Sociology, social psychology, human geography, political science, social anthropology, and education are all fields where social research jobs can be found. Social researchers are in charge of planning and carrying out research projects. They must be creative in coming up with ways to collect information about their subjects or topics, as well as formulating ways to accurately measure their results.
In political science, social research jobs frequently entail determining how certain public policies affect citizens and who is specifically affected. Anthropology jobs entail learning about how people live and behave in society and in various social groups. In the field of education, a social researcher would be expected to investigate various educational policies or educational processes. Census work and data interpretation are examples of jobs in human geography, which is another area where social research jobs can be found.
Clearly, social researchers are interested in a wide range of topics. Gender studies, unemployment, and public health are examples of social research jobs. In its most basic form, social research encompasses everything that has to do with how humans interact or are affected by certain aspects of life, such as policies.
A social researcher should anticipate working with numbers, or data, which is typically derived from survey tools. Questionnaires, focus groups, interviews, and field observations are all examples of data collection methods. Researchers use a variety of research methods, including qualitative and quantitative research. Quantitative research entails crunching numbers and analyzing data, whereas qualitative research entails personal experiences and definitions.
Social researchers can frequently find work at social research centers and organizations all over the world. The Center for the Advanced Study of Communities and Information in the United States; the Institute for Social Research in Germany; the Matrix Knowledge Group in the United Kingdom; the Arab Center for Applied Social Research in Israel; and the Economic and Social Research Council in the United Kingdom are some of the larger centers.
Social researchers are frequently hired by colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, and privately funded organizations. Social science researchers and research assistants are employed by the majority of large universities. Working as a social science research analyst for the US federal government is also an option.
Because policies, demographics, and the global population are all constantly changing, social researchers are in high demand. Jobs in social research typically require at least a high school diploma, with higher-paying positions frequently requiring a college diploma.