research writer salary

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What does a Research Writer do?

Research writers are professionals who conduct extensive research by taking complex information and then explaining it in lay terminology. These writers are required to conduct extensive research on various topics based on the requests of their clients to write keyword articles for search engine optimization (SEO). They must work with a wide variety of clients who specialize in web content to complete strategic research and content creation projects. Research writers must also manage research projects for companies, local and overseas.

• Responsibilities
• Skills And Traits
• Comparisions
• Types of Research Writer

Research writer responsibilities

A research writer's responsibilities are vast and varied. They may conduct research, write and edit content for various platforms, pitch ideas, conduct interviews, collaborate with team members, review and edit drafts, engage with readers, and keep up with industry trends. According to Whitney Adams , Visiting Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Writing at Berry College, "An individual entering the writing field may do the following tasks daily: researching and brainstorming ideas for new articles, stories, or projects; writing and editing content; pitching ideas and articles to editors or clients; conducting interviews with sources for articles or stories; collaborating with other writers, editors, and team members; reviewing and editing drafts of their work; engaging with readers and followers on social media; marketing and promoting their work; attending writing workshops, events, or networking opportunities; and keeping up to date with industry trends and news in the writing field."

Here are examples of responsibilities from real research writer resumes:

• Manage the proposal lifecycle, including RFP analysis, regular communications, proposal development and production consistent with branding strategies.
• Upload content and photos on Wordpress and create SEO meta descriptions.
• Recognize by audience as thought leader in NFL coverage and commentary.
• Assist the editor-in-chief with expanding the team of contributing writers to attract readers.
• Proofread and spell check written content, review articles, videos, and books regarding the given topic.
• Research various topics base on clients requests in order to write keyword articles for search engine optimization (SEO).
• Write articles for the college magazine that are then publish and send out to alumni and donors to the college.
• Proofread marketing materials and publications.
• Create PowerPoint presentation and present findings.
• Conduct interviews with professionals including professors and alumni.
• Develop training guides, PowerPoint presentations, and facilitate workshops
• Write articles focusing on beauty, lifestyle, employment and finance while featuring up-and-coming entertainers and designers
• Pitch, write and photograph audience-aligned content, which are centered on the European-American luxury lifestyle in the greater Chicago area
• Focuse on political negotiations, country demographics, and policy research for inform editorial coverage of international negotiations.
• Handle multiple editorial and programming responsibilities concurrently, independently, and under strict deadlines in an evolving environment.

Research writer skills and personality traits

We calculated that 15 % of Research Writers are proficient in Research Topics , Press Releases , and Editorials . They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented , Imagination , and Teamwork .

We break down the percentage of Research Writers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Research topics associated with property management, Compose articles to be presented at conferences by AMG president.

Generated web content, blog and print magazine articles, press releases, resumes, and cover letters.

Focused on political negotiations, country demographics, and policy research for informed editorial coverage of international negotiations.

Completed strategic research and content creation projects for a wide variety of clients, specializing in web content and strategy.

Conduct research into potential cases including the Lumber Liquidators litigation.

Gathered oral histories and conducted interviews for various historical documents.

Common skills that a research writer uses to do their job include "research topics," "press releases," and "editorials." You can find details on the most important research writer responsibilities below.

Detail oriented. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a research writer to have is detail oriented. Their role and responsibilities require that "technical writers create instructions for others to follow." Research writers often use detail oriented in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "served as project manager for detailed research projects to provide cutting edge research to establish better services for our clients. "

Imagination. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling research writer duties is imagination. The role rewards competence in this skill because "technical writers must think about a procedure or product as if they are someone who does not have technical knowledge." According to a research writer resume, here's how research writers can utilize imagination in their job responsibilities: "write creative and accurate executive summaries, powerpoint presentations and investment briefs. "

Teamwork. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of research writers is teamwork. This skill is critical to many everyday research writer duties, as "technical writers must be able to work well with other writers, designers, editors, illustrators, and the technical workers whose procedure or product they are explaining." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "obtained 3.000 new earth website hits and developed a teamwork system for managing writers via facebook. "

Technical skills. A big part of what research writers do relies on "technical skills." You can see how essential it is to research writer responsibilities because "technical writers must be able to understand complex information." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical research writer tasks: "oversee data collection and management, and create write technical manuals. "

Writing skills. A commonly-found skill in research writer job descriptions, "writing skills" is essential to what research writers do. Research writer responsibilities rely on this skill because "technical communicators must have excellent writing skills to be able to explain technical information clearly." You can also see how research writer duties rely on writing skills in this resume example : "content development: field research and photography, content writing and editing. "

See the full list of research writer skills

The three companies that hire the most research writers are:

• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital 4 research writers jobs
• Columbia University in the City of New York 2 research writers jobs
• The University of Kansas 1 research writers jobs

Choose from 10+ customizable research writer resume templates

Compare different research writers

Research writer vs. journalist.

A journalist is responsible for creating written correspondence, covering various subjects as the management requires. This task involves a lot of research investigations, conducting interviews, and gathering reliable sources to verify the authenticity of data before releasing the articles on news portals and other social platforms. Journalists should have excellent communication skills , both written and oral, conveying information to the target audience with high accuracy and efficiency. They analyze opinions and testimonies, create eye-catching headlines, and ensure adherence to deadlines.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, research writer responsibilities require skills like "research topics," "conduct research," "oral histories," and "proofread." Meanwhile a typical journalist has skills in areas such as "excellent interpersonal," "multimedia," "story development," and "local community." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Research writer vs. Editorial internship

An editorial intern is responsible for assisting the editorial team in publishing digital and media content, writing articles, and managing readers' reviews. Editorial interns must have excellent knowledge of the industry they work for, suggesting the latest trends and featured topics, taking notes of the tenured employees' advice and observations, and actively joining brainstorming sessions. An editorial intern must be detail-oriented and take constructive feedback as an opportunity to learn. It is also crucial to have outstanding communication and proofreading skills and keep all the materials confidential until release.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, research writer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "research topics," "conduct research," "oral histories," and "proofread." Meanwhile, an editorial internship has duties that require skills in areas such as "fact-check," "editorial intern," "twitter," and "instagram." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Research writer vs. Editor

An editor is the one responsible for polishing and refining a story, article, and any material for publication in newspapers, magazines, books, or websites. Editors have the power to either accept or reject a material as they need to ensure that every manuscript which will be offered for publishing is at the best version as it can be. There are several types of editors, from copy editors, books to managing editors, but they have few skills in common, like strong writing skills , good judgment, and leadership abilities to help guide the whole editorial team. Most of them work in the office, but it is quite becoming more regular for them to work remotely.

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, research writers are more likely to have skills like "research topics," "conduct research," "oral histories," and "proofread." But a editor is more likely to have skills like "video content," "facebook," "editor-in-chief," and "twitter."

Research writer vs. Associate editor

The primary role of an Associate Editor is to ensure that subordinates submit high-quality content. They review and edit copies, set deadlines, and supervise the production details of magazines, newspapers, books, or websites.

Types of research writer

Technical writer, staff writer, managing editor.

Updated June 25, 2024

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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Average Writer Salary

The average salary for a Writer is $62,250 in 2024

Featured Content

What is the pay by experience level for writers .

An entry-level Writer with less than 1 year experience can expect to earn an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of $49,890 based on 47 salaries. An early career Writer with 1-4 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $54,880 based on 232 salaries. A mid-career Writer with 5-9 …Read more

What Do Writers Do?

Writers are typically responsible for providing written content for companies in the form of articles, blog posts, manuscripts, website text, and other creative content. Writers work under executive or senior editors, as well as with creative directors or producers. They occasionally interact directly with the clients. Writers may also be expected to perform administrative tasks such as taking minutes and writing notes and emails for supervisors. They may also be asked to review content for …Read more

How do Writers Rate Their Jobs?

Common health benefits for a writer, gender breakdown for writers.

FAQs About Writers

What is the highest pay for writers.

Our data indicates that the highest pay for a Writer is $101k / year

What is the lowest pay for Writers?

Our data indicates that the lowest pay for a Writer is $38k / year

How can Writers increase their salary?

Increasing your pay as a Writer is possible in different ways. Change of employer: Consider a career move to a new employer that is willing to pay higher for your skills. Level of Education: Gaining advanced degrees may allow this role to increase their income potential and qualify for promotions. Managing Experience: If you are a Writer that oversees more junior Writers, this experience can increase the likelihood to earn more.

Principal Medical Writer

• Location: United States
• Categories Medical Writing
• __vacancyopjusttionswidget.opt-Business Area__ ICON Strategic Solutions
• __vacancyopjusttionswidget.opt-Remote Working __ Remote

TA Business Specialist

• Icon Strategic Solutions

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About the role.

As a Principal Medical Writer you will be joining the world’s largest & most comprehensive clinical research organisation, powered by healthcare intelligence.

What you will be doing:

• Manages all aspects of the medical writing function.
• Writes and reviews clinical study reports, protocols, and other clinical/regulatory documents.
• Contributes to clinical protocol development for first-in-human oncology studies.
• Demonstrates technical expertise and background in the use of medical writing templates and software (eg, PleaseReview, Documentum-based platforms, etc.).
• Writes clear and concise documents, including study reports, protocols, investigator brochures, summary documents, and other scientific documents
• Drive the document preparation process, receive and review primary statistical output, draft and distribute documents for review, and incorporate/resolve comments with all reviewers.
• Acts as a lead medical writer on complex programs and numerous individual studies.
• Advanced degree in a relevant scientific/clinical/regulatory field preferred
• At least 5 years of experience in a lead medical writing role in the pharmaceutical/CRO industry. *Note: Immunology experience is preferred but not required.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Ability to understand and interpret clinical and scientific data; ability to present results in an understandable manner to a variety of audiences.
• Knowledge of current requirements and guidelines applicable to submission documents
• Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills.
• Strong knowledge of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Ability to prioritize multiple projects
• To qualify, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States, and should not require, now or in the future, sponsorship for employment visa status.

What ICON can offer you: Our success depends on the quality of our people. That’s why we’ve made it a priority to build a diverse culture that rewards high performance and nurtures talent. In addition to your competitive salary, ICON offers a range of additional benefits. Our benefits are designed to be competitive within each country and are focused on well-being and work life balance opportunities for you and your family. Our benefits examples include:

• Various annual leave entitlements
• A range of health insurance offerings to suit you and your family’s needs
• Competitive retirement planning offerings to maximise savings and plan with confidence for the years ahead
• Global Employee Assistance Programme, TELUS Health, offering 24-hour access to a global network of over 80,000 independent specialised professionals who are there to support you and your family’s well-being
• Life assurance
• Flexible country-specific optional benefits, including childcare vouchers, bike purchase schemes, discounted gym memberships, subsidised travel passes, health assessments, among others

Visit our careers website to read more about the benefits of working at ICON: https://careers.iconplc.com/benefits At ICON, diversity, inclusion & belonging are fundamental to our culture and values. Our rich diversity makes us more innovative which helps us better serve our people, patients, customers, and our communities. We're proud of our diverse workforce and the work we’ve done to become a more inclusive organisation. We’re dedicated to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for all candidates. ICON is committed to providing a workplace free of discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please let us know through the form below. https://careers.iconplc.com/reasonable-accommodations Interested in the role, but unsure if you meet all of the requirements? We would encourage you to apply regardless – there’s every chance you’re exactly what we’re looking for here at ICON whether it is for this or other roles.

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