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How much do graduate research associate jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average hourly pay for graduate research associate in Colorado is $23.90, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.20 and $29.42 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a graduate research associate?

Graduate Research Associates are graduate students, often pursuing a master's or doctoral degree, who assist faculty members or research teams with academic research projects. Their responsibilities can include collecting and analyzing data, conducting literature reviews, preparing research reports, and sometimes co-authoring publications. These positions help students gain practical research experience and develop skills relevant to their academic and professional careers.

What are some typical challenges graduate research associates face when balancing research responsibilities with coursework or teaching duties?

Graduate Research Associates often juggle multiple commitments, including research, coursework, and sometimes teaching assistantships. Managing time effectively can be challenging, especially when project deadlines and academic requirements overlap. Many associates develop strong organizational and communication skills to handle shifting priorities, and it's common to coordinate closely with advisors to set realistic goals and expectations. Proactively seeking support from peers and utilizing university resources can also help in maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a graduate research associate, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Graduate Research Associate, you need a solid academic background in your field, strong analytical skills, and experience with research methodologies, typically supported by enrollment in a relevant graduate program. Familiarity with data analysis software (such as SPSS, R, or MATLAB), literature databases, and possibly lab equipment or coding languages is often required. Excellent written and verbal communication, attention to detail, and time management are critical soft skills for producing high-quality research and collaborating with faculty and peers. These skills are vital for conducting rigorous research, contributing to academic publications, and advancing both individual and institutional research goals.

What is the difference between Graduate Research Associate vs Research Assistant?

AspectGraduate Research AssociateResearch Assistant
Required CredentialsTypically enrolled in a graduate program; may have a bachelor's degreeUsually holds a bachelor's degree; some roles require a master's
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, academic institutions, or industry R&D departmentsResearch labs, academic settings, or fieldwork environments
Employer & Industry UsageUniversities, research institutes, and industry R&D teamsUniversities, government agencies, and private companies

The Graduate Research Associate role generally involves advanced research responsibilities within academic or industry settings and often requires enrollment in a graduate program. Research Assistants typically support research projects with less independent responsibility and may have fewer educational prerequisites. Both roles are essential for research projects but differ mainly in educational status and scope of responsibilities.

What are the most commonly searched types of Graduate Research jobs in Colorado?

The most popular types of Graduate Research jobs in Colorado are:

What cities in Colorado are hiring for Graduate Research Associate jobs?

Cities in Colorado with the most Graduate Research Associate job openings:

Graduate Research Associate jobs near you
Infographic showing various Graduate Research Associate job openings in Colorado as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 70% Full Time, 26% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $49,721 per year, or $23.9 per hour.

NIST PREP Research Associate in Atomic Devices & Instrumentation

Southeastern Universities Research Association

Boulder, CO • On-site

$60K - $70K/yr

Full-time

Posted 28 days ago

Job description

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.
Research Title: Atomic Devices and Instrumentation Group Post-Baccalaureate Researcher
The work will entail: The candidate will develop and test chip-scale atomic beam clocks as part of the DARPA H6 program. They will work on hybrid-integration of miniature atomic beam systems with integrated photonic elements and low-powered lasers, including fabrication of new atomic beam devices and characterization of systematics and sources of frequency drift. The candidate will collect and analyze spectroscopy and time-series data sets to determine the performance of the developed atomic devices and contribute to internal reports and external publication in scientific journals. Their work may be presented at national and international conferences and workshops.
Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
  • Development of laboratory test benches to characterize the stability and performance of chip-scale atomic clocks
  • Work in the laboratory to test devices and measure clock systematics
  • Analyze data on frequency drift and other clock systematics
  • Write internal reports and contribute to scientific papers and presentation at conferences

Qualifications
  • U.S. Citizen Preferred
  • B.Sc in Physics (or equivalent)
  • Background in optics, lasers, laser spectroscopy, and RF electronics
  • One year of experience in developing atomic sensors or miniature atomic devices

Privacy Act StatementAuthority: 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3) and 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c)
Purpose: The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) hosts the Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) which is designed to provide valuable laboratory experience and financial assistance to undergraduates, post-bachelor's degree holders, graduate students, master's degree holders, postdocs, and faculty.
PREP is a 5-year cooperative agreement between NIST laboratories and participating PREP Universities to establish a collaborative research relationship between NIST and U.S. institutions of higher education in the following disciplines including (but may not be limited to) biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, electronics, materials science, mathematics, nanoscale science, neutron science, physical science, physics, and statistics. This collection of information is needed to facilitate administrative functions of the PREP Program.
Routine Uses: NIST will use the information collected to perform the requisite reviews of the applications to determine eligibility, and to meet programmatic requirements. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notices: NIST-1: NIST Associates.
Disclosure: Furnishing this information is voluntary. When you submit the form, you are indicating your voluntary consent for NIST to use of the information you submit for the purpose stated.
SURA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that no one should be discriminated against because of their differences, such as age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, religion, or sexual orientation. All employment decisions shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law.
PREP0004903

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