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Research Lab Assistant Jobs in Columbia, SC (NOW HIRING)

Research Faculty

Columbia, SC · On-site

$16.75 - $23/hr

Actively engaged and perform routine lab and research project functions. * Assist lab users with the use of equipment. * Reporting and presentations, and representation at meeting and conferences.

Research test/client information and confirm and verify all written and electronic orders by ... Read, understand and comply with departmental policies, protocols and procedures. * Assist with ...

Phlebotomist II

Winnsboro, SC · On-site

$21.50/hr

Research test/client information and confirm and verify all written and electronic orders by ... Read, understand and comply with departmental policies, protocols and procedures. * Assist with ...

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Research Lab Assistant information

See Columbia, SC salary details

$9

$18

$27

How much do research lab assistant jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 16, 2026, the average hourly pay for research lab assistant in Columbia, SC is $18.73, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $15.34 and $21.35 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

To thrive as a Research Lab Assistant, you need a background in laboratory sciences, attention to detail, and knowledge of standard lab procedures, often supported by a relevant degree or coursework. Familiarity with lab equipment, safety protocols, and data management systems such as LIMS is typically expected. Strong organizational skills, effective communication, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively set standout candidates apart. These skills are crucial for ensuring accurate experimental results, maintaining laboratory safety, and supporting research productivity.

What are some common challenges faced by research lab assistants, and how can they be effectively managed?

Research Lab Assistants often encounter challenges such as managing multiple tasks simultaneously, maintaining accuracy in data collection, and adhering to strict safety protocols. Balancing administrative duties with hands-on lab work can be demanding, especially during busy project phases. Effective time management, clear communication with the research team, and organization skills are essential to successfully navigate these challenges. Proactively seeking clarification and regular training on lab procedures can also help minimize errors and improve efficiency.

How much does a research lab assistant get paid?

Research lab assistants typically earn an hourly wage that ranges from $12 to $20, depending on experience, education level, and the location of the laboratory. Some positions may offer additional benefits or stipends for working in specialized environments or during certain hours.

What does a research lab assistant do?

A Research Lab Assistant supports scientists and researchers by preparing and maintaining laboratory equipment, conducting experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and ensuring the lab is clean and organized. They may also be responsible for documenting results, ordering supplies, and following safety protocols. Their role is essential for the smooth functioning of research projects and helps advance scientific studies efficiently.

What is the difference between Research Lab Assistant vs Research Technician?

AspectResearch Lab AssistantResearch Technician
Required CredentialsAssociate's degree or relevant certificationAssociate's degree or specialized training
Work EnvironmentLaboratory settings, assisting with experimentsLaboratory, often more hands-on with equipment
Employer & Industry UsageUniversities, research institutes, biotech firmsResearch institutions, healthcare, biotech companies
Common Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding entry-level research rolesClarifying technical support roles in labs

The main difference between a Research Lab Assistant and a Research Technician lies in their responsibilities and qualifications. Research Lab Assistants typically support experiments and perform basic lab tasks, often requiring an associate's degree. Research Technicians usually have more technical duties, including operating equipment and data collection, often with similar or additional certifications. Both roles are vital in research environments, but the Research Technician generally has more technical responsibilities.

What are the most commonly searched types of Research Lab jobs in Columbia, SC?

The most popular types of Research Lab jobs in Columbia, SC are:

What are popular job titles related to Research Lab Assistant jobs in Columbia, SC?

For Research Lab Assistant jobs in Columbia, SC, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Research Lab Assistant jobs in Columbia, SC look for?

The top searched job categories for Research Lab Assistant jobs in Columbia, SC are:

What cities near Columbia, SC are hiring for Research Lab Assistant jobs?

Cities near Columbia, SC with the most Research Lab Assistant job openings:

Infographic showing various Research Lab Assistant job openings in Columbia, SC as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 73% Full Time, 23% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 98% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $38,960 per year, or $18.7 per hour.

Assistant Scientist - UF Health Precision Health Research Center

University of Florida

Sumter, SC • On-site

$120K - $130K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 4 days ago


University Of Florida rating

7.2

Company rating: 7.2 out of 10

Based on 108 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

385th of 618 rated colleges and universities


Job description

Assistant Scientist - UF Health Precision Health Research Center
Job no: 533426
Work type: Non-Tenure-Track Faculty, Staff Full-Time
Location: Sumter
Categories: Social/Behavioral Science, Grant or Research Administration, Artificial Intelligence
Department:29240101 - MD-HOBI-GENERAL
Classification Title:
Assistant Scientist
Job Description:
The Assistant Scientist at UF Health Precision Health Research Center will play a pivotal role in advancing research on aging in The Villages community with a focus on cognitive health, nutrition and wellness, patient-centered engagement, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and technology. This role involves conducting cutting-edge research aimed at understanding the complexities of aging and developing innovative strategies to promote cognitive health and overall wellness in aging populations. This is a full-time, single mission, non-tenure track faculty appointment in the Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics in the College of Medicine.
Duties Include:
  1. Research Design and Implementation
  • Designing Research Studies: Develop detailed research protocols and experimental designs focused on aging, cognitive health, and wellness. Ensure that methodologies are scientifically rigorous and appropriate for the research questions and include detailed recruitment, analytic & results dissemination plans.
  • Conducting Research: Carry out protocols, experiments, surveys, and assessments according to the designed protocols. This includes recruiting participants, conducting assessments, staff training, and ensuring the collection of high-quality data.
  • Data Management: Support the development and maintenance of databases for research data and/or the development and integration of data collection tools. Ensure data is stored securely and is accessible for analysis.
  • Data Collection and Analysis: Oversee the collection of research data, ensuring accuracy and reliability. Use statistical and data analysis software to perform complex analyses. Appropriately apply quantitative and qualitative methods to interpret data trends, correlations, and patterns. Produce actionable insights, draw meaningful conclusions and develop recommendations based on data analysis.
  • Reporting Results: Prepare visualizations, summary reports, journal publications and presentations to communicate findings effectively. Share results with the research team and external stakeholders to advance the field.
  • Conducting Literature Reviews: Regularly review current literature related to aging, cognitive health, and wellness. Summarize and synthesize findings to inform ongoing and future research projects.
  • Integrating New Knowledge: Apply insights from recent research to refine hypotheses, adjust methodologies, and enhance the relevance of research projects. Stay informed about emerging trends and technological advancements.
  1. Outreach and Networking
  • Community Engagement: Participate in the development and implementation of community outreach activities to promote research and foster public understanding of aging and wellness topics.
  • Professional Networking & Stakeholder Engagement: Help organize and/or attend professional meetings, networking and stakeholder events to build relationships with research stakeholders including academic, industry, clinical, and community partners to facilitate research and translate/intergrate research into real-world settings.
  • Team Collaboration: Work collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams, including other researchers, clinicians, and specialists. Participate in regular team meetings to discuss progress, challenges, and strategies.
  • Scientific Communication: Prepare and deliver presentations of research findings at conferences, workshops, and meetings. Contribute to writing and revising peer-reviewed publications and grant proposals.
  • Provide Service to the University and Profession: participate in department, university, and professional organizations at the local and national level.
  1. Special Projects
  • Project Assistance: Contribute to special projects or initiatives that arise within the research center, which may include administrative or operational tasks outside of primary research responsibilities.
  1. Grant Writing and Funding
  • Proposal Development: Assist in drafting grant proposals, including writing sections related to research aims, methodology, and expected outcomes. Collaborate with team members to develop comprehensive and competitive proposals for a wide variety of funders including government, industry and non-profit groups.
  • Funding Acquisition: Help identify potential funding sources and opportunities. Contribute to the development of project budgets and funding requests.
  1. Training and Supervision
  • Mentoring: Provide guidance and support to junior researchers, students, interns, or lab assistants. Assist with training new team members and learners in areas of expertise and/or on research protocols and techniques.
  • Supervision: Oversee day-to-day activities of support staff or students involved in research projects, ensuring tasks are completed effectively.
  1. Ethical and Regulatory Compliance
  • Compliance Monitoring: Participate in developing and executing compliance monitoring plans. Provide oversight to ensure that all research activities adhere to institutional, ethical, and regulatory guidelines. Obtain necessary approvals from ethics review boards and regulatory bodies.
  • Participant Confidentiality: Maintain confidentiality and privacy of research participants. Follow protocols for data security and ethical handling of sensitive information.

Expected Salary:
$120,000 - $130,000
Minimum Requirements:
Specific requirements for the positions include: (1) an earned doctorate in a socio-behavioral, bio-informatics and/or health related field, and (2) a minimum of 4 years of research experience specifically focused in an area related to AI and technology, cognition, patient-centered engagement, and/or nutrition and wellness.
Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience with research funded by a variety of research partners including government groups, industry sponsors and/or non-profit organizations
  • Outstanding oral and written communication skills, ability and experience authoring scientific journal publications and/or technical reports,
  • Expertise in statistical applications and software packages (e.g., SAS, SPSS, RedCap, Stata, N-Vivo, Atlas.ti, ArcGIS, Excel, R, and/or Access)
  • Interest, ability and experience in design and execution of collaborative multi-disciplinary research.
  • Capacity to contribute to the design of research projects and writing of research proposals
  • Interest in and ability to translate research findings into practice, using data collected and analyzed to inform the development of health innovations, programs, and/or policies.
  • Capacity to successfully interact with a variety of project stakeholders including community leaders, study sponsors, other scientist, health care providers, policy makers and community members
  • Demonstrated talent for collaboration and team building and ability to build and maintain effective, trusting working relationships that reflect kindness, mutual respect, and honesty, when working with different perspectives among university students, staff, and internal and external partners.
  • Ability to cope with change, to shift gears comfortably, and to handle risk and uncertainty.
  • Strong program development and evaluation skills required for outcomes and/or program evaluation tracking, outcome assessment, and quality assurance and service utilization review.
  • Broad, systems thinking and knowledge of organizations and how they work, combined with tact and diplomacy to navigate complex environments effectively.
  • Understanding of the principles of human research protection standards, including Institutional Review Board protocols and procedures
  • Up-to-date knowledge of scientific and regulatory requirements for device and/or drug based clinical trials
  • Capacity to harness innovative research tools (i.e. REDCAP, LucidChart, Monday.com, RingConn, Z-Machine, etc) for the effective collection, dissemination, and/or management of research data.
  • Capacity to successfully manage various research projects and demonstrated leadership skills in guiding individuals and groups through research, assessment, and strategic planning processes.
  • A strong background with monitoring the progress of research activities, and capacity to develop and maintain records of research activities, prepare periodic and ad hoc reports, as required by investigators, administrators, funding agencies, and/or regulatory bodies.
  • Ability to implement quality control processes throughout research activities.
  • Effective communication, writing, critical thinking, and organizational skills required to develop and maintain policies, procedures, and clinical delivery systems for the agency and divisional/university reports.

Special Instructions to Applicants:
In order to be considered, you must upload your cover letter and resume.
The Search Committee will accept applications until the position is filled. Applications will be reviewed starting as soon as possible after the posting date.
Final candidate will be required to provide official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered "official" if a designation of "Issued to Student" is visible. Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org/.
This is a time limited position.
This requisition will be used to fill multiple openings and has been reposted to open until filled. Previous applicants remain under consideration and need not apply.
Health Assessment Required:No
Advertised: 21 Nov 2024 Eastern Standard Time
Applications close:
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The University of Florida is one of the top ranked public universities in the United States (ranked top 5 amongst public universities in 2023 US news and world report). It is one of only a few comprehensive universities, having medical, veterinary, dental, nursing, public health, and engineering disciplines all co-localized on the same, contiguous campus to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration. Gainesville is located in the northern region of Florida, within 1-1.5 hours of each coast, and just 1.5-2 hours to Orlando and Tampa. It is a small to medium-sized city with a low cost of living, excellent public and private schools, and southern hospitality. While Gainesville is widely recognized as the home of the Gators, it is quickly becoming known as a center for innovation and a place with a lifestyle that's comfortable for families, yet attractive for young professionals.

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