Career Explorer Science
Grows with AI
Social science research assistants
Assist social scientists in laboratory, survey, and other social science research. May help prepare findings for publication and assist in laboratory analysis, quality control, or data management.
Among the careers AI is changing fastest: more resilient than 16% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is very high (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it very high), and US jobs are projected to change by +5.0% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on creative vision.
AI can help with many of the tasks, and demand is still growing. Being fluent with AI is the edge here.
- Median pay (2025)
- $61,990
- Job growth to 2035
- +5.0%
- Openings a year
- 4,900
- People doing it (2025)
- 38,400
- Usual route in
- Bachelor's degree
Where people already use AI for this work
- Present research or technical information
- Design computer or information systems or applications
- Gather information from physical or electronic sources
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Collect information about patients or clients
- Maintain operational records
- Develop research plans or methodologies
What the work looks like
- Design and create special programs for tasks such as statistical analysis and data entry and cleaning.
- Obtain informed consent of research subjects or their guardians.
- Administer standardized tests to research subjects, or interview them to collect research data.
- Provide assistance with the preparation of project-related reports, manuscripts, and presentations.
- Prepare tables, graphs, fact sheets, and written reports summarizing research results.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Data scientistsGrows with AI, Index 22, +34.6%
- Civil engineering technologists and techniciansChanging shape, Index 17, +3.2%
- Environmental scientists and specialists, including healthGrows with AI, Index 34, +6.1%
- StatisticiansGrows with AI, Index 20, +11.0%
Also known as: Graduate Research Assistant, Research Assistant, Research Associate, Social Research Assistant, Clinical Research Assistant, Graduate Assistant, Research Aide, Research Technician.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.