Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Vocational Research Technician

🎯 Role Definition

The Vocational Research Technician conducts applied vocational and occupational research to support workforce development, vocational rehabilitation, and career services. This role performs field data collection, job and occupational analyses, participant assessments, data entry and cleaning, and prepares evidence-based reports for practitioners, employers, and funding bodies. The position requires strong attention to detail, practical survey and interview experience, familiarity with labor market and occupational data sources, and the ability to translate research findings into actionable recommendations for programs and stakeholders.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Research Assistant (Social Science / Public Policy)
Vocational Counselor or Job Coach
Field Data Collector / Survey Technician

Advancement To:

Senior Research Technician / Research Associate
Data Analyst (Labor Market or Program Evaluation)
Project Manager for Workforce Development Projects
Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist / Program Coordinator

Lateral Moves:

Case Manager
Program Evaluation Specialist
Labor Market Information (LMI) Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Plan, coordinate, and conduct systematic job analyses and occupational walkthroughs at employer sites to document tasks, skills, tools, physical demands, work environment, and vocational pathways that inform individualized employment planning and competency frameworks.
Design and administer structured surveys, standardized assessments, and semi‑structured interviews with employers, job incumbents, and program participants to capture detailed vocational, training, and employment information for quantitative and qualitative research purposes.
Perform field-based data collection including site visits, on‑the‑job observations, telephone interviews, and digital survey deployment while maintaining strict data quality and respondent confidentiality, especially when working with individuals receiving vocational rehabilitation services.
Compile, clean, and validate large datasets from surveys, employer records, labor market information systems (O*NET, BLS, state LMI), and administrative program databases; document metadata and maintain reproducible data cleaning pipelines.
Conduct descriptive and inferential statistical analyses (frequency distributions, cross-tabulations, regression models where applicable) to identify employment trends, skill gaps, wage patterns, and training outcomes that inform program design and grant reporting.
Develop and maintain relational databases and spreadsheets (Excel, Access, SQL-based systems) to track participant outcomes, employer contacts, assessment scores, and follow-up results, ensuring data integrity and version control.
Prepare clear, audience-focused written deliverables including technical memoranda, executive summaries, employer profiles, occupational task lists, and grant-report attachments that translate research findings into operational recommendations.
Create visualizations (tables, charts, GIS maps where relevant) using Excel, Tableau, or R to highlight labor market trends, geographic concentration of occupations, and program performance metrics for stakeholders and funders.
Assist with IRB submissions, informed consent processes, confidentiality protections, and ethical protocols when research involves human subjects, ensuring compliance with institutional policies and legal requirements.
Recruit and screen study participants and employer partners, coordinate scheduling for assessments and site visits, and maintain relationship logs and outreach follow-up to grow the study sample and employer engagement.
Administer standardized vocational assessments (work samples, interest inventories, functional capacity evaluations) and score/interprete results to support individualized vocational planning and research analyses.
Conduct literature reviews and synthesize best practices on vocational assessment tools, workforce training modalities, credentialing frameworks, and employer engagement strategies to inform study design and program improvements.
Support mixed-methods research by conducting qualitative data collection and analysis activities such as note-taking, audio/video transcription, thematic coding, and summarizing findings for triangulation with quantitative results.
Maintain and calibrate assessment instruments and field equipment (timing devices, measurement tools, mobile tablets), and ensure secure storage and inventory of assessment materials.
Contribute to study protocol development including sampling strategies, data collection instruments, measurement definitions, and quality assurance procedures to ensure reproducible and defensible vocational research.
Provide direct support to case teams and employment specialists by synthesizing occupational data for individualized job placement, wage negotiation, and accommodation planning based on assessed capabilities and employer job requirements.
Track participant progress through follow-up surveys and administrative records to measure employment outcomes, retention, earnings, and training completion; prepare longitudinal data files for outcome analysis.
Collaborate with employers to validate job descriptions, develop worksite-based training plans, and identify minimum qualifications and upskilling needs that align with local labor market demand.
Manage project documentation, prepare materials for stakeholder meetings and advisory boards, and present concise findings to internal teams, funders, and external partners to inform program decisions.
Assist with grant writing and proposal development by contributing evidence summaries, budget justifications for fieldwork and instrumentation, and feasibility analyses based on labor market data.
Implement quality assurance checks, audit trails, and standard operating procedures for data collection to minimize bias, nonresponse, and measurement error; report data quality issues promptly to the project lead.
Train and supervise temporary field staff, interns, and student workers on survey protocols, assessment administration, safety, and participant engagement best practices to ensure consistent data collection standards.

Secondary Functions

Provide ad-hoc analytical support for internal program teams, including rapid data pulls, cohort comparisons, and short-term outcome summaries for leadership decision-making.
Maintain and enhance knowledge of regional labor market dynamics, industry certifications, and vocational credential frameworks to proactively advise program development.
Support outreach and engagement activities such as job fairs, employer advisory councils, and community workshops to promote study participation and strengthen local partnerships.
Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by suggesting refinements to assessment batteries, data collection instruments, and participant onboarding processes.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Survey design and administration (paper, phone, and online platforms such as Qualtrics, REDCap, or SurveyMonkey) with strong attention to question validity and response rates.
Proficiency in data cleaning and analysis using Excel (advanced functions and pivot tables), SPSS, Stata, or R for descriptive and basic inferential statistics.
Experience managing relational datasets and databases (MS Access, SQL queries) and familiarity with data integration from administrative and LMI sources.
Occupational/job analysis methodologies (task inventories, critical incident technique, functional job analysis) and familiarity with O*NET, SOC codes, and wage data sources.
Administration and scoring of vocational and functional assessments; basic knowledge of work capacity, transferable skills analysis, and accommodation needs.
Competence creating data visualizations and reports using Tableau, Power BI, R (ggplot2), or Excel charting for stakeholder communication.
Basic GIS or mapping skills to visualize geographic concentrations of employment, commute patterns, and service coverage (preferred).
Knowledge of human subjects protections, informed consent procedures, and institutional review board (IRB) processes.
Experience with qualitative methods: interview techniques, audio transcription, NVivo or manual thematic coding and synthesis.
Familiarity with project management tools and documentation practices (MS Project, Asana, Trello, or equivalent) to manage field schedules and deliverables.

Soft Skills

Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to data quality and reproducibility.
Strong written communication skills to translate technical findings into practical recommendations for nontechnical audiences.
Effective interpersonal skills for engaging employers, program participants, case managers, and multi-disciplinary teams.
Time management and organization to balance fieldwork, data processing, and reporting deadlines across concurrent projects.
Problem-solving mindset and adaptability to respond to field challenges, recruitment hurdles, or changing research requirements.
Confidentiality and professionalism when working with sensitive participant information and vocational rehabilitation cases.
Cultural competence and empathy when engaging diverse populations, including persons with disabilities and underrepresented jobseekers.
Collaborative team orientation and willingness to train and mentor junior staff and interns.
Critical thinking and analytical curiosity to pursue follow-up questions and deeper labor market insights.
Presentation skills for delivering succinct findings to funders, employers, and program leadership.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate Degree in a relevant field (e.g., human services, occupational studies, social sciences) with documented field experience in research or vocational services.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's Degree in Social Science, Public Policy, Economics, Rehabilitation Counseling, Occupational Therapy, Education, Statistics, or related field.
Graduate coursework or certificate in workforce development, program evaluation, or applied statistics is a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Vocational Rehabilitation / Rehabilitation Counseling
Sociology, Psychology, or Social Work
Public Policy / Public Administration
Labor Economics or Applied Statistics
Occupational Health, Occupational Therapy, or Education

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–4 years of applied research, field data collection, or vocational services experience.

Preferred:

2–5 years working on workforce development programs, vocational assessments, or labor market research projects.
Demonstrable experience conducting employer outreach, job analysis, and administering vocational assessments.
Prior exposure to grant-funded projects, outcome reporting, or public-sector workforce systems preferred.