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Assay development scientist vs staff scientist

The differences between assay development scientists and staff 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 staff scientist. Additionally, a staff scientist has an average salary of $93,941, 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 staff scientist are data analysis, research projects, and molecular biology.

Assay development scientist vs staff scientist overview

Assay Development ScientistStaff Scientist
Yearly salary$75,782$93,941
Hourly rate$36.43$45.16
Growth rate17%17%
Number of jobs95,381121,054
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age4141
Years of experience44

What does an assay development scientist do?

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.

What does a staff scientist do?

The primary role of a Staff Scientist is to develop and manage scientific research projects with minimal supervision. They are also responsible for the technical and budgetary aspects of scientific research projects.

Assay development scientist vs staff scientist salary

Assay development scientists and staff scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Assay Development ScientistStaff Scientist
Average salary$75,782$93,941
Salary rangeBetween $50,000 And $113,000Between $63,000 And $137,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CARedwood City, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaCalifornia
Best paying companyGenentechEtsy
Best paying industryManufacturingTechnology

Differences between assay development scientist and staff scientist education

There are a few differences between an assay development scientist and a staff scientist in terms of educational background:

Assay Development ScientistStaff Scientist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common majorBiologyChemistry
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaDuke University

Assay development scientist vs staff scientist demographics

Here are the differences between assay development scientists' and staff scientists' demographics:

Assay Development ScientistStaff Scientist
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 52.1% Female, 47.9%Male, 67.8% Female, 32.2%
Race ratioBlack 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between assay development scientist and staff scientist duties and responsibilities

Assay development scientist example responsibilities.

  • Manage a group of three laboratory technicians performing ELISA assays and protein purification.
  • Develop and manage third party claim investigations and contractor remedial oversight for various insurance companies.
  • Co-Direct implementation of immunoassay analysis software interface into LIMS.
  • Perform total RNA and specific RNA extraction of samples.
  • Involve in DNA extraction, library prep, bio-analysing and sequencing runs.
  • Develop residual host cell DNA assays in drug substance and in-process samples using real time PCR.
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Staff scientist example responsibilities.

  • Lead efforts to replace a critical radioactive immunoassay with a non-radioactive format to measure clinical samples.
  • Manage clinical sample testing using MSD and ELISA in LIMS, including data review and approval using LIMS.
  • Assist in managing and maintenance of HPLC and Prep-HPLC systems to ensure maximum productivity for the process development group.
  • Manage pediatric dose development project, technology transfer project and alternate API supplier qualification project on budget and on schedule
  • Assist with RNA and DNA extractions from FFPE tissue and blood.
  • Supervise temps performing HPLC assays and validations during development and production campaigns under GMP conditions.
  • Show more

Assay development scientist vs staff scientist skills

Common assay development scientist skills
  • Assay Development, 10%
  • Cell-Based Assays, 10%
  • Data Analysis, 8%
  • Next-Generation Sequencing, 7%
  • Molecular Biology, 6%
  • Elisa, 5%
Common staff scientist skills
  • Data Analysis, 9%
  • Research Projects, 7%
  • Molecular Biology, 5%
  • Next-Generation Sequencing, 4%
  • Statistical Analysis, 4%
  • RNA, 4%

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