Summer Research Assistant — Humanities & Social Sciences

The Pennsylvania State University; Ferguson Township (PA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Penn State is seeking a Research Assistant with strong communication and organizational skills and a background in humanities or social sciences. The role involves literature reviews, coordinating interviews, transcribing findings, and assisting in data analysis.

Training in human subjects is required prior to employment. The candidate will support project milestones, maintain research records, and assist with writing tasks, under the supervision of the research team.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's or Master's in Humanities or Social Science within past 2 years.
• Experience: Literature reviews using academic databases (e.g., Google Scholar, PubMed, JSTOR).
• Strong verbal and written communication; professional interaction with research participants and team.
• Excellent time management and ability to handle multiple tasks to meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in MS Office and Zoom for coordination and meetings.

Responsibilities

• Literature Reviews: Identify relevant literature and synthesize findings.
• Interview Coordination & Execution: Schedule, conduct or moderate interviews, transcribe or summarize findings.
• Data Management: Ensure confidentiality and proper storage of interview materials.
• Project Support: Attend meetings, maintain organized research files, and perform related duties.

Skills

Literature reviews

Interview coordination

Data management

Communication

Organization

MS Office

Zoom

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Humanities or Social Science fields

Tools

Google Scholar

PubMed

JSTOR

Job description

Penn State is seeking a Research Assistant with strong communication and organizational skills and a background in humanities or social sciences. The role involves literature reviews, coordinating interviews, transcribing findings, and assisting in data analysis.

Training in human subjects is required prior to employment. The candidate will support project milestones, maintain research records, and assist with writing tasks, under the supervision of the research team.