A research assistant gathers, organizes, and synthesizes information on request - conducting online research, competitive analysis, and background investigations to support decision-making.
A great Research Assistant does not just complete tasks. They own a function that directly frees you to grow. Here is what that looks like in a scaling business:
01Conduct online research on companies, industries, competitors, and topics
02Compile and organize research findings into clear summaries
03Perform background research on potential partners, clients, or candidates
04Maintain research databases and knowledge libraries
05Synthesize multiple sources into actionable recommendations
How this hire moves your business forward: Good decisions require good information. A research assistant gives you the information you need, organized and ready to use, without consuming your own time gathering it.
Why LatAm
Why LatAm Produces Great Research Assistants.
LatAm research assistants are intellectually curious, organized, and experienced producing research for US-facing businesses and executives. Strong English writing and critical thinking are standard.
The timezone overlap with the US is strong. LatAm professionals work within 1 to 3 hours of US Eastern time, so there is no async lag, no late-night handoffs, and no communication gap.
Skills & tools
Know What a Great Research Assistant Actually Brings to the Table.
Beyond the resume, here are the skills, tools, and traits that separate strong performers from strong interviewers.
Hard Skills
Online research methodology
Information synthesis and summarization
Understanding of research methods:
Quantitative (surveys, datasets)
Qualitative (interviews, focus groups)
Interpreting findings and drawing insights
Report writing
Common Tools
Google Workspace
Trello/ Asana
Crunchbase / PitchBook (basic)
Notion / Airtable
Slack
Soft Skills & Traits
Intellectually curious
Organized and systematic
Clear and concise writer
Critical thinker
Reliable on research depth and accuracy
Compensation
What You Can Expect to Pay.
Based on Sur market data and regional benchmarks. Figures reflect total cash compensation.
Seniority
US Annual
LatAm Annual
You Save
Entry
$40,000
$15,600
$24,400 / yr
Mid level
$52,000
$21,600
$30,400 / yr
Senior
$68,000
$28,800
$39,200 / yr
Spot the right hire
What to Look For, and What to Watch Out For.
Green Flags
Research is deep enough to be genuinely useful - not just a Google summary
Findings are organized in a way that saves the reader time
Distinguishes between primary and secondary sources and notes reliability
Proactively asks clarifying questions before doing research to ensure it is on target
Red Flags
Superficial research that does not go beyond the first page of Google results
Disorganized findings that require significant rework
No ability to synthesize across sources into a coherent summary
Our process
Our Process for This Role.
We do not post and wait. Every Research Assistant search we run is built from scratch around your business, your stage, your team, and your goals. And at every step, we are thinking about how this hire helps you grow.
1
Onboarding Call
We start by understanding what you actually need.
2
Role Scoping and Assessment Design
We build a precise role profile and design the custom skills assessment before we search for anyone.
3
Sourcing
We source actively across LatAm and the Caribbean and through our network.
4
Prescreening and Phone Screen
Every candidate is internally screened then put through an English phone screen.
5
Your Shortlist
3 to 5 candidates delivered early in the process with background, audio clip, and our team's recommendation.
6
Skills Assessment
Shortlisted candidates take a custom assessment built to replicate the actual work of the role.
7
Hire and Guarantee
We support the offer, help structure compensation for retention, and back every placement with a 90-day guarantee.
Common Questions About Hiring a Research Assistant.
1-2 weeks typically. Most placements are made within 21 days of the onboarding call.
Most LatAm professionals work within 1 to 3 hours of US Eastern time.
All Sur placements speak fluent English. We screen for language ability on every search. Moderate English acceptable depending on exposure.
A LatAm research assistant delivers organized, well-synthesized research at significantly lower cost. Strong written English and intellectual curiosity are widely available in the region.
If your hire does not work out within the first 90 days for any reason, we replace them at no additional cost.
Competitive research, market research, company background research, candidate research, industry analysis, and topic research. Define specific use cases during the search.
Some can handle basic data organization and analysis. For quantitative analytics, a Data Analyst is more appropriate.
Ready to Hire a Research Assistant Who Actually Moves the Needle?
Let us design the role together and find you the right person from LatAm.