Please, I will appreciate if anyone could help me with information regarding getting a research assistant post. I just graduated with MSc public health, I intend to pursue a phd but at the moment I will like to get a research assistant post in any health related area with exception to laboratory sciences to enable me gain experience. Thanks.:-)

Hi Franky, I read your post and it reminded me of my situation a few years ago. I did an MSc in Epidemiology and wanted to work as a research assistant before deciding whether or not to do a PhD. I graduated from my MSc at the end of 2004 and after many applications, I finally had two interviews and was offered both positions. So my first piece of advice would be not to get disheartened - don't give up!

Research assistant positions are highly competitive (where I work now it is not unusual for a research assistant vacancy to attract 80+ applicants whereas most postdoc positions are no where near that number). Several of the people who have been successful in my institute at getting RA positions, and PhDs too, have previously worked as temporary staff (employed via a temping agency) in the institute or have been fieldworkers on one of our studies - we frequently employ relatively large numbers of people for this kind of work. So if you live somewhere with a public health/epidemiology department it is worth contacting them to ask if they have any studies which they'll need fieldworkers for coming up, or if they use a particular temp agency to employ staff. Doing this kind of temp work gives you invaluable experience of research, shows a commitment to the subject area, and can give you the opportunity to make contacts. Volunteering in an area you are interested in can also be valuable experience.

Although you may have an 'ideal' position in mind, I think for your first job you just have to apply for anything which could be good experience. I applied for research jobs in the private, academic, voluntary and government sectors after my Masters. Public health is a very diverse area and there are many different career options available to you. Me and my masters friends applied for jobs all over the UK - if definitely helps if you can be flexible on location. Immediately post Masters I got a job in a research institute and of my three friends from the course, 2 got research jobs in the NHS and one in a university. It took us all many applications to get these jobs and we all had to move to different cities (to Galway, Birmingham, Sheffield, and Glasgow). But subsequently I think we have all found it much easier to get other jobs/PhDs. Almost 7yrs on we are all still working in epidemiology/public health so I hope that gives you some encouragement.

I'm in last month of PhD now and I start a postdoc next month (stressful times!) - I think my 3yrs RA experience was an advantage over others who 'only' had a PhD in getting my new job so I think your decision to try for a research assistant post first is a good one. Also bear in mind that for research jobs in sectors other than academia a PhD is often not needed and salaries are often higher and contracts longer - so no point jumping into PhD until you know academia is for you.

I hope that is some help - good luck :)

Hi Tey61,
I really appreciate you taking your time to give me such a helpful information, was actually getting discouraged with the numbers of application I have sent out through jobs.ac.uk. However I will also start searching for fieldworks too and just in case you come across any I wouldnt mind you forwarding the address to me. Cheers and have a great weekend.

Have you tried all of your contacts that you have in research already (i.e. word of mouth)? I obtained my RA position when I was still an undergrad looking for some volunteer work at a research centre to see what the world of research was like, by asking one of my undergrad lecturers whether she knew of anyone that I might be able to assist. She emailed my CV to the university academic staff and I was offered a job by another academic who read the email.

Not sure if things still work like this, but might be worth a try, in conjunction with your other methods??