Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring Research Assistants at USC
Undergraduate students seeking entry-level positions in this field can find roles as "research assistants or technicians" in labs, or leverage "coding experience" for bioinformatics positions analyzing "mass amounts of data." The interviewee notes that bench work is another option, though a PhD is often pursued to achieve greater intellectual engagement and project leadership.
Research Assistant, Bioinformatics, Data Analysis, Laboratory Work, Coding
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Daria Timonina
Graduate Student / Research Assistant
University of Southern California
University of Arizona / 2015
University of Southern California
Biology & Related Sciences
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness
Research and Development (R&D)
Honors Student, Immigrant, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Entry-level positions in this field often involve roles as a research assistant or technician in a lab setting.
2. Bioinformatics roles are also in demand, requiring coding experience to analyze large datasets.
3. A PhD program is an option for those seeking more intellectual challenges and project leadership opportunities after initial entry-level work experience.
Transcript
What entry-level positions in this field might an undergraduate college student consider?
If you have your undergraduate degree, you can work in a lab. You'll usually come in as a research assistant or a technician.
Now there are a lot of bioinformatics roles. If you have some coding experience, it's really helpful and sought after.
Everyone is trying to move towards big data. People have collected massive amounts of data and are trying to analyze it, which requires computers and people who can really think about it.
So, that would be a great entry-level position, or working at a bench. If you want to move around a bit more, though it can get tedious.
That's why a lot of people go on to do a PhD program. They want to be able to think more intellectually or be the deciders of the project.
Advizer Personal Links