Graduate Student Research Assistant Jobs in Riverside, CA

California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) is a preeminent center of intellectual and cultural activity in the Inland Empire region of Southern California. Opened in 1965 and set at the foothills of the beautiful San Bernardino mountains, the university serves approximately 19,000 students. CSUSB is a federally recognized minority-serving and Hispanic-serving institution that reflects the dynamic diversity of the region and has the most diverse student population of any university in the Inland Empire: 74 percent of its students are members of underrepresented groups, 80 percent are first-generation, and 56 percent are Pell eligible. For more information on the campus, please visit the CSUSB website.

CSUSB employs 467 full-time faculty and offers 48 undergraduate, 35 graduate, and one doctoral degree programs and 14 academic programs with national accreditation. At CSUSB, diversity, equity and inclusion are values central to our mission. We recognize that diversity and inclusion in all its forms are necessary for our institutional success. By fully leveraging our diverse experiences, backgrounds and insights, we inspire innovation, challenge the status quo and create better outcomes for our students and community. As part of CSUSB's commitment to hire, develop and retain a diverse faculty, we offer a variety of networking, mentoring and development programs for our junior faculty. We are committed to building and sustaining a CSUSB community that is supportive and inclusive of all individuals. Qualified applicants with experience in ethnically diverse settings and/or who demonstrate a commitment to serving diverse student populations are strongly encouraged to apply.

JOB SUMMARY

The university is seeking motivated undergraduate and graduate students to serve as Research Assistants under the Instructional Student Assistant classification. Students will support faculty-led research and creative activity projects across various disciplines. Responsibilities may include a combination of data gathering, literature review, lab work, transcription, survey distribution, or creative production. Students will gain valuable experience working with faculty mentors and learning research methodology.

TYPICAL ACTIVITIES

- Support faculty with research-related tasks including data entry, analysis, and management.
- Assist in the preparation of research reports, literature reviews, and presentations.
- Attend meetings with faculty mentors to discuss research progress and goals.
- Conduct online or field-based research tasks as assigned.
- Assist in creative or technical projects depending on area of study.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

- Must be a currently enrolled student at CSUSB.
- Minimum GPA of 2.5. for undergraduate and 3.0 for graduate students.
- Strong interest in research, creativity, and scholarship.
- Strong organizational and communication skills.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Must be eligible to work on campus and successfully complete hiring paperwork.
• Reliable, self-motivated, and able to work independently or with minimal supervision.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and integrity of research work.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Evidence of some background in research is preferred.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Following a conditional offer of employment, a background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate may start work with CSUSB. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may result in the withdrawal of the offer of employment. Note: CSUSB cannot deny an applicant a position solely or in part due to a criminal conviction history until it has performed an individualized assessment and linked the relevant conviction history with specific job duties in the position being sought.

Please note: Current employees who are offered positions on campus will be required to undergo a background check for any position where a background check is required by law or that CSUSB has designated as sensitive. Sensitive positions are those requiring heightened scrutiny of individuals holding the position based on potential for harm to children, concerns for the safety and security of people, animals, or property, or heightened risk of financial loss to CSUSB or individuals in the university community.

For health and well-being, CSUSB is a smoke & tobacco-free campus. The university is committed to promoting a healthy environment for all members of our community.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

Office of Student Research at CSUSB is interdisciplinary and community-focused. Students are encouraged to work with faculty to explore new ideas, contribute to ongoing scholarly work, and grow academically.

For more information, visit https://www.csusb.edu/student-research  

HOW TO APPLY

Student must have been already identified by a faculty mentor of the Undergraduate Summer Research Program. 

Please submit

1. Cover Letter 

    2. Unofficial copies of all postsecondary degree transcripts (official transcripts will be required prior to appointment).

Formal review of applications will be as needed.

If you are interested in this opportunity, we invite you to apply by using this CSU Recruit Hyperlink at:

https://secure.dc4.pageuppeople.com/apply/873/gateway/Default.aspx?c=apply&sJobIDs=548634&SourceTypeID=803&sLanguage=en-us&lApplicationSubSourceID=11243

Please Note: CSUSB is currently not sponsoring applicants for H-1B employment that are subject to the $100,000 fee established by the "Presidential Proclamation: Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers" issued on September 19, 2025. Applicants are responsible for determining the applicability of the fee.

Salary is commensurate with experience.

(Actual Salary will be in accordance with percentage of time appointed) 

Instructional Student Assistant (1150)             $17.86 - $23.84  Per Hour

CSU Salary Schedule: https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/careers/compensation/Pages/salary-schedule.aspx

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.

The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

California State University, San Bernardino is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, or protected veteran status. This position adheres to CSU policies against Sex Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Violence, including Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking. This requires completion of Sexual Violence Prevention Training within 6 months of assuming employment and on a two-year basis thereafter. (Executive Order 1096)

This position may be "Designated" under California State University's Conflict of Interest Code. This would require the filing of a Statement of Economic Interest on an annual basis and the completion of training within 6 months of assuming office and every 2 years thereafter. Visit the Human Resources Conflict of Interest webpage link for additional information:
https://www.csusb.edu/human-resources/current-employees/employee-relations/conflict-interest