacy rights with regard to artificial intelligence.

China has moved more proactively toward formal AI restrictions, banning price discrimination by recommendation algorithms on social media and mandating the clear labeling of AI-generated content. Prospective regulations on generative AI seek to require the training data used to train LLMs and the content subsequently generated by models must be “true and accurate,” which experts have taken to indicate measures to censor LLM output.

Meanwhile, the role of copyrighted material in the training of AI models used for content generation, from language models to image generators and video models, remains a hotly contested issue. The outcome of the high-profile lawsuit filed by the New York Times against OpenAI may significantly affect the trajectory of AI legislation. Adversarial tools, like Glaze and Nightshade —both developed at the University of Chicago—have arisen in what may become an arms race of sorts between creators and model developers.

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For businesses, this escalating potential for legal, regulatory, economic or reputational consequences is compounded by how popular and accessible generative AI tools have become. Organizations must not only have a careful, coherent and clearly articulated corporate policy around generative AI, but also be wary of shadow AI: the “unofficial” personal use of AI in the workplace by employees.

Also dubbed “shadow IT” or “BYOAI,” shadow AI arises when impatient employees seeking quick solutions (or simply wanting to explore new tech faster than a cautious company policy allows) implement generative AI in the workplace without going through IT for approval or oversight. Many consumer-facing services, some free of charge, allow even nontechnical individuals to improvise the use of generative AI tools. In one study from Ernst & Young, 90% of respondents said they use AI at work. [7]

That enterprising spirit can be great, in a vacuum—but eager employees may lack relevant information or perspective regarding security, privacy or compliance. This can expose businesses to a great deal of risk. For example, an employee might unknowingly feed trade secrets to a public-facing AI model that continually trains on user input, or use copyright-protected material to train a proprietary model for content generation and expose their company to legal action.

Like many ongoing developments, this underscores how the dangers of generative AI rise almost linearly with its capabilities. With great power comes great responsibility.

Moving forward

As we proceed through a pivotal year in artificial intelligence, understanding and adapting to emerging trends is essential to maximizing potential, minimizing risk and responsibly scaling generative AI adoption.

1 “Gartner Places Generative AI on the Peak of Inflated Expectations on the 2023 Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies,” Gartner, 16 August 2023

2 ”Deloitte’s State of Generative AI in the Enteprrise Quarter one report,” Deloitte, January 2024

3 ”What to Expect in AI in 2024,” Stanford University, 8 December 2023

4 ”Q&A: UW researcher discusses just how much energy ChatGPT uses,” University of Washington, 27 July 2023

5 “Generative AI in the Enterprise,” O’Reilly, 28 November 2023

6 ”Deepfaking it: America’s 2024 election coincides with AI boom,” Reuters, 30 May 2023

7 ”How organizations can stop skyrocketing AI use from fueling anxiety,” Ernst & Young, December 2023

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