Browse Skills research design

research design

🏛️ Enduring ESCO reuse: cross-sector

The set of methods and techniques of research that are used to conduct a study. It includes practical steps in research such as purpose statement, data collection, methodology, and data analysis.

research design — the set of methods and techniques of research that are used to conduct a study. It includes practical steps in research such as purpose statement, data collection, methodology, and data analysis. McKinsey's Skill Change Index places it in the enduring band (SCI 50.64/100) — a human-connection anchor whose value is projected to hold or grow through 2030. ESCO classifies it as a cross-sector (useful across many industries) skill within knowledge. It is currently listed by 21 occupations in our catalogue, including Epidemiologists, Sociologists, Political Scientists, and agricultural scientist.

Category: knowledge › personal skills and development SCI: 50.64/100 Also known as: research design methods

Occupations that require research design

Showing top 20 of 21 occupations · ranked by India employment volume, then AI-durability.

Epidemiologists 👥 15,000 · 🤖 5.0/10
Sociologists 👥 500 · 🤖 5.2/10
Political Scientists 👥 500 · 🤖 5.3/10
agricultural scientist · 🤖 3.7/10
health psychologist · 🤖 4.5/10
psychologist · 🤖 4.5/10
psychology lecturer · 🤖 4.5/10
anthropologist · 🤖 5.0/10
archaeologist · 🤖 5.0/10
behavioural scientist · 🤖 5.0/10
biochemist · 🤖 5.0/10
biometrician · 🤖 5.0/10
criminologist · 🤖 5.0/10
demographer · 🤖 5.0/10
educational researcher · 🤖 5.0/10
higher education lecturer · 🤖 5.0/10
kinesiologist · 🤖 5.0/10
media scientist · 🤖 5.0/10
pharmacologist · 🤖 5.0/10
research manager · 🤖 5.0/10

Frequently asked questions

What is research design?

The set of methods and techniques of research that are used to conduct a study. It includes practical steps in research such as purpose statement, data collection, methodology, and data analysis.

What category of skill is research design?

ESCO classifies research design under the knowledge category, specifically in the personal skills and development subcategory.

Is research design an AI-durable skill?

McKinsey's Skill Change Index places it in the enduring band (SCI 50.64/100) — a human-connection anchor whose value is projected to hold or grow through 2030. This is a durable skill to invest in — high human-connection skills consistently resist automation.

Which jobs require research design?

In our catalogue, 21 occupations list research design as a required or important skill. The top occupations by employment volume include Epidemiologists, Sociologists, Political Scientists, agricultural scientist, health psychologist, psychologist.

How transferable is research design between industries?

ESCO tags research design as a cross-sector (useful across many industries) skill — a signal of how portable it is when you change field.

Is research design the same as research design methods?

Yes — research design is also known as research design methods. They refer to the same underlying capability in the ESCO taxonomy.

How can I learn research design?

The most reliable path is to pick a job or project that demands research design and learn through delivery. Complement that with role-specific roadmaps and short courses. Explore the occupations below to see where this skill is used in practice.

Data: ESCO v1.2.1 (CC-BY-4.0). Durability framework informed by McKinsey Global Institute (Nov 2025). See our methodology.