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The differences between assay development scientists and senior scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an assay development scientist and a senior scientist. Additionally, a senior scientist has an average salary of $106,672, which is higher than the $75,782 average annual salary of an assay development scientist.
The top three skills for an assay development scientist include assay development, cell-based assays and data analysis. The most important skills for a senior scientist are patients, data analysis, and molecular biology.
| Assay Development Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $75,782 | $106,672 |
| Hourly rate | $36.43 | $51.28 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 95,381 | 49,712 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Assay development scientists are biochemical experts who develop procedures that test or measure the activity of a drug or biochemical in an organism. These scientists are required to provide technical support to develop new assays as well as assist in the transfer of assay to clinical laboratories internationally. They must collaborate with laboratory scientists and managers to optimize laboratory processes for increased efficiency and effectiveness. Assay development scientists must also produce and submit reports about the development of assays to the research & development (R&D;) managers as well as project managers.
A senior scientist is usually in charge of overseeing experiments and evaluating junior scientists' performance, especially in laboratory settings. Moreover, it is also their responsibility to assess every progress report to ensure it's accuracy and validity. As a senior scientist in the field, it is essential to lead and encourage fellow scientists in their joint pursuit for scientific innovations, all while adhering to the laboratory's standards and policies.
Assay development scientists and senior scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assay Development Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Average salary | $75,782 | $106,672 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $113,000 | Between $74,000 And $153,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Genentech | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between an assay development scientist and a senior scientist in terms of educational background:
| Assay Development Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between assay development scientists' and senior scientists' demographics:
| Assay Development Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.1% Female, 47.9% | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 29.0% White, 51.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 26.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |