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Summer Lab Assistant Jobs in Rhode Island (NOW HIRING)

Summer Lab Assistant information

See Rhode Island salary details

$10

$19

$29

How much do summer lab assistant jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 31, 2026, the average hourly pay for summer lab assistant in Rhode Island is $19.83, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.25 and $22.60 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What Are Summer Jobs for a Lab Assistant?

As a summer lab assistant, you assist a team in conducting research through various experiments. Your responsibilities for this role include recording test results, preparing lab materials, and keeping highly detailed logs. These positions are often internships or entry-level jobs for students that allow you to gain research or laboratory experience and learn new skills as you pursue an advanced degree. This position is particularly helpful to those seeking a career in medical, scientific, pharmaceutical, or biological fields. Regardless of your area of study, the duties of a summer lab assistant are often to help a lab technician prepare or carry out an experiment, prepare a sample for testing, or record findings as they happen.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Summer Lab Assistant, and why are they important?

To excel as a Summer Lab Assistant, you generally need a basic understanding of laboratory procedures, attention to detail, and coursework in biology, chemistry, or a related field. Familiarity with laboratory equipment, safety protocols, and data recording systems is often required. Strong organizational skills, reliability, and effective communication help you work well in a team and follow instructions precisely. These competencies are essential to maintain lab safety, ensure accurate results, and support ongoing research projects efficiently.

What is the difference between Summer Lab Assistant vs Summer Research Intern?

AspectSummer Lab AssistantSummer Research Intern
Required CredentialsHigh school diploma or current student, some labs prefer relevant courseworkUndergraduate or graduate student, often with related coursework or research experience
Work EnvironmentLaboratory settings, assisting with experiments and data collectionResearch projects, data analysis, and possibly lab work, often more independent
Employer & Industry UsageUniversities, research institutions, biotech companiesUniversities, research labs, scientific organizations

While both roles involve supporting research activities in laboratory settings, Summer Lab Assistants typically assist with routine tasks and data collection, often requiring less experience. Summer Research Interns usually engage in more in-depth research activities, data analysis, and may have more academic prerequisites. Both positions provide valuable experience in scientific research environments.

What are some typical daily responsibilities for a Summer Lab Assistant, and how do they contribute to the overall success of the research team?

As a Summer Lab Assistant, you’ll typically spend your days preparing lab materials, maintaining equipment, recording data, and assisting with experiments under the supervision of senior researchers. Your attention to detail ensures that experiments run smoothly and data is accurate, which is crucial for the research team’s progress. You may also help with sample collection, inventory management, and organizing lab spaces. By taking on these essential tasks, you enable scientists to focus on complex analyses and contribute directly to the success of the lab’s projects.

What are Summer Lab Assistants?

Summer Lab Assistants are temporary staff, often students, who work in laboratories during the summer months to support ongoing research and routine lab operations. Their duties typically include preparing materials, assisting with experiments, collecting and recording data, and maintaining lab equipment. This role offers hands-on experience in a scientific environment, making it valuable for those interested in careers in science or research. Summer Lab Assistants work under the supervision of senior researchers or laboratory managers and must follow safety protocols at all times.
What are popular job titles related to Summer Lab Assistant jobs in Rhode Island? For Summer Lab Assistant jobs in Rhode Island, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Summer Lab Assistant jobs in Rhode Island look for? The top searched job categories for Summer Lab Assistant jobs in Rhode Island are:
What cities in Rhode Island are hiring for Summer Lab Assistant jobs? Cities in Rhode Island with the most Summer Lab Assistant job openings:
Infographic showing various Summer Lab Assistant job openings in Rhode Island as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 76% Full Time, 20% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $41,242 per year, or $19.8 per hour.

$18 - $25.82/hr

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Re-posted 16 days ago


Brown University Health rating

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Job description

SUMMARY Summer Student Research Assistants ELIGIBILITY Undergraduate students with strong interest in behavioral sciences research and who demonstrate enthusiasm for, commitment to, and availability for the full program are encouraged to apply. Previous courses or lab work in sleep or circadian rhythms are helpful but not required. Students from local institutions are asked to maintain participation in sleep lab activities beyond the summer by working on the lab's sleep studies during the school year.

Apprentices must reside in or near Providence for the summer. Graduate students are accepted under special circumstances. Students may apply for a repeat summer experience as a Senior Research Apprentice, with a slightly higher stipend.

Successful applicants are required to apply for student membership ($45 Fee) in the Sleep Research Society. Brown University Health employees are expected to successfully role model the organization's values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence as these values guide our everyday actions with patients, customers, and one another. In addition to our values, all employees are expected to demonstrate the core Success Factors which tell us how we work together and how we get things done.

The core Success Factors include: Instill Trust and Value Differences Patient and Community Focus and Collaborate RESPONSIBILITIES What Research Apprentices Learn: Formal Training Program Introduction to normal human sleep and circadian rhythms Central nervous system and neurophysiological basis of electroencephalography (EEG) and EEG spectral analysis Polysomnographic (PSG) recording techniques, including EEG, EMG, EOG, EKG, respiratory plethysmography, oxygen saturation, electrode hookup Operation and calibration of PSG monitoring equipment Multiple Sleep Latency Test procedures, performance testing, identification of sleep stages, saliva collection for melatonin and cortisol Introduction to radioimmunoassay and gene association analyses Basic lab procedures, including working with human child and adolescent participants Ethical conduct of research Experimental hypotheses, rationale, and methods for laboratory's summer research project Presentation skills, including effective creation of PowerPoint slide presentation Skills in preparing for attending a scientific meeting What Research Apprentices Do The major research project during the summer assesses the circadian rhythms and sleep homeostatic process in children and adolescents. This project includes lengthy in-lab sessions that involve assessments on non-24-hour days, thus necessitating staff involvement at times that circle the clock. Research Apprentices carry out multiple facets of data collection (electrode application, one-to-one work with research participants, forms and tests administration), data reduction, and data entry.

During the research phases of the program, apprentices are assigned to teams and work 5 or 6 days each week - not always Monday through Friday, often Saturday and Sunday - in research protocols that involve working unusual schedules. Although we attempt to assign teams to hours that correspond to team members' circadian phase preferences, applicants must be able and willing to work on any of the following types of schedules for all or part of the program: Owl shifts may begin as early as 2 pm or as late as 9:45 pm and end as early as 10:30 pm or as late as 5:45 am Lark shifts may begin as early as 3:00 am or as late as noon and may end as early as 8:45 am or as late as 5:15 pm Neither shifts may begin as early as 6:45 am or as late as 3:45 pm and end as early as 11:00 am or as late as 10:15 pm Sleep planning assistance is provided to facilitate your adaptation to work schedules. PAY RANGE $18.00-$25.82 LOCATION Rhode Island Hospital - 593 Eddy Street Providence, Rhode Island 02903 WORK TYPE TBD WORK SHIFT Day DAILY HOURS Per Diem - As required DRIVING REQUIRED No Brown University Health is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and maintaining a work environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment

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