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Research Assistant

As a Research Assistant, you play a pivotal role in advancing knowledge across various fields, contributing to groundbreaking discoveries that can change lives and influence policy. Your analytical skills and attention to detail are vital in supporting research projects that make a global impact, particularly in the UK’s thriving academic and scientific communities.

Research Assistant

25

General Studies

AI IMPACT
AI CAN DO25%moving to70%
THE DOOR, NOWB
THE DOOR, 20 YRSD
STARTING PAY£20,000 - £25,000
NO MOATNo physical, legal or personal barrier protects this work from software.
AI helps here, but has not taken over
AI can already do some of this job, but the day-to-day work still leans on a person to decide, check and take responsibility. Nothing formally protects this job though, so the safest move is to keep building the judgement AI cannot yet copy.

Career progression path

1FIRST STEPJunior Research AssistantIn this entry-level role, you will support senior researchers by assisting with data collection and preliminary analysis, gaining hands-on experience in research methodologies.£20,000 - £25,000
2GAINING EXPERIENCEMid-level Research AssistantAt this stage, you will take on more responsibility, leading smaller projects and mentoring junior staff while continuing to develop your expertise.£28,000 - £35,000
3PEAK CAREERSenior Research AssociateIn this peak role, you will lead major research projects, secure funding, and contribute to strategic planning within your organisation.£45,000+
There is more than one way in

You do not have to go the university route to get here. There is also a vocational route that skips a degree entirely.

Careermash

Careermash: navigate your career path with real data. Explore career profiles, salary benchmarks, AI impact forecasts, and the qualifications you need to get there.

AI EXPOSURE = the share of a job's day-to-day tasks AI can already do today, from the same exposure engine used across this site (Anthropic labour market research, 2026, observed real-world AI usage by occupation). Higher means more exposed. It is a measurement of now, not a prediction. THE DOOR = how hard the job is to get into, grade A (easy) to E (extremely hard), from each career's published forecast (OpenAI, "The AI Jobs Transition Framework", Richmond 2026, CC BY 4.0). A card marked MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIED has a real exposure score but no entry yet in our moat register, so we make no claim about what structurally protects it. Scorecard grades and verdicts are Careermash editorial judgment: we show forecasts as forecasts and own our conclusions. Salary and pathway figures are each career's own published profile. Careermash is a service provided by What School Ltd.

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