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Research Operations Associate Jobs in California

HumanSignal

Operations Associate

San Francisco, CA

$70K - $90K/yr

This role sits at the operational core of that delivery engine - responsible for ensuring our ... HumanSignal Services operates at the intersection of frontier AI research and large-scale human ...

HumanSignal

Operations Associate

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$70K - $90K/yr

Our customers ship better AI, faster, because we partner with their researchers from real-world ... This role sits at the operational core of that delivery engine - responsible for ensuring our ...

Abaka AI

Research Program Associate

Mountain View, CA · On-site

As a Research Program Associate, you will support the operational coordination and execution of research initiatives across the Abaka AI and 2077AI Foundation ecosystem, focusing on organization ...

BEPC INC

Be Seen First

Research Associate

South San Francisco, CA · On-site

$32 - $35.38/hr

Role Overview BEPC is actively seeking an In Vivo Research Associate to support our client's research operations in South San Francisco, CA. This laboratory-based position will support small animal ...

Slope

Scientific Operations Associate

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$55 - $85/hr

Merge Labs is a frontier research lab with the mission of bridging biological and artificial ... About the role As our first Sci Ops Associate, you will own the repeatable scientific operations ...

Merge

Scientific Operations Associate

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$65 - $90/hr

Merge Labs is a frontier research lab with the mission of bridging biological and artificial ... About the role As our first Sci Ops Associate, you will own the repeatable scientific operations ...

Pluralis

Events & Operations Associate

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Pluralis Research is pioneering Protocol Learning - a fully decentralised way to train and deploy ... As our Events & Operations Associate, you'll own how Pluralis shows up in the world. Our conference ...

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All JobsResearch Operations Associate JobsResearch Operations Associate Jobs in California

Research Operations Associate information

See California salary details

$11

$25

$52

How much do research operations associate jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 5, 2026, the average hourly pay for research operations associate in California is $25.90, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.55 and $29.90 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Research Operations Associate do?

A Research Operations Associate supports the research team by managing the processes, tools, and logistics that enable effective research. Their responsibilities may include coordinating participant recruitment, maintaining research databases, handling scheduling, managing budgets, and ensuring compliance with ethical guidelines. This role helps streamline the workflow for researchers, so they can focus more on conducting studies and less on administrative tasks. Research Operations Associates also play a key role in improving research efficiency and ensuring high-quality results.

What skills and qualifications are needed to thrive as a Research Operations Associate?

To thrive as a Research Operations Associate, you need strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and a background in project management or research administration, often supported by a bachelor’s degree in a related field. Familiarity with research management platforms, budgeting software, and compliance systems is typically required. Excellent communication, problem-solving, and collaboration abilities help you navigate complex projects and support research teams effectively. These skills are crucial for ensuring research projects run smoothly, meet regulatory requirements, and achieve organizational goals.

How does a Research Operations Associate typically collaborate with research and cross-functional teams on projects?

A Research Operations Associate plays a crucial role in facilitating smooth collaboration between researchers and other departments such as product, design, and engineering. They often coordinate project timelines, manage participant recruitment, and ensure compliance with data privacy standards, allowing researchers to focus on their studies. Effective communication and organizational skills are essential, as the Associate acts as a bridge, aligning research activities with broader organizational goals. Regular meetings, shared project management tools, and clear documentation are common practices to support seamless teamwork.

What is the difference between Research Operations Associate vs Research Analyst?

AspectResearch Operations AssociateResearch Analyst
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in related field, experience in research supportBachelor's or master's degree, strong analytical skills
Work EnvironmentSupports research teams, manages logistics and toolsConducts data analysis, prepares reports
Employer & Industry UsageCommon in tech, academia, corporate R&DWidely used across finance, market research, consulting

The Research Operations Associate primarily focuses on supporting research processes, logistics, and tools management, while the Research Analyst emphasizes data analysis and reporting. Both roles require research-related credentials and are integral to research teams, but they differ in daily responsibilities and skill sets.

What are the most commonly searched types of Research Operations jobs in California?

The most popular types of Research Operations jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Research Operations Associate jobs in California?

For Research Operations Associate jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Research Operations Associate jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Research Operations Associate jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Research Operations Associate jobs?

Cities in California with the most Research Operations Associate job openings:

Research Operations Associate jobs near you
Infographic showing various Research Operations Associate job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 83% Full Time, 14% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 93% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $53,874 per year, or $25.9 per hour.

Operations Associate

HumanSignal

San Francisco, CA

$70K - $90K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 10 days ago

Job description

Level: Individual Contributor 
Compensation: $70,000 - $90,000
Location: San Francisco, CA

About the Role

HumanSignal specializes in operationally complex, multimodal data collection and annotation - delivering the datasets that frontier AI research requires and remote workforce marketplaces can't. We own projects end-to-end, from scoping and protocol design through final delivery, running on-site and distributed expert workforces across 50+ knowledge domains, 30+ languages, and 75+ countries. Our work spans RLHF, evals, red-teaming, and custom multimodal data creation, all powered by Label Studio Enterprise and built on a foundation of rigorous quality workflows, ethical sourcing, and full data security. This role sits at the operational core of that delivery engine - responsible for ensuring our clients get the highest-quality data on time, every time.

This role is not for everyone. HumanSignal Services operates at the intersection of frontier AI research and large-scale human data delivery - and the work is fast, demanding, and unforgiving of dropped balls. You'll own complex, high-stakes data programs end-to-end, managing expert workforces, navigating shifting customer requirements, and holding quality and delivery timelines simultaneously. There is no playbook handed to you. You will build it, break it, and rebuild it better. If you thrive under pressure, take personal pride in operational excellence, and don't quit when a project gets hard - this is the role for you

What You'll Do

The day-to-day is intense by design. You'll juggle multiple programs at once, each with its own contributors, quality standards, and customer expectations. You'll make hard calls with incomplete information, hold contributors and vendors accountable, and find creative solutions to problems that don't have obvious answers. The expectation is simple: own the outcome, no excuses. High performers here grow faster than anywhere else in the industry. The bar is high - and that's the point.

What You'll Do
  • Build and drive critical operational processes to meet day-to-day customer delivery commitments
  • Manage daily operations across multiple Fellow or contributor programs, including onboarding, workflow coordination, and ongoing program health
  • Maintain operational trackers and documentation to ensure consistent execution and follow-through across the team
  • Monitor contributor engagement and flag retention or performance risks before they become delivery issues
  • Create an effective feedback loop between frontline operations, product, strategy, and customers
  • Identify recurring bottlenecks and recommend process improvements; run pilots and experiments to test solutions
  • Collaborate with SPLs, TPMs, Customer Operations, and Product teams to improve processes for new and existing customers
Required Qualifications
  • 2+ years of experience in an operational role or top-tier consulting firm
  • Undergraduate degree in an analytics-heavy field (Engineering, Economics, or related)
  • Action-oriented; balances creative problem-solving with scrappy execution
  • Strong analytical and process-improvement capability
  • Proficiency in SQL or demonstrated analytical tooling skills
Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience in marketplace, logistics, or workforce platform operations
  • Familiarity with tools like Zendesk, Notion, or Airtable
  • Exposure to AI/ML workflows, data annotation, or contributor management
  • Entrepreneurial mindset; comfortable in fast-moving, ambiguous environments

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