Writing & research

Research assistant

You gather, verify and summarise information so a team can make a decision quickly.

Beginner-friendly: Yes
Experience: None required
Education: Certificate or diploma helps
Portfolio: Work samples help
Communication: Strong written English
Technical difficulty: Low
Typical preparation time: 4–8 weeks of focused preparation

Common tasks

Building research briefs from a question
Verifying facts against primary sources
Summarising findings into a short document
Maintaining research databases

Transferable skills you may already have

Research
Writing
Attention to detail
Critical thinking

Remote-work skills this role needs

Documentation
Source citation
Async clarification

Role-specific skills

Search technique
Source evaluation
Summarising
Spreadsheet organisation

Recommended tools

Google Workspace
Airtable
Zotero
Notion

Suggested practice projects

Produce a two-page competitor research brief with cited sources

Readiness checklist

I can explain what this role does day to day
I have practised with: Google Workspace, Airtable, Zotero
I have at least one work sample I can share
My CV uses the keywords for this role
I have prepared answers to the interview questions below

Common job titles and search keywords

Research assistantMarket research associateInsights assistantdesk researchcompetitor analysissource verificationresearch brief

Likely interview questions

How do you judge whether a source is reliable?
How do you summarise 20 pages into one?

CV guidance

Share a sample brief; hiring managers want to see how you structure findings.

Optimise my CV

We do not publish salary figures. Pay for remote roles varies by location, employer, experience, contract type, market demand and working arrangement. Research current ranges on the job posts you actually apply to. Results depend on experience, skills, market conditions, application quality, role availability, and individual effort. Remote Ready AI does not guarantee employment or income.