How to become a social science research assistant
Official title: Social science research assistant
Also called: Research assistant, Cultural research assistant, Assistant research analyst, Māori heritage and research specialist, Research associate
Social science research assistants help social scientists with laboratory work, surveys and other research activities.
Main tasks
- Help social scientists with research planning
- Collect information about people
- Give people behavioural and health tests
- Develop and use scientific computer programs
- Build and use research databases
- Prepare scientific reports and presentations
- Prepare documents for laws and regulations
- Manage project resources
How to become one
You usually need a qualification to become a social science research assistant and experience may be useful. You usually need University Entrance to do the study or training for this job. Other requirements: a bachelor's degree in human society, science or similar area; a postgraduate qualification in human society, science or similar area; experience in similar work.
Ways in
- University: Arts & Humanities degrees, Offered by 6 universities in New Zealand
- University: Science degrees, Offered by 6 universities in New Zealand
Pay · Past change
- Median pay: $63,000 a year, a TEC estimate before tax.
- Upper: $100,000 a year
- TEC shows pay for this job by the hour: median $30.29 an hour.
- TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
- Change in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses: Steady (TEC). This is past change, not a forecast.
Who does this work
- About 1,200 people did this job at the 2023 Census (TEC).
Related jobs
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Questions people ask
How do I become a social science research assistant?
You usually need a qualification to become a social science research assistant and experience may be useful. You usually need University Entrance to do the study or training for this job. Other requirements: a bachelor's degree in human society, science or similar area; a postgraduate qualification in human society, science or similar area; experience in similar work.
How much does a social science research assistant earn in New Zealand?
The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $63,000 a year, before tax.
Has the number of people working as a social science research assistant grown in New Zealand?
It has held steady: TEC records the number of people doing this job as steady between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses. This is past change, not a forecast.
Sources
- Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.
Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.
This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.
These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Updated 4 October 2026