Research Psychologist Jobs

What is a research psychologist?

Research Psychologists, also known as experimental psychologists, study the behavior of both humans and animals. They change variables within a laboratory setting to study how a person or animal reacts to or behaves in certain situations. These are the researchers studying the effects of variables on animals, such as mice, rats and monkeys.

Major areas of study include learning and memory, attention, motivation, effects of substance abuse, and genetic factors affecting behavior. They typically work in universities and private research centers for businesses, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies. There are even research psychologists employed in engineering firms, manufacturing settings and zoos!

What are the responsibilities of a research psychologist?

Research Psychology focuses on expanding understanding of how and why people think, feel, and behave. They use scientific methods as well as experimental techniques to examine basic human behavior and complex social relationships. They also examine how short- and long-term memory works, neurological foundations of addictions, emotional gratifications of specific actions, and all other aspects of human and animal behavior.

Research Psychology starts with the selection of a topic of study, such as prejudice, personal perception, social constructs such as control or cults, nonverbal communication and many other specific topics. They collect information through observation, surveys, and interviews and administer personality, aptitude or intelligence tests.

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Where do Research Psychologists Work?

Research Psychologists work in varied settings. They commonly work in an academic setting, but also work in laboratories and do field work. They work at universities, for private research organizations, and for governments. Some work independently while many work collaboratively with national or global teams.

Research Psychologists work for the military studying post traumatic stress disorder, depression and other issues affecting deployed servicemen and women. They perform medical, alcohol and drug use research; evaluate nutritional issues such as anorexia and other eating disorders, and research the cause and effect of specific human behavior.

What skills are required to get a job in research psychology?

Research Psychologists require strong analytical skills. They must be able to work with raw data and numbers and be willing and able to delineate abstract information to draw logical conclusions about relevance. They need keen observation skills and strong judgement and decision-making skills. They should possess critical thinking skills and have proficiency evaluating programs, statistics and research design. Research Psychologists should hone their cognitive skills, being able to use strong perception and reasoning abilities. They must learn the ability of objectivity in order to dispassionately document data and findings.

How Much Money Can You Make in Research Psychology?

Research Psychologists currently earn a median salary of $73,000. That salary varies widely by industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that jobs in the category of “all other,” which includes Research Psychology, will increase more than 10% from now through 2022. Research Psychologists working in education services earn $90,000 annually and those who work for the military earn $80,000 per year. Those who work at hospitals earn $84,000 each year while those working in pharmaceuticals earn $90,000 annually. Research Psychologists working as market analysts earn $61,000 and those who specialize in experimental psychology earn an annual salary of $69,000.

Position	Company	Location	Posted
Senior Research and Data Analyst (Data Scientist)	University of Arizona, College of Veterinary Medicine	Oro Valley, Arizona US	05/06/2022
The University of Arizona's College of Veterinary Medicine invites applicants for the position of Senior Research and Data Analyst. The Senior Research and Data Analyst analyzes data from various databases/sources, performs institutional research activities, and assesses instruction and learning. This position uses proficiency in statistical programming to create meaningful visual representations and detailed reports. The analyst uses research and statistical methodological skills, ... More
Research Psychologist - Data Analyst	102 ICF Incorporated, LLC	Silver Spring, Maryland US	05/04/2022
ICF is seeking PhD-trained Research Scientist with a background in psychological health research (epidemiology; experimental, clinical, or social psychology) to support a Department of Defense (DoD) client in the Washington, DC Metro Area. We seek scientists with strong data analytic skills who have a track-record of publishing in peer-reviewed journals (primary or supporting author).The position focuses on psychological health research to enhance the DoD behavioral health communitys ... More
Research Psychologist - Data Analyst	102 ICF Incorporated, LLC	Silver Spring, Maryland US	05/03/2022
ICF is seeking PhD-trained Research Scientist with a background in psychological health research (epidemiology; experimental, clinical, or social psychology) to support a Department of Defense (DoD) client in the Washington, DC Metro Area. We seek scientists with strong data analytic skills who have a track-record of publishing in peer-reviewed journals (primary or supporting author).The position focuses on psychological health research to enhance the DoD behavioral health communitys ... More
Lecturer (Continuing)	University of North Texas	Denton, Texas US	04/30/2022
Position DetailsPosition InformationUNT System Overview Welcome to the University of North Texas System , or UNT World as we like to call ourselves. UNT World includes the University of North Texas in Denton , the University of North Texas at Dallas and the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth. We are the only university system based exclusively in the robust Dallas-Fort Worth region and we are committed to transforming lives and ... More
Clinical Research Coordinator B for Early Psychosis (Neuropsychiatry)	University of Pennsylvania	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania US	04/29/2022
Clinical Research Coordinator B for Early Psychosis (Neuropsychiatry)University OverviewThe University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News ... More
Postdoctoral Research Assoc	University of North Texas	Denton, Texas US	04/29/2022
Position DetailsPosition InformationUNT System Overview Welcome to the University of North Texas System , or UNT World as we like to call ourselves. UNT World includes the University of North Texas in Denton , the University of North Texas at Dallas and the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth. We are the only university system based exclusively in the robust Dallas-Fort Worth region and we are committed to transforming lives and ... More
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) 2 - Comprehensive Care Center (Signing Bonus)	Vanderbilt Health	Nashville, Tennessee  US	04/25/2022
Licensed Practical Nurse, Comprehensive Care Clinic (Sign On Bonus Eligible Position*) Requisition 2000200 Your Role:The Licensed Practical Nurse will: Support the licensed healthcare team members in the provision of patient care to include direct patient care, providing healthcare information to patients/families, and following established plan of careWork in close collaboration with the RN or a licensed ... More
Research Assistant/Lab Manager	Virginia Tech	Roanoke Area, Virginia US	04/23/2022
Job DescriptionTwo full-time research assistants (lab manager) are sought for the labs of Dr. Pearl Chiu, Dr. Brooks King-Casas, and Dr. Stephen LaConte at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion (http://research.vtc.vt.edu). Projects in the labs combine methods from experimental and clinical psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics with functional neuroimaging to investigate decision-making in healthy and clinical populations (focusing ... More