Research Assistant Cover Letter: A Guide to Outstand the Rest [w/ Examples]

A research assistant is a role that provides help or support to research teams. Responsibilities associated with this role include, but not limited to, conducting research, summarizing findings, preparing progress reports, and other research-related tasks.

People who aspire to be a research assistant in the future not only need an impressive GPA as proof of their academic performance, but also need to have required skills and passions.

This is where a cover letter for a research assistant job comes in handy. A good research assistant cover letter allows one to show their capabilities and all related information in one go. If you want to stand out from other countless applicants and ultimately get the chance to be interviewed by potential employers, crafting a well-thought-out research assistant cover letter is essential.

Before we roll into the steps in writing a great research assistant cover letter, first, let’s take a look at these examples.

Research assistant cover letter sample

Sample of lab assistant cover letter

Sample of research assistant cover letter without experience

Cover letter for graduate research assistant

A research assistant cover letter is not hard to write when you focus and emphasize on the correct information. Let’s go through them together.

Find a position that suits your interest & qualifications

Research assistants may have different responsibilities when working under the lead researcher. It depends on the research goal. Before applying, you should make sure that you are interested in that research project, to make sure that you can stay motivated throughout the journey.

Moreover, you should also refer to your qualifications when applying for the position. Working as a research assistant in a whole new field can be very exhausting and mentally draining if you don’t have the right qualifications.

Study the job listing & research institution

A research advisor appreciates it when people who apply for the assistant position include some information about the institution in the research assistant cover letter. This implies that the applicant is genuinely interested in the research program and institution.

Here is a list of information and keywords that you should include in your research assistant cover letter:

• Name of researcher
• Name of the institution
• The goal of the research

List down your research experiences

You might have been involved in some research projects with the department's professors during your college years. These experiences will be the concrete base for your skills to apply for the position. Therefore, including that information in your RA cover letter can help researchers understand your level and better determine if you’re the right person.

List your specific research skills

To be a researcher requires a fair amount of skills related to documenting, interacting with people, and many more. Incorporating your skills related to the job is a good way to showcase your ability in working as a research assistant. 

Here are some skills to include in your research assistant cover letter:

• Communication
• Data analysis
• Data collection
• Critical thinking
• Time management

Write down your passion related to the research focus

When applying for a research assistant position, you should always include the reason for applying. This is the best opportunity to tell potential employers about your passion and why you want to be part of the research. This helps them better understand you before interviewing you in person.

Format your RA cover letter

People like to think that format isn’t important. However, some recruiters also consider cover letter format too. Thus, it is better to make sure that your cover letter for a research assistant job is in the right format.

Here’s the format of the cover letter that you should follow:

• Letter header: This part should include the sender and receiver information and the date when you wrote the letter.
• Salutations: Greet the lead researcher formally with “Dear” and their name.
• Opening paragraph: Make an impressive introduction about yourself and your goals.
• Body paragraph: Introduce specifically your experience and skills that you can offer to the research.
• Closing paragraph: End the letter with a call to action and show appreciation.

Now that you know how to write a research assistant cover letter, follow these tips to level-up your cover letter and land that research position that you dream of!

Show excitement and interest in the position in your opening

Choosing the right tone is essential when writing a cover letter. For example, it would be best to use a formal tone when writing a lab assistant cover letter. You can also use a different approach to show your excitement and enthusiasm in the position without turning your sentences colloquial.

Use bullet points to bring attention to your key achievements

Besides explaining your information in paragraphs, you can use bullet points to highlight some key points that you want to share with the lead researcher. Readers tend to focus more on points formats when there is much information to digest.

Modify the cover letter by including specific information related to the research project

To make yourself stand out from the other applicants, you should use specific information related to the research project as an element to write your cover letter. This will help you stand out among other applicants who use generic information.

Create a strong closing with a call to action

Showing appreciation in the closing statement is not required but you can level it up by also including a call-to-action. This is to lead the readers to check out your resume and contact you for more information.

Mention any relevant referrals or mutual networks

If you have worked with a fellow researcher in the field before, you could ask them for permission to include their names in the cover letter. Or, if you happen to be referred to the position by someone in the institution, you should also mention their name in your RA cover letter.

Being inexperienced might be harder for you to write a research assistant cover letter. But fear not! We have prepared some tips for you.

Focus on the skills that you already have

Don’t worry if you do not have experience as a research assistant. Some skills can be achieved without actually working as a research assistant. 

Emphasize the transferable skills from your other experiences, or skills and background knowledge that you’ve gained from your school years. Having these skills and qualifications definitely helps to boost your credibility as a suitable candidate for the position.

Share your experience in utilizing the skills required by the position

Having related skills may be a plus to landing a job, but recruiters would like to know how you are able to put these skills into practice. Therefore, you can mention any of your experience related to the skills to show recruiters that you are not just all talk.

Take this as an example. Here’s how you could emphasize your transferable skills when writing a clinical research assistant cover letter:

List extracurricular projects or any other works

Work experience can be replaced by extracurricular projects or any other related work because working on projects allows you to gain skills needed for the research assistant position. By listing your extracurricular projects, you can show the skills that you have learned and let recruiters know that you are suitable for the position.

Show your collaboration and teamwork skills

Research is not a one-man game. You will be working with other researchers and assistants. Showing collaboration and teamwork skills is very important as it helps lead researchers to know whether you will work well with other assistants. 

You might already know the skills that could be useful and should be mentioned in a research assistant cover letter but there’s no harm in knowing more.

Here, you will find some skills that could be mentioned in your research assistant cover letter:

• Administration skills
• Multitasking skills
• Time management skills
• Work under pressure
• Critical thinking skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• Data software (Statacorp Stata)
• Observation skills
• Communication skills
• Leadership skills
• Teamwork skills
• Data collection 
• Data entry
• Data analysis
• Attention to details
• Planning and scheduling
• Report writing
• Interview skills
• Technical skills

Here’s a recap of what you’ve just learned:

• When writing for the research assistant position, show your passion with a professional tone.
• If you have no work experience, emphasize your current skills and how you can use them for the research.
• Mention your key achievements using bullet points in the body paragraphs to attract the recruiter’s attention.
• If you have any mutual connections with some professors from the field, mention them.
• Remember to have a strong call to action when ending your research assistant cover letter.

— Originallyy written by Ryan Goh —