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Dear Tom,
Thanks for the question.
The choice is yours, but I would encourage you to ponder and pray over a vocation that has a more moral foundation. After reviewing how Wikipedia defines a Research Assistant:
A Research Assistant is a researcher employed, often on a temporary contract, by a university or a research institute, for the purpose of assisting in academic research. Research assistants are not independent and not directly responsible for the outcome of the research and are responsible to a supervisor or principal investigator. Research assistants are often educated to degree level and might be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme and simultaneously teach.
I don't think I have to tell you how liberal, bias, and immoral many colleges and universities have become in the United States over the past few years. Based on this and your position, it appears that many times the morality of your actions can be rationalized as not being your fault but, your supervisor's fault, because as you said:
I am only doing what my supervisors have asked me to do.
If you are cognizant of behavior that goes against Catholic morals and, in this situation, objectivizes women or men, you are still culpable.
The fact that you asked this question shows me that you care about living a good moral life based on solid Catholic morals.
To technically answer your question: Yes, it would be wrong, and here is the criteria for a mortal sin from the Catechism: CCC 1857 — 1860:
1857 For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: Mortal sin is sin whose object is:
- grave matter and
- which is also committed with full knowledge, and
- deliberate consent.
1858 Grave matter is specified by the Ten Commandments, corresponding to the answer of Jesus to the rich young man: "Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother." The gravity of sins is more or less great: murder is graver than theft. One must also take into account who is wronged: violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger.
1859 Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God's law. It also implies a consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice. Feigned ignorance and hardness of heart do not diminish, but rather increase, the voluntary character of a sin.
1860 Unintentional ignorance can diminish or even remove the imputably of a grave offense. But no one is deemed to be ignorant of the principles of the moral law, which are written in the conscience of every man. The prompting's of feelings and passions can also diminish the voluntary and free character of the offense, as can external pressures or pathological disorders. Sin committed through malice, by deliberate choice of evil, is the gravest.
If you're not sure about other vocations you'd be good at, touch base with a priest or spiritual director who is faithful to the Church.
He may be able to help and guide you appropriately. My colleagues may have a different take; but that's mine.
Say a Rosary, and call me in the morning!
I hope this helps,
Mike
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