My account

You control your data

We use cookies to tailor the experience of creating resumes and cover letters. For these reasons, we may share your usage data with third parties. You can find more information about how we use cookies on our Cookies Policy. If you would like to set your cookies preferences, click the Settings button below. To accept all cookies, click Accept.

Settings Accept

Cookie settings

Click on the types of cookies below to learn more about them and customize your experience on our Site. You may freely give, refuse or withdraw your consent. Keep in mind that disabling cookies may affect your experience on the Site. For more information, please visit our Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

Choose type of cookies to accept

Analytics

These cookies allow us to analyze our performance to offer you a better experience of creating resumes and cover letters. Analytics related cookies used on our Site are not used by Us for the purpose of identifying who you are or to send you targeted advertising. For example, we may use cookies/tracking technologies for analytics related purposes to determine the number of visitors to our Site, identify how visitors move around the Site and, in particular, which pages they visit. This allows us to improve our Site and our services.

Performance and Personalisation

These cookies give you access to a customized experience of our products. Personalization cookies are also used to deliver content, including ads, relevant to your interests on our Site and third-party sites based on how you interact with our advertisements or content as well as track the content you access (including video viewing). We may also collect password information from you when you log in, as well as computer and/or connection information. During some visits, we may use software tools to measure and collect session information, including page response times, download errors, time spent on certain pages and page interaction information.

Advertising

These cookies are placed by third-party companies to deliver targeted content based on relevant topics that are of interest to you. And allow you to better interact with social media platforms such as Facebook.

Necessary

These cookies are essential for the Site’s performance and for you to be able to use its features. For example, essential cookies include: cookies dropped to provide the service, maintain your account, provide builder access, payment pages, create IDs for your documents and store your consents.

To see a detailed list of cookies, click here.

Save preferences

Undergraduate Research Resume—Sample and 25+ Expert Tips

You contribute to not only publication but also academic and scientific progress. Use your undergraduate research resume to prove you’ve got what it takes.

Dominika Kowalska, CPRW
Career Expert
Undergraduate Research Resume—Sample and 25+ Expert Tips

You’re pretty good at gathering and organizing information, but it all gets a little meta when that information concerns your research abilities.

 

And yet that’s precisely what you need to do to write the kind of undergraduate research resume that gets results.

 

The good news?

 

Your skills are exactly, and pretty much, all you need.

 

In this guide:

 

  • An undergraduate research resume sample better than most.
  • How to create the perfect undergraduate research job description for resumes.
  • How to write a resume for undergraduate research jobs that stands out.
  • Expert tips and examples to boost your chances of landing an undergraduate research job.

 

Save hours of work and get a job-winning resume like this. Try our resume builder with 20+ resume templates and create your resume now.

 

Create your resume now

 

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOWundergraduate research resume example

What users say about ResumeLab:

I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your resume.”
Patrick

I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work!
Dylan 

My previous resume was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful!
George

Create your resume now

 

If you’re looking for an undergraduate research resume, you’ll probably need other kinds of resumes real soon. These are just some of our guides:

 

 

Undergraduate Research Resume

 

Katherine Davenport

Undergraduate Research Assistant

 

Personal Info

Phone: 222-222-2222

E-mail: katherine.b.davenport@reslab.com

linkedin.com/in/katherinebdavenport

 

Summary

 

Industrious undergraduate research assistant with 2+ years of experience, skilled in biology research. Seeking the opportunity to provide excellent research assistance at the Anderson Cancer Center. At the Columbia University Biology Department, wrote and modified 11+ programs in LabView and organized and cross-referenced over 450 Mb of spreadsheets.

 

Experience 

 

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Columbia University Biology Department

2019–present

  • Wrote and modified 11+ programs in LabView to record data from experiments.
  • Collected 250+ pages of tissue-culture observations from lab-based team.
  • Presented new research in front of a committee of 3–8 professors over 20+ weekly meetings.
  • Organized and cross-referenced over 450 Mb of spreadsheets.

 

Education 

 

BS in Molecular Biology

Columbia University, New York City, NY

Expected graduation: 2022

  • Pursued passion for cellular and molecular immunology coursework.
  • Volunteered in the Biology Museum three days a week for two years.
  • On track to graduate magna cum laude.
  • Maintaining a 3.93 GPA.

 

Awards and Honors

 

  • Won first place in the biological sciences three-minute thesis competition, 2021.
  • Received Dean’s Award for cell signaling poster presentation, 2020.

 

Languages

 

  • English—Native speaker
  • Spanish—Communicative

 

Key Skills 

 

  • Isolating DNA protein
  • Tissue cultures
  • Navigating the research library
  • Planning research projects
  • Data entry
  • Research databases

 

Now here’s how to write an undergraduate research resume they’ll love:

 

1. Choose the Right Undergraduate Research Resume Format

 

A couple of research recruiters are filtering out time wasters. It doesn’t take long to whittle away a quarter of the applicants.

 

Where’s your undergraduate research resume? Gone; It was one of the firsts and only took a second. Why?

 

“If a candidate can’t present their own resume properly….”

 

It’s an easy cut to make and an easy one to avoid—make your resume format clear and organized. Here’s how:

 

Undergraduate Research Resume Format

 

 

Something else to look out for:

 

Unusually popular undergraduate research jobs might attract so many applicants that decision-makers might resort to using an Applicant Tracking System (ATS).

 

And, some ATSs can’t handle resumes in PDF. Therefore, always check the job announcement for a preferred file format before defaulting to PDF.

 

2. Start With a Compelling Undergraduate Research Resume Profile

 

Reports have abstracts—

 

And resumes have resume profiles.

 

Have you worked as an undergraduate research assistant for a year? Then your profile will take the form of a resume summary. Use:

 

  1. One adjective (efficient, reliable, industrious)
  2. Job title (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
  3. Years of experience (1+, 2+)
  4. How you’ll help (provide excellent research support)
  5. Two or three of your most relevant achievements (collected 250+ pages of tissue-culture observations, presented research in front of a committee of 3–8 professors over 20+ meetings)

 

These undergraduate research resume examples show how:

 

Undergraduate Research Resume —Resume Summary Example

Good Example
Industrious undergraduate research assistant with 2+ years of experience, skilled in biology research. Seeking the opportunity to provide excellent research assistance at the Anderson Cancer Center. At the Columbia University Biology Department, wrote and modified 11+ programs in LabView and organized and cross-referenced over 450 Mb of spreadsheets.
Bad Example
Undergraduate research assistant with 2 years of experience. Seeking an opportunity to provide excellent research assistance at the Anderson Cancer Center. At the Columbia University Biology Department, I wrote and modified programs in LabView and organized and cross-referenced spreadsheets.

See the difference?

 

The first undergraduate research resume example impresses in two ways. First, it’s all about “what can I do to help?” rather than “here’s what I’ll need.” And second, it quantifies duties and tasks, turning them into real resume achievements.

 

What if you have little or no undergraduate research job experience?

 

Write a resume objective and pull relevant achievements from any of your past jobs.

 

No experience at all?

 

Draw on your academic and extracurricular achievements instead.

 

Undergraduate Research Assistant Resume—Resume Objective Example

Good Example
Enthusiastic undergraduate research assistant with 10+ months’ experience, skilled in biology research. Seeking the opportunity to provide excellent research assistance at the UCLA Molecular Biology Department. At the Columbia University Biology Department, collected 150+ pages of tissue-culture observations and presented new research at weekly meetings.
Bad Example
Not much experience in formal undergraduate research work, but I did a great job researching for most of my papers. Looking for a reasonably low-pressure learning opportunity, preferably in molecular biology.

The conclusion is this: little or no experience doesn’t mean anything to offer.

 

Are you struggling with writing an impressive resume profile? Write it last. 

 

You’ll already have a recap of everything you achieved throughout your career, so it’ll be easy to create an overview in a summary or objective.

 

3. Create the Perfect Undergraduate Research Job Description and Skills Sections

 

Show them you’re ready by making your resume work experience section into a trophy case of accomplishments.

 

How to put undergraduate research on a resume to achieve just that:

 

  1. Re-read the job ad or announcement.
  2. Identify all the skills and duties mentioned there.
  3. Think of times you’ve used those skills to impress employers and professors.
  4. Write resume bullet points using quantifiers and action verbs describing those times.

 

These undergraduate research resume examples show how:

 

Undergraduate Research Job Description for a Resume

Good Example

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Columbia University Biology Department

2019–present

  • Wrote and modified 11+ programs in LabView to record data from experiments.
  • Collected 250+ pages of tissue-culture observations from lab-based team.
  • Presented new research in front of a committee of 3–8 professors over 20+ weekly meetings.
  • Organized and cross-referenced over 450 Mb of spreadsheets.
Bad Example

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Columbia University Biology Department

2019–present

  • Wrote and modified programs.
  • Collected tissue-culture observations.
  • Presented new research.
  • Organized and cross-referenced spreadsheets.

Big difference.

 

It’s OK to estimate some or all of those numbers. Just be sure to keep it realistic and ready to justify.

 

Short on undergraduate research experience? Look to other jobs for relevant achievements. You may find them in your academic achievements.

 

No work experience at all? That’s to be expected. Let your education section replace it. Move it up right under the objective. As for the experience, focus on your volunteering or internship efforts instead.

 

One more thingno matter how experienced or inexperienced you are, you’ll need skills to put on a resume. But this isn’t like gaming an algorithm, and random spamming skills won’t work. Instead, aim to cover all the skills mentioned in the job announcement or job ad and stop there.

 

Here are some examples of hard and soft skills:

 

Undergraduate Research Resume Skills

 

  • Data entry
  • Isolating DNA protein
  • Tissue cultures
  • Navigating the research library
  • Planning research projects
  • Research databases
  • Education skills
  • Preparing RNA and DNA solutions
  • Biology research
  • Maintenance skills

 

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.

 

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

 

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOWcreate your resume now

Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now.

 

4. Turn an Incomplete Education Into a Reason to Hire You

 

When decision-makers look through an undergraduate research resume, they’re clearly looking for a solid academic record, but that means a lot more than a solid GPA.

 

First:

 

List your degree(s), school(s), and (expected) graduation date(s).

 

Then:

 

Add bullet points that show research skills and general academic engagement, think projects, classes, and accomplishments.

 

This undergraduate research resume example shows how:

 

Undergraduate Research Resume Example—Education Section

Good Example

BS in Molecular Biology

Columbia University, New York City, NY

Expected graduation: 2022

  • Pursued passion for cellular and molecular immunology coursework.
  • Volunteered in the Biology Museum three days a week for two years.
  • On track to graduate magna cum laude.
  • Maintaining a 3.93 GPA.

5. Boost Your Undergraduate Research Resume With Added Sections

 

A standard resume has the experience, education, and skills sections, which you have already completed. But if you think what’s left doesn’t look too impressive, you may be right. After all, an undergraduate research resume isn’t expected to present grandeur experience accomplishments.

 

So add one or two additional sections to highlight the value you bring:

 

 

These two undergraduate research resume examples show good vs. bad:

 

Undergraduate Research Resume—Extra Sections

Good Example

Awards and Honors

 

  • Won first place in the biological sciences three-minute thesis competition, 2021.
  • Received Dean’s Award for cell signaling poster presentation, 2020.

 

Languages

 

  • English—Native speaker
  • Spanish—Communicative
Bad Example

Hobbies and Interests

 

  • De-hooding hoodies and selling them online
  • Smartphone photography

 

Languages

 

  • English, Spanish

D+, meet A-.

 

Hobbies and interests can make a great addition to your undergraduate research resume, but as with any other item on your resume, they have to be relevant. Plus, you want to show your proficiency levels next to your language skills.

 

One last step, and it’s a bit of a doozy—

 

Even if you’ve never been asked to write a cover letter, you’ll still need one to be considered. 

 

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

 

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

 

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOWcreate your cover letter now

Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

 

Key Points

 

For an undergraduate research resume that gets interviews:

 

  • Use the undergraduate research resume template. It checks all the right boxes while being quick and easy to read.
  • Put undergraduate research achievements in your resume profile, work experience, and education sections to show you’ve got what it takes to get accurate results.
  • Choose the right undergraduate research skills to add. Check the job ad or notice to see what the right skills are.
  • Write an undergraduate research cover letter. Use it to spotlight your passion for research work as you describe your strong academic record and achievements.

 

Got questions on how to put undergraduate research on a resume? Got advice for others writing a resume for undergraduate research jobs? Leave a comment down below.

Rate my article: undergraduate research
Thank you for voting
Average: 5 (1 votes)
Dominika Kowalska, CPRW
Dominika is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and a renowned career expert. With a passion for helping individuals achieve their professional goals, she crafts compelling resume and cover letter guides and offers invaluable guidance to navigate the job market successfully.

Was it interesting? Here are similar articles

College Student Resume Examples & Templates to Use in 2023

College Student Resume Examples & Templates to Use in 2023

Writing a resume for a college student doesn't have to be hard, even if you don't have any experience. Follow our guide and learn how to write a job-winning college student resume.

Tom Gerencer, CPRW
Tom Gerencer, CPRW
Career Writer at ResumeLab
Science Resume Templates (+CV Examples for Scientist)

Science Resume Templates (+CV Examples for Scientist)

You’ve spent years deepening your knowledge in a narrowing field. Getting all that expertise onto a page or two of a science resume is easier than you think. Find out how.

Bart Turczynski
Bart Turczynski
Editor-in-Chief